Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (2024)

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots are a must make appetizer for any celebration. You should make a triple batch of these SWEET & SPICY BACON WRAPPED TATER TOTS because they’re always gone in seconds! Spices and a little sweetness make this easy bacon wrapped appetizer a favorite for the holidays and tailgating. Tater Tots have never been better. SO ADDICTING!

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (2)

Table of Contents

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots will be your new favorite appetizer! Learn how to make tater tots wrapped in bacon for game day, New Year’s Eve, and beyond.

A few years ago I posted our favorite bacon wrapped appetizers, Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts. They’re always a favorite and gone before we know it. I love the crunch, the flavor, and the ease.

These Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots are similar, but I feel like they’re a big upgrade. Not only are these bacon tater tots just as easy to make, but they have a soft yet crispy potato center, just the right amount of sweet and spicy, and of course lots of bacon. They’re pop-able, bite sized, and so fun.

I love these bacon tater tots for game day, New Year’s Eve, Christmas, or any party. Is it okay if I eat 10-20 of these myself? Like I said, you better make a triple batch!

These Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots are one of the tastiest appetizers yet! If you like Tater Tots, these will take it to a whole new level.

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (3)

Easy Bacon Wrapped Appetizers

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots are the Best Easy Appetizer for Game Day

This Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe is one of those easy appetizers that you can prep really quick, bake, and eat within minutes. It’s great to take to a party on a baking sheet and cook there, so its nice and hot for your friends and family. You can dip these bacon tater tots in any of your favorite sauces, or eat them on their own. We love them for family parties throughout the year, but especially for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and of course, these tater tots are one of the best Super Bowl Appetizers.

I’m stocking up on all the great appetizers for the big game for the ultimate party. We have you covered with Guacamole Egg Rolls, Baked Provolone, Pepper Jelly Hogs in a Blanket, Bacon Ranch Fries, and more. You’re in the right place if you’re looking for any and every starter!

And don’t forget the rest of the bacon wrapped appetizers!

  • Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
  • Bacon Wrapped Crackers
  • Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese
  • Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Appetizer
  • Bacon Wrapped Pineapple with Brown Sugar
  • Bacon Wrapped Scallops
  • Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Dijon
  • Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (4)

How to Make Tater Tots

Everyone should know how to make tater tots. They’re a tasty alternative to typical french fries, they’re absolutely delicious, and they go with just about everything. Tater tots work as a side dish, a quick snack, or (in this case) a fun bacon wrapped appetizer.

If you just want plain old regular tater tots (I mean, those are pretty tasty served with a few fun dipping sauces), just buy a bag of them and throw them in the oven. No need to make it too complicated, right? But this tater tot recipe is a little more fun that that.

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Now, if you want to learn how to make these Sweet & Spicy Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots, I can help you there. All you need for this tater tots recipe is a bag of tater tots, bacon, dark brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. Let the tater tots thaw to room temperature before starting, and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

  1. Combine brown sugar and cayenne powder in a small bowl, then rub the mixture into the bacon slices.
  2. Cut each slice of bacon into four pieces, and then wrap them around the tater tots.
  3. Place the tater tots on the baking sheet, and cook for 20-25 minutes at 400°F (flip the tater tots about half way through cooking time).

If you want to make these tater tots wrapped in bacon ahead of time, let them cool after baking and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, bake them at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (5)

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (6)

Now get to cooking these bacon wrapped tater tots! The holiday season is here and we need all the best appetizers for the big days. This easy tater tot recipe is definitely a keeper!

See the recipe card below for full details on How to Make Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots. Enjoy!

If you liked these bacon tater tots, try these other savory bacon recipes:

  • Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake
  • Arancini Balls with Bacon, Cheese, and Broccoli
  • Bacon Cheese Fries with Ranch
  • Cheddar Bacon Ranch Chicken Tenders
  • Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Recipe
  • Tater Tot Casserole

Recipe

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

4.53 from 90 votes

Author: Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 20 minutes minutes

Total: 22 minutes minutes

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (7)

Serves6

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots are a must make appetizer for any celebration. You should make a triple batch of these SWEET & SPICY BACON WRAPPED TATER TOTS because they're always gone in seconds! Spices and a little sweetness make this easy bacon wrapped appetizer a favorite for the holidays and tailgating. Tater Tots have never been better. SO ADDICTING!

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (8)

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Ingredients

  • 24 frozen tater tots room temperature
  • 6 slices bacon
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

  • In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and the cayenne pepper.

  • Sprinkle the brown sugar/cayenne pepper mix on top of the bacon and rub the mixture into the bacon.

  • Cut each slice of bacon into 4 equal pieces.

  • Wrap the bacon around the tot and secure with a toothpick.

