The Bacon-Wrapped Appetizer I Make Every Christmas

Every family has a dish that is so beloved that it doesn’t feel like a holiday if it’s absent. My family’s Christmas must-have is a quirky appetizer called “sprouts in blankets.” Essentially bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts brushed with maple syrup, my mom came up with this three-ingredient treat when the tiki bar appetizer rumaki was all the rage in the Midwest. 

Rumaki is made of chicken livers and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon and doused in a sweet-and-sour sauce. Water chestnuts were hard to come by in our small town, so my mom subbed Brussels sprouts. Since liver of any kind was a hard sell in our home, she omitted it altogether. And instead of the multi-ingredient sweet-and-sour sauce the original dish required, my mom, ever the pragmatist, simply brushed the sprouts with maple syrup. The sweetness of real maple syrup counters the bitterness of the sprouts. 

Mom’s sprouts in blankets are easy to make, can be prepped up to three days ahead, and have a luxurious flavor that sets the tone for holiday meals. We serve them as a hot appetizer with cocktail picks, but they could also be a vegetable side dish if you’re feeling especially decadent.

 Tips for Perfect Sprouts in a Blanket

The most important thing for this dish is the shopping. With just three ingredients, each one has got to be just right, or the dish won’t taste special. First, look for fairly large Brussels sprouts, 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches across. Any smaller and you risk overcooking the sprouts by the time the bacon is done. Don’t buy bagged Brussels sprouts because you’ll get a mix of sizes, and avoid any that have damaged leaves or powdery-looking spots on them—a sign of aphid infestation. 

Don’t skimp on the bacon. My family uses Wisconsin-made Nueske’s applewood-smoked bacon because it has a great fat-to-meat ratio and a delicious sweet-salty flavor that works beautifully with the sprouts’ bitterness. Use whatever locally made bacon you like, just make sure it’s the thinner slices and not thick-cut, which can be difficult to wrap around the sprouts. 

Use real maple syrup, not imitation stuff. The flavor of the maple syrup intensifies as it roasts and caramelizes as it drips on the sheet tray. If you use artificially-flavored syrup, it will burn and taste, well, artificial. 

If you’re feeling fancy, you can add fresh chopped rosemary when seasoning the sprouts. About one teaspoon finely chopped rosemary adds a woodsy, herbal flavor. It’s my addition since I have a huge rosemary bush in my yard.