Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (2024)

This Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini is the perfect party or game day appetizer. A toasted baguette topped with smoked cheddar cheese and a flavorful cranberry bacon jam makes this one party food that everyone will be talking about!

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (1)

If you are looking for the best game day appetizer, look no further! ThisCranberry Bacon Jam Crostiniis the ultimate flavor combination. Anytime I make this amazing appetizer, people are always asking for the recipe because it is so delicious.

What makes this recipe so delicious is the Cranberry Bacon Jam. Don’t let this recipe scare you! With a little preparation, you can put this recipe together pretty easily.

I’m sharing a few tips and walking you through how to make this recipe from start to finish, beginning with bacon, because how could I not?

How to cook bacon in the oven:

My favorite way to cook bacon is by baking it in the oven! Cooking bacon in the oven is quick and easy, it cooks evenly, and the bacon comes out perfectly crisp every time.

If you are short on time, you could use some precooked bacon from the store but it won’t be as good. You also will end up using some of the bacon grease to cook your onions in, so you don’t want to miss out on all that extra flavor!

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (2)

Line a half baking sheet with aluminum foil, place a cooling rack on top of it and lay bacon on top in an even layer.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (3)

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 18-22 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (4)

Remove the bacon from the oven, blot up excess grease with a paper towel, let cool then coarsely chop or crumble.

How to Make Cranberry Bacon Jam:

The homemade Cranberry Bacon Jam used on these crostini is nothing short of extraordinary!

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (5)

Heat 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the baking sheet to a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cooked for 5-10 minutes, or until it begins turning golden brown.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (6)

Add salt, brown sugar and red wine vinegar and stir until combined.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (7)

Add cooked bacon, cranberry juice, dried cranberries and season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Stir and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the jam thickens and turns brown in color.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (8)

Store jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

This recipe is part of our 55 of the Best Appetizers for Christmas Potluck (Favorite Party Foods)

How To Make Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini:

Now that you’ve done all that preparation, you are finally ready to make your Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini!

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (9)

To make crostini, preheat oven to high broil. Cut a baguette into slices about 3/4″ thick.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (10)

Cut smoked cheddar into slices. If you can’t find smoked cheddar, I’ve also tried this recipe with Brie cheese and it was so delicious.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (11)

Place baguette slices in an even layer on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (12)

Top with sliced cheese and a tablespoon of cranberry bacon jam.

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (13)

Place baking sheet in the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve warm and enjoy.

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The best holiday appetizers:

  • Easy Red Pepper Jelly
  • Jalapeño Popper Deviled Eggs
  • Cheesy Refried Bean Dip
  • Slow Cooker Artichoke Spinach Dip
  • Individual Seven Layer Dip Cups
  • Homemade Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
  • Warm Bacon Cheese Dip

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (14)

Serves: 15

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe

5 from 1 vote

A toasted baguette topped with smoked cheddar cheese and a flavorful cranberry bacon jam makes this one party food that everyone will be talking about!

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bacon thick sliced
  • 1 onion minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup cranberry juice
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • salt and pepper to taste

Crostini

  • 1 baguette sliced
  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese smoked and sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

  • Cover a half baking sheet in foil and lay bacon in a single layer in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy.

  • Remove bacon from the oven and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease. Use another paper towel to blot the top of the bacon to absorb grease.

  • Coarsely chop or crumble cooked bacon; set aside.

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the baking sheet to a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cooked for 5-10 minutes, or until it begins turning golden brown.

  • Add salt, brown sugar and red wine vinegar and stir until combined. Add cooked bacon, cranberry juice, dried cranberries and season with salt and pepper, as desired.

  • Stir and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the jam thickens and turns brown in color. Store jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Crostini

  • Preheat oven to high broil.

  • Place baguette slices in an even layer on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

  • Top with sliced cheese and a tablespoon of cranberry bacon jam.

  • Place baking sheet in the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

  • Serve warm.

Notes

The Cranberry Bacon Jam can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days before being used.

Nutrition

Calories: 412 kcal · Carbohydrates: 17 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 36 g · Saturated Fat: 15 g · Cholesterol: 45 mg · Sodium: 399 mg · Potassium: 64 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 8 g · Vitamin A: 240 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 130 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet

  • Skillet

  • Foil

Recipe Details

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

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  1. penni sauer says:

    i tried this recipe for the first time over christmas and everyone loved it. i could've made twice the recipe and still run out.

  2. JPcatter says:

    I can't believe this recipe doesn't have more reviews. It's incredible and I hate onions. I've been making it for the last 5 years maybe and it's a request every year.

    Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (15)

  3. Momma Cyd says:

    We are so glad that you like them. They are delicious and a holiday favorite!!

Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (16)

About The Author:

Momma Cyd

Cyd is the mom of the six sisters and joined the team early on to help out. She shares the best of the best recipes from her kitchen, as well as responds to all the questions and comments on every post.

Read More

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Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry jam? ›

While both are cranberry-based spreads, they differ in texture and sweetness. Cranberry jam tends to have a smoother, more spreadable consistency compared to the thicker cranberry sauce. Moreover, jam typically includes a higher sugar content, making it sweeter.

Why is my bacon jam not thickening? ›

To achieve a thick texture, all of the liquids need time to reduce. Make sure you're cooking your bacon jam without a lid over your Dutch oven, so your bacon jam can evaporate. If it's still not thick enough, it just needs more time.

What is a good substitute for cranberry jam? ›

She recommends doing plum jam, an onion marmalade or even a pomegranate jelly. Recipes, including one for cranberry sauce, after the jump. Add everything BUT the pectin to a boil in a non-reactive stockpot. Reduce to a simmer for a few minutes.

Is canned cranberry sauce better than homemade? ›

While there are some editors who prefer homemade cranberry sauce, the canned variety also has quite a following. "There's something so beautifully perfect about the texture of canned cranberry sauce, and none of those homemade mess will ever compete," says Senior Digital Food Editor Kimberly Holland.

How to fix a jam that didn't set? ›

To remake cooked jelly or jam using liquid pectin for each 250 mL (1 cup) jelly or jam, measure and combine 45 mL (3 tbsp) sugar, 7 mL (11 /2 tsp) bottled lemon juice and 7 mL ( 11/2 tsp) liquid pectin. Bring jam or jelly to a boil stirring constantly. Add the sugar, lemon juice and pectin combination.

Does lemon juice thicken jam? ›

Lemon is crucial to balancing those sweet flavors, but it also helps the pectin to firm up the jam. It can be added at the start of the cooking process or towards the end, but what must be taken into account is that adding liquids to the jam mixture will inevitably require the jam to cook for longer.

What happens if I use too much pectin in jam? ›

You will need approximately half the amount of pectin that is indicated by your recipe. Please be careful when adding pectin as too much will leave you with a set that is too solid and it is not possible to rectify this so always add less than you think is necessary and test the set and then add more if required.

What pairs with bacon jam? ›

Our list of things we want to use this jam in is ever-growing. Here are just a few to get you started: warm potato salad, grilled asparagus, fresh tomatoes, panzanella, grilled cheese, crackers and goat cheese, spinach salad, a spoon, fresh garden peas, scrambled eggs, bagels and cream cheese...

Do you refrigerate bacon jam after opening? ›

Bacon jam can be safely refrigerated for two to four weeks. Any amount that you keep in the fridge will need to be used within that length of time. You can store bacon jam in any refrigerator-safe container. Many bacon jam enthusiasts choose to use mason jars for aesthetic reasons.

Does bacon jam taste good? ›

Depending on which bacon you use, it may taste like barbecue sauce. But it's usually a little sweeter. The taste of bacon jam is fantastic because, although it is salty, it is also sweet at the same time. It can even feel like maple syrup.

Is cranberry sauce just jam? ›

Calling this dish a “sauce” is a bit of a misnomer, as cranberry sauce is actually a simple fruit jam. Cranberries are naturally high in pectin (a naturally occuring gel). When cranberries are cooked with sugar and acid (such as orange or lemon juice), the pectin is released and gels the fruit.

What is the difference between jam and sauce? ›

Jam is made from mashed fruit. Jelly is made from just the juice of the fruit. Sauce is made from mashed fruit but uses less pectin than jam and is less jelled. Syrup is made from either mashed fruit or just the juice of the fruit, but uses even less pectin than sauce so it is slightly jelled and pourable.

What is cranberry jam made of? ›

Combine cranberries, white sugar, turbinado sugar, water, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and pepper in a large pot over medium heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and cranberries pop, 10 to 12 minutes. Blend cranberry jam into desired consistency using an immersion blender.

What is the best substitute for cranberry sauce? ›

14 Homemade Condiments to Serve With Turkey—That Aren't Cranberry Sauce
  • 01 of 14. Gingered Golden Fruit Chutney. ...
  • 02 of 14. Tangerine and Lemon Marmalade. ...
  • 03 of 14. Quince Butter. ...
  • 04 of 14. Plum Ginger Relish. ...
  • 05 of 14. Quince Jelly With Star Anise. ...
  • 06 of 14. Warm Plum Sauce. ...
  • 07 of 14. Quick Pear Chutney. ...
  • 08 of 14. Bacon Jam.
Oct 24, 2023

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