Bacon-Wrapped Mac & Cheese Bites

Why are these bacon-wrapped macaroni and cheese bites superior to regular mac & cheese? Let us count the ways:

Bacon-Wrapped Mac & Cheese
Prep: 15 Mins | Total: 30 Mins
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
6 slices Bacon, cooked but still soft enough to bend
1 (6 ounce) box Macaroni and cheese, prepared
3 Tablespoons Italian-style panko breadcrumbs
12 Tablespoons Shredded Cheese (cheddar or other melting cheese)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Spray your muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Line each cup with a strip of bacon. (If the strips are too long to fit into the muffin tin, you may need to trim the ends.)
Mix the prepared macaroni and cheese with half of the shredded cheese. Divide the macaroni and cheese evenly between the 6 bacon-lined cups in the muffin pan (about ⅓ cup in each).
Top the macaroni and cheese with the remaining shredded cheese and the breadcrumbs.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
Allow them to cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing them.
  1. They’re portable
  2. They’ve got twice the cheese
  3. You can eat them with your hands
  4. BACON

Yes, these flavors are super kid friendly, but we don’t know any adults who can resist the simple pleasures of bacon and macaroni and cheese either. The gooey cheese and crispy Italian-seasoned panko breadcrumb topping really take this mac to the next level — not to mention the bacon flavor that infuses each bite.

Make these bacon macaroni and cheese balls for an easy party appetizer or a fun meal you can make in a muffin tin. Those little bacon cups mean you won’t even need a bowl! And these keep really well in the fridge, so you can make some ahead of time and warm them up when you want ’em (which is going to be just about all the time).

Recipe adapted from The Gunny Sack.