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Bacon/ Cheese/ Finger Food

Bacon Grilled Cheese Roll Ups

May 12, 2021 by Chris Collins

These grilled cheese roll ups are fun, easy, versatile and outrageously delicious!

Grilled cheese enthusiasts I make no apologies, these are cute as heck and you know it 🤣. If you’re looking for a funky way to serve up a classic cheese and bacon toasty you’ve come to the right place. Follow me…

close up shot of roll ups stacked on each other on parchment paper

Preparing Grilled Cheese Rolls Ups

These are horrendously easy to make. In fact, you’ve probably got all the ingredients on hand ready to go!

What Bread to use?

You’ll need to use soft white sandwich bread. Today is not the day for fancy bread, it needs to be pliable enough to roll without cracking. I also recommend fairly thick slices for the same reason.

What Cheese to use?

Cheddar works great here, as does other melty cheese like Monterey Jack/Mozzarella. Main thing is you want it finely grated, just so it doesn’t cause lumps and bumps in the roll ups.

Do I have to add Bacon?

Nope! You could sub some wafer thin ham if you wanted. That or just leave it out completely and stick with a plain cheese version!

Process shots: slice off crusts (photo 1), roll thin (photo 2&3), add cheese (photo 4), add bacon (photo 5), brush the end with melted butter (photo 6), tightly but carefully roll (photo 7), brush with melted butter (photo 8).

8 step by step photos showing how to make grilled cheese roll ups

Cooking Grilled Cheese Rolls Ups

When it comes to cooking the roll ups, pan frying is your best bet. I tested pan frying these two ways: 1. brushing the roll ups with butter and 2. just melting butter straight into the pan. I found that when I add them to a pan of melted butter they just soaked up a load straight away and ended up frying in a dry pan as you rotated them. The butter also began to burn towards the end of cooking.

When brushing them directly with butter they seemed to keep their shape better and crisped up slightly more evenly.

Can I bake these?

I did actually try these in the oven and they didn’t come out too badly. However by the time the outside crisped up the cheese leaked out quite a bit. That and the edges of the bacon ended up burning! As such I recommend pan frying.

The main thing to ensure they don’t unravel is placing them seam-side-down into the pan to help ‘glue’ the roll ups shut.

Process shots: add to hot pan seam-side down (photo 1), fry and rotate until golden and crispy all over (photo 2).

2 step by step photos showing how to cook grilled cheese roll ups

hand dunking grilled cheese roll up into small white bowl of tomato soup

Serving Grilled Cheese Rolls Ups

I usually serve these in two different contexts – either with soup (my favourites are Tomato Soup and Veggie Soup) or as part of a breakfast set up (with runny egg yolk for mopping up!). You could just serve them as finger food with your favourite dip though if you fancied.

Looking for more cheese and bacon goodness? Check out my Cheese and Bacon Turnovers!

For more fun roll ups check out my Avocado Chicken Roll Ups!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these bacon grilled cheese roll ups shall we?!

3 grilled cheese roll ups served on small white plate with breakfast items

close up shot of dunking a grilled cheese roll up into a sunny side up egg

How to make Bacon Grilled Cheese Roll Ups (Full Recipe & Video)

close up shot of roll ups stacked on each other on parchment paper

Bacon Grilled Cheese Roll Ups

These grilled cheese roll ups are fun, easy, versatile and outrageously delicious!
5 from 2 votes
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Servings (click & slide): 8 roll ups
Course: Finger Food / Side Dish / Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Calories per serving: 166kcal
Cost per serving: 50c / 50p

Equipment:

  • Bread Knife
  • Fine Cheese Grater
  • Non-Stick Pan & Tongs
  • Rolling Pin
  • Brush (for butter)

Ingredients (check list):

  • 8 thick slices of Soft White Bread (see notes)
  • 5oz / 150g Cheddar, finely grated (see notes)
  • 8 thin slices of Bacon, cooked to preference (could sub wafer thin ham, or leave out completely)
  • 2 tbsp Butter, melted (or as needed)

Instructions:

  • Take a piece of bread and slice off the crusts. Use a rolling pin to flatten, then sprinkle with a couple of pinches of cheese (leave a tiny bit at the end to brush with butter).
  • Add a slice of bacon to the edge closest to you (optional). Brush the very end with melted butter, then tightly but carefully roll. Leave seam-side-down then repeat.
  • Once you've made all the roll ups, brush them all over with butter then place seam-side-down in a dry pan over medium heat. Use your tongs to rotate them until they're golden/crispy all over with the cheese just starting to leak out (you may need to do this in batches).
  • Serve with soup or as part of a savoury breakfast!

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Bread - Important to use soft sandwich bread. Something like sourdough is too firm and will crack as it rolls up. Try as get it as fresh as possible, the older the bread is the more likely it'll crack. I find nice thick slices work the best!
b) Cheese - If you can find cheese slices that are really thin, you can use them. But really you're looking for finely grated cheese, just to ensure the bread rolls up nicely without lumps and bumps. 
c) Can I bake these? - I have tested these in the oven and they do work, but the cheese tends to leak out before the outside gets a chance to crisp up. As such I recommend pan frying as a better method. 
d) Calories - per roll up with bacon.

Your Private Notes:

Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts
Bacon Grilled Cheese Roll Ups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 166 Calories from Fat 106
% Daily Value*
Fat 11.83g18%
Saturated Fat 5.867g29%
Trans Fat 0.212g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.911g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.667g
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 366mg15%
Potassium 75mg2%
Carbohydrates 6.28g2%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 0.73g1%
Protein 8.33g17%
Vitamin A 239IU5%
Calcium 139mg14%
Iron 0.62mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
Tried this recipe?Show me how you got on by tagging @dontgobaconmyheart_ on IG and #dontgobaconmyheart
Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'

If you loved this Grilled Cheese Roll Up Recipe then be sure to pin it for later! Already made them or got a question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!

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Recipe Rating




3 Comments

  • Reply
    Barbara
    January 20, 2022 at 4:10 am

    5 stars
    Another great recipe! I made with ham because I didn’t feel like cooking bacon and had some thinly sliced ham. Really delicious!

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      January 23, 2022 at 1:57 pm

      That’s awesome! Thanks so much for the review, Barbara 🙂

  • Reply
    Tammie
    June 13, 2021 at 10:30 am

    5 stars
    These are so easy and delicious!!

  • 5 KNOCKOUT

    DINNERS

    YOU'LL NEVER STOP MAKING!

    A FREE EMAIL SERIES, FROM ONE FOODIE TO ANOTHER