When an easy crowd-pleaser is needed, make Bacon Cheese Croissant Toasts. They are halved croissants topped with cheese, banana peppers, and bacon, then broiled until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve as an appetizer, party food, and game day eats.
For a tasty treat that takes a little effort, these croissant toasts fit the bill. They are the perfect finger food for any occasion: dinner guests, potluck, game day, and holidays. The croissants are nicely toasted, buttery, and flaky. The topping has a kick and zestiness from pickled banana peppers, the salty chewiness of bacon, and the goodness of cheese. By the way, if you don’t like heat, use mild banana peppers!
They’re incredibly easy to assemble when using precooked bacon. Even with uncooked bacon, it’s a cinch. You can microwave, bake, or skillet-cook the bacon. I prefer to chop the bacon into small pieces and then brown it in a deep-sided skillet. It’s quick, easy, and cooks faster than whole strips.
Ingredients needed:
- Croissants—mini croissants are the perfect size for party finger food. However, you can use large croissants. But note that the number of croissant toasts yield will be reduced if using large.
- Bacon—Get precooked bacon (not bacon bits) for convenience and ease. You can also cook your own. Cook to medium doneness. You want the bacon to have some flexibility because it will continue to cook with the croissants.
- Cheese—packaged pre-shredded cheese is fine. Cheese blends such as pizza or Italian are great for flavor as well as gooeyness. I just used shaved Parmesan, and it was delicious! On the other hand, Asiago, which is what I used in these photos, tasted a little dry. I would use cheddar or mozzarella next time for the gooey factor.
- Pickled banana peppers—be sure to pat dry. I recommend hot but use mild if you don’t like heat.
Recipe highlights:
- Preheat oven to high broil.
- Combine bacon, cheese, and banana peppers for the topping.
- Sliced croissants in half horizontally.
- Divide the topping equally among the croissants
- Place on a baking sheet. Broil at least 6 inches below the heat source. Remove once the cheese bubbles and develops golden brown spots.
- Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
View the how-to video or save it for later with this Pinterest Pin.
Can these be made vegetarian?
Of course! Simply omit the bacon or use a vegan/ vegetarian bacon substitute.
Can these be frozen before baking?
Yes, you can freeze the croissants once the topping is added. Make sure to gently pat down on the topping because it will make everything hold together better during freezing. Then, place on a baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours or until hardened. Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Next, transfer to an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to two months.
To further ensure everything holds together, you might want to wrap each croissant snuggly in plastic wrap before freezing. Then, place each wrapped croissant in a freezer-safe container.
To cook, bake frozen croissants on the middle rack at 375° F for 5-6 minutes or until just heated through. Then broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Keep a close eye on the croissant toasts as they burn quickly.
How to store and reheat leftovers:
The croissants are so good that you won’t have any leftovers! But if you need to store them, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.
To reheat, bake in the oven at 350° F, loosely covered, for 5-8 minutes or until heated through. Keep in mind that reheated croissants are never as good as fresh-made ones.
Make variations:
There are so many variations you can make on these croissant toasts. Experiment with various meats and cheeses—pepperoni, cooked sausage, cheddar, or Swiss are some options. And if you are not a fan of banana peppers, try olives, pickled jalapeno, or whatever makes your tastebuds happy!
The quantity of ingredients provided in the recipe card is a guideline, feel free to increase or decrease ingredients to suit your preference!
Recommended supply:
(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)
- Baking sheet—I have this baking sheet. It’s extra large and allows you to broil the entire batch all at once. It also comes with a cooling rack, which is great to have but not needed for this recipe.
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Bacon Cheese Croissant Toasts
Description
When an easy crowd-pleaser is needed, make Bacon Cheese Croissant Toasts. They are halved croissants topped with cheese, banana peppers, and bacon, then broiled until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve as an appetizer, party food, and game day eats.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to high broil.
- Combine bacon, cheese, and banana peppers for the topping.
- Slice croissants in half horizontally.
- Divide the topping equally amongst the croissants.
- Transfer the croissants onto a baking sheet. Broil at least 6 inches below the heat source. Remove once the cheese bubbles and develops golden brown spots, about 3 minutes. Keep an eye on the toasts because they can burn quickly.
- Makes 20 mini croissant toasts or 10 servings.
Notes
- If using raw bacon, below are cooking options:
- Stovetop cooked: Slice bacon into half-inch strips. Place in a large cold skillet on medium to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until crispy-chewy, about 10 minutes. I use a deep-sided skillet to reduce splashing.
- Microwave: Place two layers of paper towels on a microwavable plate or paper plate. Add bacon strips in a single layer. Top with two layers of paper towels, then another layer of bacon. Cover with two paper towels. Microwave at one-minute intervals until bacon is cooked but still flexible. Remove cooked strips and continue to cook the others as needed.
- Oven baked: place bacon in a single layer, spaced apart, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheat at 400°F until cooked through but flexible, roughly 12 minutes. Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of your bacon. If using thin bacon, check for doneness earlier.
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yeah! I would eat these!
I can see these disappearing quickly at a party.