Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts

October 13, 2020

These Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts are made with sweet chestnuts, that are enveloped in a savory bacon and marinated in a sweet spicy sauce for the perfect flavor combination. These little morsels of bite sized heaven deserve a spot on every party table!

Water Chestnuts are often found in Asian food like Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps or Easy Moo Goo Gai Pan, adding a bit of crunch and texture. In this recipe they get to be the star of the show!

Savory bacon wraps crunchy chestnuts in a sweet spicy sauce.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Recipe

The saltiness of the bacon swaddles the crunch of the water chestnuts with a little sweetness from the sauce makes the perfect flavor combination. These are hard to stop eating, so it’s a good thing it’s a big batch. And you can double it!

Ideal for every occasion from New Year’s Eve to tailgating these look so refined but are super simple to make. They take a little time to assemble and put together but it’s worth it when these go flying off the plate. You might want to make more than you think you’ll need. Everyone loves these little appetizers.

Saucy, Sweet, and Savory Chestnut Ingredients

Simple ingredients combine for huge flavor! These bacon chestnuts won’t last long.

Whole Water Chestnuts: Sweet, nutty and slightly fruity these are a delicate vegetable.
Bacon: You can use turkey bacon as well
Brown Sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar for ultimate caramelization
Sweet Chili sauce: Adds just the perfect heat and spice.
Mayonnaise: Adds creaminess and depth to the sauce.

Assembling Bacon Water Chestnuts

A little bit time consuming but not hard to do, these are so worth it. They are unexpectedly delicious!

Cut: It is best to cut the bacon in half since the chestnuts are smaller and easier to wrap around.
Wrap: Simply wrap the bacon around the water chestnuts
Mix: In a small bowl mix the brown sugar, sweet chili sauce and mayo together. Pour over the wrapped chestnuts.
Marinate: Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to meld the flavors together.
Bake: Bake for 45 min. at 350 degrees. Broil the top for about 5 min at the end to crisp up the bacon.

Making bacon wrapped chestnuts with sauce.

Tips for The Best Chestnut Appetizer

The combinations of flavor is amazing and the sauce is so savory!

Toothpick: To get the toothpicks through the chestnuts use toothpicks with a flat end so you can push it through easily. Pierce the Chestnut as close to the center as possible so they don’t split.
Split: If the chestnuts do split, rewrap the bacon tighter and try to skewer so both halves are attached.
Foil: Use foil to line your pan to help with the clean up.
Bacon: Thinly sliced bacon will cook faster and crisp up nicely. Try to buy bacon with even sliced pieces. For even sweeter flavor use maple flavored bacon.

Can you Make Water Chestnuts Ahead of Time?

Make ahead of time: Because these marinate anyway you can make these ahead of time and bake right before the occasion.
Store: Once baked they do keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 for about 10-15 min. Do not Freeze.

More Awesome Bacon Recipes

Bacon Wrapped anything is just awesome!