Turn Dill Pickles Into The World's Best Appetizer With This Trick

Sure, dill pickle spears are a decent snack, but they don't always bring the excitement you want for a shareable appetizer. That said, a simple way to prepare them can turn these zesty spears into a dish people really enjoy. Try wrapping the pickles in savory bacon and then cooking them until the outside is crispy and brown. You'll find the combination of flavors is a tad crave-worthy, making them a great app for get-togethers.

A great part about this appetizer is how well the tangy, salty pickle and the smoky bacon work together. The pickle's sharp taste cuts through the bacon's richness, creating a balanced flavor. The textures also add to it, with the crisp bacon bites and the crunchy pickle spear inside. It's a good idea to pat the pickle spears dry with a paper towel before you start. This helps gets rid of extra brine which can stop the bacon from getting truly crisp. Don't throw your brine out, though, add it to your sparkling water for a tangy flavor.

While cooking bacon on its own is much better in a large pot, for this recipe, baking it in the oven would work better. We'll want to use thick-cut bacon since it wraps easier and cooks more evenly. You can use a toothpick to hold the bacon in place so it doesn't come undone while cooking. These can be baked in the oven for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, you can pop them in an air fryer for 15 minutes or until the bacon looks done.

A great, creamy addition you can add to your bacon-wrapped pickles is cream cheese. Putting a layer of softened cream cheese on the pickle spear before you wrap the bacon brings a cool, smooth, and tangy element that goes well with the salty bacon and the tart pickle. The cream cheese will melt a bit when cooking, but that's just fine. 

To spice things up a little, use jalapeño cream cheese or use smoked salmon cream cheese for a little depth. If you like garlic, try bread and butter pickles then use a garlic and herb cream cheese spread. Another interesting filling would be pimento cheese. It'll add its own savory, spicy taste to the mix. Try adding brie cheese for a slightly sweet baked brie appetizer. 

Serving your pickle-tizers with a good dip is another great idea. Creamy dips will go well, giving a cool balance to the warm bites. Use homemade cilantro ranch or a dill dip. Homemade buffalo chicken dip would be a great option too. It would add tenderness from the chicken, a spice from the buffalo sauce, and creaminess with the cream cheese; a dangerous combination.