These cute and super tasty Candied Bacon Cheeseburger Bites are the ultimate appetizer for your next party! The amazing flavor combination of sweet, salty, and savory will tantalize your tastebuds and leave you wanting more! They will surely be the hit of the party and don’t plan on any leftovers. ๐
I love things in small packages. I love tiny homes. I love tiny terrariums. I love tiny animals. And I love tiny, bite-sized foods!
If you have frequented my blog you may have noticed I have an obsession with my mini cupcake pan. I use it for EVERYTHING, well almost everything. Mini bite-sized brownies, mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Energy Bites, mini cupcakes, mini muffins, mini popovers, mini egg breakfast bites, and mini meatballs! You can make almost anything mini.
And when I say I like my food mini, that just means I can eat more, right!? You just feel better eating something mini-fied! haha.
So these succulent and savory cheeseburger bites are the new favorite around my home. Cricket adores these little meatballs, and my hubby is always asking for more. Between him and Cricket, there often aren’t any left over for me!
In true Kelley and Cricket fashion, I make sure these indulgent bites are heathly! I use grass-fed beef from Trader Joes, grass-fed cheddar (which you can omit if your dairy-free/paleo), and grass-fed bacon. For more information on WHY I am so obsessed with grass-fed produce click HERE.
The candied bacon is literally the bomb. Be sure to make extra to snack on otherwise you may not end up with enough to top you Cheeseburger Bites! It truly is that addictive.
I like to stuff my meatballs with a cube of cheddar. This takes a bit of extra time, and often time some of the cheese oozes out while these babies are in the oven, but that actually is a good thing! You get a lovely crispy cheese crust on the outside, and melty ย cheese on the inside for the ultimate texture experience!
If you prefer you can just top the meatballs with grated cheese once they come out of the oven, and the heat from the recently baked balls with melt it just right! Are your mouths watering yet!?
Finally top each cutie with a generously-sized slab of candied bacon, stick a tooth pick in it and you are good to go! Enjoy ๐
Candied Bacon Cheeseburger Bites
These cute and super tasty Candied Bacon Cheeseburger Bites are the ultimate appetizer for your next party! The amazing flavor combination of sweet, salty, and savory will tantalize your tastebuds and leave you wanting more! They will surely be the hit of the party and don’t plan on any leftovers. ๐
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1 pasture-raised egg
- 2 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoons ketchup (or tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 block of grass-fed cheddar cut into 1/2″ cubes (omit if dairy-free/paleo)
- 5 strip of grass-fed bacon (or more if you want extra for snacking!)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare the candied bacon following this recipe: Crackling’ Bacon and make extra for snacking if you want!
- Mix the ground beef, egg, mustard, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Form a 1-1.5″meatball and make an impression with your finger and insert a cheese cube, then roll the ball in your hand to over the cheese, forming a nice round ball. Repeat with remaining meat mixture.
- Place each meatball into a mini cupcake tin compartment. You should make about 18 meatballs.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Remove and let cool.
- Meanwhile, after your bacon has cooled cut each strip into 1″ pieces.
- Place your meatballs on a serving platter, top each one with a piece of bacon and secure with toothpicks.
