Happy April everyone! Did you know April might just be the best food month EVER?! Coffee cake day, caramel popcorn day, and healthy kids day are among the fun food holidays this month, along with BLT month and soft pretzel month. But today, Foodie Extravaganza is celebrating grilled cheese month, hosted by Lauren of From Gate to Plate.
Grilled cheese is a go-to lunch or dinner in my house for days we just don’t feel like cooking. I’m looking forward to the great list from this event to add some twists to the classic sandwich.
I decided to go sweet. I was going to use cream cheese, but I had mascarpone in my fridge and decided to use that. To be honest, I would have preferred the extra tang from the cream cheese, but my husband loved it as is. Use whatever you enjoy best. I only used two slices of bacon but next time, I’m going to up that to 3. Those bacony bites were the best ones!
Bacon Apple Mascarpone Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2-3 strips center cut bacon
- 1 small Granny Smith apple, diced
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 slices whole wheat bread
- 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese
- butter, for spreading
Steps:
- In a small skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set on a paper towel lined plate.
- Cook apple in the bacon grease until tender. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Crumble the bacon and stir into the apples. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Spread 1 tbsp mascarpone cheese on the non-buttered side of two pieces of bread. Top with half of the apple mixture.
- Spread a thin layer of more mascarpone cheese on the non-buttered side of the remaining bread. Place cheese side down on top of the apples.
- Cook grilled cheese until golden brown, flip and repeat until cheese is soft and gooey.
Be sure to check out the rest of these ooey-gooey grilled cheese recipes:
Caramelized Onion Bacon Grilled Cheese by Rebekah at Making Miracles
Grilled Cheese in the Garden by Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Spicy Pear Grilled Cheese by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
Griddle Baked Quesadillas with Poblano Rajas by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
Ham, Apple, and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese by Carlee at Cooking with Carlee
French Toast Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Berry Compote by Rholinelle at The Joyful Foodie
Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Spinach by Tara at Tara’s Multicultural Table
Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese by Marissa at Rae Gun Ramblings
Muffuletta Grilled Cheese by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
Open Faced Italian Grilled Cheese by Kathleen at Fearlessly Creative Mammas
Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Grilled Cheese by Jacklyn at Mrs. Penguin
Southern Grilled Cheese by Teri at The Freshman Cook
Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese by Lauren at From Gate to Plate
Sew You Think You Can Cook 
Yes please!! That looks amazing! What a fantastic combination of delicious, creamy, sweet and salty ingredients!
Thanks, Rebekah!
Bacon makes everything more fabulous, Lauren. You showed remarkable restraint with only a couple of slices. However, I am enamored by the apples cooked in bacon grease. What a great sandwich!
Haha! I don’t know what I was thinking, Stacy. 😉
Yummy! That looks and sounds so good!
Thanks!
A sweet grilled cheese with bacon sounds like just about the best thing EVER!
🙂
ooohhh, I would have never thought of Marscapone cheese but it is perfect. I think I would like mine with a drizzle of pure maple syrup for breakfast.
Yum!
I was playing with the idea of an apple grilled cheese, too, so I’m so glad you did this. It sounds wonderful! I may just make this for lunch today. 🙂
Enjoy!
Mascarpone, yum. Chad would love the bacon and apples. Will have to show him this recipe.
Oh, this sounds interesting for sure. I have never had Mascarpone cheese. I think I will look for it the next time I go to the store!
If you can’t find it cream cheese is a great substitute, it just has a little more tang than mascarpone does.
Oh my, what a wonderful recipe! I love the apple taste with the mascarpone. Yummo!
Thanks!
More bacon is always a good thing. Looks like a great sandwich!
Haha. Thanks.
Grilled cheese is my go-to on nights I don’t feel like cooking, too. And bacon-y bites? Yes definitely.
🙂