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You are here: Home / Appetizers / Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods

Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods

January 21, 2015 148 Comments

Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Pepper

These Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Glaze are simply indescribable. Crunchy, chewy, salty, hot, and sweet? Yes…perfection!

Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods on white plate. 

I first published this post for Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Glaze in 2009, back when I was still just putting some recipes online and maybe taking a quick snap with a small point and shoot camera. The photos were so bad and these are so good so I decided it was time for a redo.

These goodies have an addictive quality I can not deny. But I’m OK with that…I’ll watch the booze and beer intake carefully but this addiction I’m never going to quit. I thought it time to take some better snaps and share the bounty with my blog readers; you deserve to join me! Try these Bacon Wrapped Pretzels with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Glaze and you will see the light!

Before many of us starting scattering around the country, I had a great group of girlfriends that would meet regularly at my home each summer for a Girls Nite In. I made my favorite margaritas and they all brought snacks and we would just gab and drink and eat til we could no more.

I remember the night my oldest daughter ‘auditioned’ for the executive direction of a Chamber of Commerce we all belonged to, and where we met. I had offered Emily’s voice to sing the Star Spangled Banner before a 5K race that was held on Thanksgiving Day. Julie, the director needed to hear her first.

What can I say…I thought she should take my word for it, but she insisted and she was the boss of the Chamber so I asked Em to drop by, she went out into the backyard and sang the song A cappella. When she had finished, you could hear catcalls coming from neighboring houses that we couldn’t even see and then Julie turned around, tears in her eyes, and said. “I will never not take your word for anything again.” Whew. I know I’m her mom and all but her voice is simply beyond compare!

We even wore our PJ’s for the events although everyone actually went home; it made us feel like we were girls again! I will never forget the words on the hand written recipe card that my friend Stacy gave me for these treats that we all loved so much we demanded she bring them to our summer soiree every year; it went something like this:

Do not proceed if you are looking for a low fat or low calorie dish!

Have to admit, she is right but for the occasional treat, they are SO good! I mean so decadently good!

Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods on Baking Rack

Bacon. Pretzel. Brown Sugar. Cayenne Pepper. Really…what’s not to love right? Sweet, salty, hot, crunchy; this one will tickle all of your taste buds. Bless Stacy’s heart, she followed through each and every year and we, or at least I, looked forward to them with great anticipation. I only hope she has shared them as generously in Seattle..

Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods Served with a Glass of Dark Beer.

Since Stacy moved, the baton had to be passed and I’ve made these several times over the years, I’m mostly reminded of those fun evenings during the summer and I’ll have a craving. A bad one when I realize I can no longer survive without this indulgence.

Besides, it was time to make them and remember to capture a photo before they disappeared so that I could share them with you! But it does not mean you can blame me for wanting to eat them all (I didn’t because I had company coming but I assure you I think I could have!).

Bet you can’t eat just one.

More of my Favorite Pretzel Dishes!

  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust
  • Strawberry Pretzel Salad
  • Baileys Salted Caramel and Espresso Martini with Pretzel Rim

PIN ‘Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Glaze’

Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Pepper

Bacon Wrapped Pretzels with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Pepper

Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods Served with a Glass of Dark Beer.

A crunchy, sweet, hot and bacony appetizer of nothing but goodness!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Package Pretzel Rods
  • 1 pound of regular bacon - regular cut, NOT thick cut
  • 2 cups Brown Sugar
  • 3-4 Tbsp Red Chili Powder (or most to taste if you want them real spicy)
  • Dash or two (or three!) Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Break the pretzels in half; I actually have the best luck if I cut them with a very sharp knife.
  3. Cut the bacon slices into half.
  4. Mix the sugar, chili powder and cayenne in a medium size bowl and then spread it out on a large flat dish.
  5. Coat each strip of bacon on both sides with the brown sugar mixture.Press firmly to make sure a lot of it adheres to the bacon.
  6. Wrap the bacon around the pretzel.
  7. Place the delicious treat on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet or roasting pan; I try to make sure that the tail end of the bacon I just wrapped is on the bottom to try and avoid having it 'unwrap' during cooking.
  8. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until bacon cooks and appears crisp.

    Notes

    1. IMPORTANT: Let cool on wire rack and rearrange occasionally while cooling so they don't stick to rack. Do not put these on paper towels; they are sticky.
    2. For Easy clean up: I line a baking sheet that has sides with aluminum foil. After they are baked and removed to a serving dish, the foil is pitched and I fill the baking sheet with hot water. Put the wire rack in there to soak a bit and the caramel bacon yucky stuff will melt away. (Sorry but not true about the fat on our thighs after eating the entire batch of bacon pretzels!).
    3. As tempting as it might be; do not take a bite straight out of the oven. Your tongue will thank me.