  • Place the tot seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.

  • Repeat the process with all tater tots.

  • Bake the tots at 400°F for 20-25 minutes and flip halfway through cooking.

  • Cool, to touch, and serve.

  • Note – If making the tots the day ahead, allow them to cool, after cooking, to room temperature and refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. When ready to serve, reheat the tots in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes or until hot.

  • Enjoy!

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 191kcal (10%) Carbohydrates: 18g (6%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 11g (17%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Cholesterol: 14mg (5%) Sodium: 304mg (13%) Potassium: 152mg (4%) Sugar: 8g (9%) Vitamin A: 15IU Vitamin C: 2.7mg (3%) Calcium: 12mg (1%) Iron: 0.3mg (2%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (9)

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (10)

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Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie (2024)

FAQs

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!) - The Cookie Rookie? ›

Combine brown sugar and cayenne powder in a small bowl, then rub the mixture into the bacon slices. Cut each slice of bacon into four pieces, and then wrap them around the tater tots. Place the tater tots on the baking sheet, and cook for 20-25 minutes at 400°F (flip the tater tots about half way through cooking time).

How do they get tater tots to stick together? ›

We know that what keeps the Tater Tots stuck together is a combination of two pretty sticky things: moist starches and proteins. The more they come in contact with each other, the stickier they become, and the tighter/gummier the Tater Tots will be.

How do I get the crispiest tater tots? ›

A longer cook time will cause the tots to shrink and dry out a little, which makes them even crispier all around on the outside with a potato-y center that's more dense and creamy.

Why aren't my tater tots getting crispy? ›

You want them crispy, tater tots need to be cooked at a high temperature for this to happen. 375-400F is great, I find 375F the sweet spot to get them crispy but to also cook the inside before the outside burns.

How do you keep tater tots from falling apart? ›

After boiling the potatoes, make sure you drain them and let them cool before frying. They solidify and dry as they cool. Avoid stirring too much when frying.

How do you make tater tots not fall apart? ›

All-Purpose Flour.

Helps bind the potatoes, so the tater tots hold their shape and don't fall apart after baking.

Can you make tater tots crispy in the oven? ›

Don't stress about the shape, they don't need to be perfect. Brush/mist each tot with olive oil, be generous. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes, slide a spatula underneath the tots, then flip and bake 10 more minutes. Flip once to the uncooked side, bake 10-12 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Are tater tots fried or baked? ›

Tater tots are grated potatoes formed into small cylinders and deep-fried, often served as a side dish. The name "tater tot" is a registered trademark of the American frozen food company Ore-Ida, but is often used as a generic term. "Tater" is short for potato.

Why can't you put tater tots in the microwave? ›

When you take a handful of tater tots and throw them into a fryer the oil is only crisping the exterior of the tots and heating them through. They're already cooked, remember? If you were to put some tater tots into a microwave they would become hot but never crispy. It takes hot fat to get them crispy.

Why do my tater tots smell bad? ›

The tots might also emit an off or sour smell. If you taste a piece and it seems stale or has a slightly bitter or sour flavor, then it is no longer fresh. Keep the tater tots in their original bag, squeeze out any excess air, and seal tightly before placing in the freezer.

Why do tater tots taste different than fries? ›

You might think tater tots would taste like fries, but fries are just chunks of potatoes that are fried. Tots are potatoes chopped up into tiny bits, then mixed with seasonings and binder (corn flour, I think), so they taste slightly different, as well as having a different consistency.…

What is tater tots short for? ›

One famous account is that a salesman with a ukulele created the term to promote Ore-Ida's new creation. Another story is that a contest took place, and a housewife made the name using tater (slang for potato) and tot (slang for baby), effectively naming the new food potato baby.

Are tater tots already fried? ›

The formed tater tots are then pre-fried in vegetable oil to partially cook them and give them a crisp exterior. After pre-frying, the tater tots are quickly cooled using industrial coolers or freezers to maintain food safety standards and preserve the quality of the product.

Why do tater tots stick together in deep fryer? ›

To prevent tater tots from sticking together while deep frying, it's important to add them to the hot oil in small batches. Overcrowding the fryer can cause the tater tots to clump together, so fry them in batches for the best results. What should I serve with deep fried tater tots?

Why do my tater tots stick to the pan? ›

To prevent tots from sticking to the pan, make sure the pan is adequately preheated and add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. You can also use a non-stick pan or lightly grease the pan with cooking spray.

Should you salt tater tots before or after cooking? ›

Salt: Omit if the tots have salt added already. You can always salt them when they come out of the oven if needed. Cayenne: These have a mild amount of spice. Increase to ½-3/4 teaspoon to make them spicier.

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