    © Creative Culinary

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    Comments

    1. Lisa Hindmon says

      February 14, 2016 at 12:51 pm

      I tried searching to see if you can wrap a whole piece of bacon around a full pretzel rod...seems like that would save time and trips to going back for more. Also, can these be dipped in chocolate once cooled? We have a demand for chocolate dipped bacon (usually baked bacon on a skewer then dipped).
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        February 16, 2016 at 1:54 pm

        You can but guess I've always broken them because those full rods are so long; they're more finger 'foodish' after they're broken in half. But either way should work. I would sure try the chocolate; sounds great to me!
        Reply
    2. Chris says

      January 16, 2016 at 4:12 pm

      Do you preheat the oven to 375 or turn it on when I place it in the oven?? Ive baked bacon before and was told not to preheat. How about your recipe??
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 16, 2016 at 9:06 pm

        Preheat the oven Chris...and enjoy!
        Reply
    3. Betsy @ Desserts Required says

      January 22, 2015 at 8:49 pm

      If you could see me right now, you would see me doing my happy dance because I am soooo excited to make these Bacon Wrapped Pretzels. They are wickedly incredible!
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 24, 2015 at 2:32 pm

        Those could by my exact words Betsy. That wickedly incredible part. They are. :0
        Reply
    4. mjskitchen says

      January 21, 2015 at 7:38 pm

      These are snacks that would be hard to stop eating. Bacon AND cayenne.... and then the crispiness of the pretzel. Great snack!!!
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 21, 2015 at 10:17 pm

        Don't forget the brown sugar! :)
        Reply
    5. Amanda (@lambsearshoney) says

      January 21, 2015 at 3:43 pm

      Oh god, these sound just divine - although I'd probably give the chilli a miss. Not a fan of too much hot stuff, but the rest looks very addictive.
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 21, 2015 at 10:19 pm

        They are not really hot...maybe just a bit tingly...and perfect. :)
        Reply
    6. Paula says

      January 21, 2015 at 2:10 pm

      You are right when you say what's not to love. I love discovering new appetizers and this one certainly looks like a keeper. Great timing...Superbowl Sunday! :)
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 21, 2015 at 10:20 pm

        I've made them for Super Bowl parties Paula and I've never made enough. Ever! :)
        Reply
    7. Lillian @ My Recipe Journey says

      March 30, 2013 at 3:34 pm

      OMG!!!! These are so good! A very unique party snack! I used small pretzel rods so no cutting required! I did cut each piece of bacon in half to fit each smaller rod! Mine took 15 minutes to bake! And I loved them straight from the oven while the pretzels were still soft! The coating tastes like a really good smokey/sweet barbecue sauce! Great recipe! I'll be blogging about this soon and linking back here! Thanks! =)
      Reply
    8. Kelli D says

      March 27, 2013 at 5:33 pm

      Saw this on Pinterest today; and my mouth salivated! I love bacon, so this looks and sounds like a winner - will have to try it soon. Before I pin a recipe, I read the blog post and comments and was concerned about the bacon not cooking thoroughly as some commentors have mentioned. Perhaps cooking the pretzel bacon rods at 400-425 degrees for 10-15 minutes will cook the bacon more thoroughly? I plan to try this recipe and will adjust the oven temp to 400-425 and cook for 10-15 minutes using regular thin cut bacon. Thanks for sharing!
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        March 28, 2013 at 5:48 pm

        I've never had a problem with it Kelli but I do know that substituting thick cut bacon is a big mistake; it will never cook. I've learned over the years that levels of expertise affect all recipes; I can't know exactly what someone else has done and how that impacted their end result. I can only know if I've made it multiple times and it's been successful...and this has!
        Reply
    9. Katie says

      January 5, 2013 at 5:27 am

      My mouth literally started salivating when I read your recipe. This will be a winner. I may not be able to have friends over before I try it. Thx
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 5, 2013 at 9:46 am

        I have been there Katie...I would not blame you one bit. :)
        Reply
    10. abby says

      December 16, 2012 at 3:05 pm

      I thought about making these for little gifts. Do they have to be refrigerated? Is the bacon safe to eat if not?
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        December 16, 2012 at 5:46 pm

        I hesitate to recommend it go unrefrigerated; the bacon is cooked but it's still meat and I would prefer you err on the side of caution.
        Reply
    11. donna says

      December 11, 2012 at 10:57 am

      i microwave my bacon and it is evenly crisp every time. High power for 3-4 minutes on a grooved pan.
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        December 12, 2012 at 3:53 pm

        You wrap the pretzel and then microwave the pretzel and the bacon then? OR??
        Reply
    12. Matt says

      October 17, 2012 at 9:55 pm

      Seemed like an outstanding idea. I used normal cut bacon, and after 45 minutes, it still wasn't crispy - at least the way I thought it should be. Turned on the broiler - burnt them all pretty good. I took some bacon off and tasted it - actually think this recipe calls for too much chili powder - overwhelmed the bacon. Oh well. Maybe I'll try those maple bacon cornbread cupcakes.
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        October 18, 2012 at 8:59 am

        So sorry Matt; I've made these so many times with success I wish I knew what would have caused that problem or wish I could send you some of mine! I won't say the cupcakes aren't good too but honestly feel bad these didn't work for you!
        Reply
        • Matt says

          October 18, 2012 at 9:26 am

          I have a hunch that I was too worried about the bacon not being crisp enough. So how crisp is crisp for you?
          Reply
          • Creative Culinary says

            October 18, 2012 at 10:39 am

            I like my bacon pretty crisp but I'm trying to recall when I had these last and there is some definite chewiness. I tried it once with a thicker cut of bacon and had some similar results; it's has to be really thin cut. What I might suggest is you let your bacon warm up a bit...it will stretch a bit more as you wrap it and that might be another way to insure it's thin enough to crisp up. Or else I might fry it a bit to lose some of the fat and then proceed to the next step? I make my own bacon from pork belly...yeah, no way could I cut it thin enough!
    13. Robie Ecklund says

      October 13, 2012 at 2:49 pm

      I am going to bring these to our espresso coffee shop's first coffee tasting and wondering if the cooking could be done either in a microwave or a toaster oven? I will of course do them at my home in my conventional oven this time but should these be one of the things that we want to redo our shop only has these small appliances right now. Thank you:)!
      Reply
    14. Kitsy (Buchanan) Wortmann says

      August 25, 2012 at 11:01 am

      Love your site! We used to live in Parker (sub SE of Denver) but recently moved to Pittsburgh, PA, for hubby's job. Our son is a student at CU-Boulder, GO BUFFS!
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        August 26, 2012 at 8:23 am

        Thanks Kitsy. I know Parker well; I live between Arapahoe and Orchard Roads...right by the car dealerships before I-25? When we moved here 26 years ago we moved in a home in Piney Creek, right off Parker Road. We would take out girls to Parker for a ride to 'the country.' My how it has changed!
        Reply
    15. steve bowles says

      June 20, 2012 at 12:23 pm

      Have a convection pellet grill/smoker will be doing these this weekend..awesome idea..cheers!! and thank you....mr.pepperwood
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        June 21, 2012 at 9:01 am

        Would love to know how those turn out; everything is better smoked!
        Reply
    16. Andrea B. says

      May 14, 2012 at 8:59 am

      I am making these for an upcoming Pinterest party I am hosting, and I can't wait! Before I even read some of the reviews I planned on making a double batch, and it looks like my intuition was spot-on! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        May 14, 2012 at 12:24 pm

        They are killer Andrea. I need a new photo though; I don't think this one does them justice...so I can't fault a double batch. That way you can try way too many and still have some for guests!
        Reply
    17. Nathan says

      May 4, 2012 at 12:43 pm

      We recently featured this recipe in a new food trend blog post. You can check it out here. Thanks for making great food! http://blog.recipelion.com/food-trend-crazy-bacon-recipes
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        May 4, 2012 at 3:10 pm

        Thank you Nathan...I've bought the ingredients to make them this weekend and get a new photo...they are so good but think the photo does not convey that like it should (or is that just my excuse to make them, hmm?).
        Reply
    18. Carol Halpin says

      March 19, 2012 at 11:05 am

      re: Splenda Thankyou for the recipe. I have made this a few times now and will make them for my Office's Grand Opening tomorrow. That is how good they are. Questions....Has anyone ever tried using SPLENDA Brown sugar? What a thought huh? Wanted to see if anyone had before I attempt it. Thanks !
      Reply
    19. Amanda says

      January 20, 2012 at 4:58 pm

      Hi! These look awesome. Have you ever done them on a grill?
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 20, 2012 at 5:07 pm

        I have not Amanda but I'm betting they would work. Just be cautious about flareups with the combination of sugar and dripping bacon grease.
        Reply
    20. linda baker says

      January 16, 2012 at 6:29 pm

      i don't know what happened but these did not turn out for me. i had fresh ingredients, followed directions(even rechecked them) after 40 min in the oven i broiled them to get the bacon to finish cooking. nothing wrong with my oven either. oh well. i'm glad i only cooked a few to try it. i dipped the rest of the pretzels into chocolate, always a hit. thanks, i'll try another recipe sometime.
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 16, 2012 at 6:37 pm

        Linda, I am sorry to hear that. The only time I've ever had a problem was when I thought it might be better to use a thicker cut bacon and that was a big mistake...this really needs thin bacon strips to have the bacon crisp up with burning or drying out the pretzel rod to a rock. Could that have been the case...because if it took 40 minutes that was four times longer than they typically require.
        Reply
    21. Heather | Farmgirl Gourmet says

      January 13, 2012 at 3:49 pm

      You are killing me. I want these RIGHT NOW!!
      Reply
    22. Donna says

      January 13, 2012 at 3:48 pm

      Holy snackfood. I think I'd have to make a double batch if I expected any to be left for guests, though.
      Reply
    23. Leia says

      January 12, 2012 at 10:37 pm

      Made these tonight... & have come to the conclusion that these "treats" will find me a husband. Haha seriously tho... AMAZING. I want to share them with everyone i know and keep them for myself all at the same time! I found this recipe like 2 weeks ago and ive literally thought about it every night. Thanks for sharing!
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 13, 2012 at 10:03 am

        Whoo hoo...another convert. I actually need to get a better photo; I don't think the one I have does justice to the amazingness of these treats. You get it now...and why the first time I made some for company I ate so many I had to make a 2nd batch. Yes...I did do that!
        Reply
    24. A Canadian Foodie says

      January 6, 2012 at 9:28 am

      Lisa Michelle Just tweeted out this recipe from Parsley Sage and Line Drives.... wow! Is this legal? Who even THINKS of recipes like this - and clearly, it is delicious as those below who have made it also say! Well, that was a no-brainer, anyway! Happy Friday! valerie
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        January 6, 2012 at 9:41 pm

        Do it, do it! They are sinfully good. Make sure you have company coming.
        Reply
    25. Carrie says

      December 20, 2011 at 4:38 pm

      My brother is a bacon freak and I'd like to make these for him for Christmas. The problem is, we don't live in the same city. Do you know how long they will keep? And do they need to be refrigerated? If so, would this make the pretzel stale or soggy?
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        December 20, 2011 at 5:24 pm

        I wish I could say yes but probably not. The pretzels would most likely lose some crispness as they are transported inside the bacon. How about buying him some pretzel rods and packaging up some cayenne and brown sugar with the recipe? He would have to do the bacon! Although I'm shipping bacon today that I made. Froze it and vacuum sealed it and now praying but cold between Denver and St. Louis should keep it fine. I'm hoping!
        Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        December 23, 2011 at 8:37 am

        I hope you enjoy these with your brother since you know I'm not sure they would travel that well. The hardest part of taking them somewhere for me? Not eating them all before I get there. :)
        Reply
    26. La Phemme Phoodie says

      December 7, 2011 at 4:32 am

      I brought a batch of these to our local food swap last night. Rave reviews from everyone. I had no problem finding people to swap with. They were dying to get their hands on these. I fully intended to take a photo at the swap but they were devoured before I could get one. Will take pics next time I make them.
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        December 7, 2011 at 5:13 pm

        I need a new photo...it really does not do justice to how wonderful these are but had the same issue; they were made and people were standing in line to eat them! So glad they were a hit.
        Reply
    27. Dawn says

      November 27, 2011 at 10:23 am

      These devilish babies are sooo addictive! I served them over Thanksgiving and they disappeared! I swear, people were grabbing them in bunches! They cover all the bases; sweet, salty, crunchy, and spicy...who could ask for more? Thanks for sharing Barbara!
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        November 27, 2011 at 8:25 pm

        Thank you Dawn for taking the time to comment. They are amazing aren't they. I need to make them again and get a new photo...I was in a hurry too while people were grabbing them from me!
        Reply
    28. treeser says

      November 22, 2011 at 6:52 pm

      These do sound mighty tempting and I will be purchasing the supplies from the grocery this week. However, I can't stop myself from wondering, what would these taste like with a really light dip/coat of chocolate!! Hmmmm.....
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        November 24, 2011 at 12:31 pm

        How about just dipping the top half in chocolate (which I think would be divine by the way) allowing a 'handle' that doesn't have chocolate coating it? If you do that, you must let me know!
        Reply
    29. Teresa says

      November 6, 2011 at 4:12 pm

      These look and sound amazing, but i have a QUESTION! What size/variety of Pretzel Rods are you suggesting? Could you specify the size package and/or brand please? Are you talking about those long, (10-inch?) rods? what size are the finished apps? Thanks for the clarification.
      Reply
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    Trackbacks

    1. Food Trend: Crazy Bacon Recipes | RecipeLionBlog says:
      May 4, 2012 at 12:24 pm
      [...] **Bacon Wrapped Pretzels with Brown Sugar and Cayenne Glaze** from Creative Culinary [...]
      Reply
    2. 20 Make-You-Drool Bacon Recipes | Mom Spark™ - A Blog for Moms says:
      October 24, 2011 at 2:32 pm
      [...] source: Creative-Culinary.com [...]
      Reply

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