Bacon Mac and Cheese Bombs + Video
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These Mac and Cheese Bombs are the absolute cheesiest, and crispy bacon just puts them over the top! Easy to make and even easier to devour, you’ll want to make more than one batch. They disappear like magic!
Mac and Cheese Bombs
You know how much we like mac & cheese… I have over two dozen recipes after all!
Now, imagine a fabulously rich and creamy mac and cheese with bacon and even more cheese stuffed inside a tender roll.
Our mac & cheese afficionado (our 10-year-old daughter) has given these her stamp of approval and has been devouring these cheesy bacon macaroni and cheese bombs faster than I can make them!
Like this quesadilla recipe, it’s a great way to enjoy your favorite comfort food in a handheld snack.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Prepared Mac & Cheese – I love using Bob Evans Tasteful Sides to make mac and cheese bombs — it’s tasty and convenient! — but you can certainly use a different brand or make some from scratch.
- Dough Balls – I also have a favorite brand for these: Rhodes frozen dinner roll dough. Homemade bread dough, refrigerated biscuits, or pizza dough would work too.
- Bacon – Cook and chop this ahead of time! Baking is preferred since it’s less messy than frying on the stove and you can still reserve the grease afterward.
- Cheese – Anything that melts easily will work!
I’m using a combination of low-moisture mozzarella and mild cheddar, but provolone, Swiss, Monterey Jack, and Colby are great substitutes.
Whatever you choose, make sure to cube a fresh block instead of grabbing bagged shreds. - Egg Wash – Whisk together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water until well combined. You’ll brush this over the mac n cheese bombs before baking to help them brown on top.
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Mac n Cheese Bacon Bites
- Have all your ingredients prepped, cooled, and ready to go.
Once you roll out the dough balls, you can pile on the fillings assembly-line style and have these mac n cheese bombs ready to go in the oven in no time!
It’s especially important to cool the macaroni first. It’s less likely to ooze over the sides of the dough, plus it will melt the cheese cubes and make the dough too soft if it’s still hot.
- Make sure mac and cheese bombs are fully sealed.
Leave a small border around the edge of the dough where there’s no filling. Then, start pulling up the sides to meet over the middle and pinch them together.
Some of the filling might try to sneak out — just push it back in with your finger. Also, be sure not to overstretch the dough or it will make it too thin.
Once sealed, reshape the stuffed bread into a ball before placing it on the baking sheet.
- Don’t toss that bacon grease!
Brush it over each mac and cheese bacon bomb before serving to add extra flavor, then use an extra for frying up breakfast or making skillet cornbread.
Prep Ahead
- Thaw frozen dough
- Prepare and cool mac and cheese
- Cook and chop bacon
- Slice cheese into cubes
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Baking Sheets lined with Parchment Paper or Silpat Mats
- Small Wooden Dowel Rolling Pin – Perfect for small jobs like making TSRI’s bombs! It’s also great for noodles, dumplings, and turnovers, and it even has a ruler on the side.
- Cookie Scoops – Great for meatballs, cookies, ice cream, and portioning out leftovers. The 1 1/2 tablespoon size is perfect for filling mac and cheese bombs!
- Basting Brush – I like this one over the silicone ones.
Serving Suggestions
After brushing each mac and cheese bacon bomb with reserved grease (or butter), sprinkle extra bacon pieces and freshly chopped parsley on top.
Some of the cheese might have oozed out during baking — that’s ok! Scoop it right onto the plate.
These are great as game-day appetizers alongside smoked chicken wings, fried pickles, jalapeno poppers, and more.
Or, make them for dinner with a green salad or some steamed veggies. Easy peasy!
Storing and Reheating Macaroni and Cheese Bombs
Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
You can also make these mac n cheese bacon bites ahead of time and freeze them for later!
After baking, allow them to cool to room temperature. Flash freeze them until solid, then store in an airtight container or freezer-safe storage bag for up to 1 month.
Bake from frozen for 15-20 minutes at 350°F, or thaw in the refrigerator and microwave until warmed through.
Mac n Cheese Bombs FAQ
You bet! Egg wash just gives the rolls a deeper, golden brown color and a little bit of shine.
Feel free to replace it with melted butter or bake your mac n cheese bacon bites without it.
There’s not too much room for loads of fillings, but you could replace some of the bacon with caramelized onions — or all of it for a vegetarian version!
Sautéed mushrooms or finely chopped broccoli would be tasty too.
I don’t recommend swapping out the extra cheese, though, since it makes these extra gooey and keeps the noodles from drying out.
Yes, but you’ll have to work in batches, so it’ll take longer for all of them to be done.
Place stuffed bread balls directly in the basket, leaving space between each. Air fry for 8-10 minutes at 350°F or until the dough is cooked through.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Bacon Mac and Cheese Bombs + Video
Ingredients
- flour, to dust counter
- 16 frozen dinner yeast roll dough balls
- 1 pound Applewood smoked thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped (reserve bacon drippings)
- 20 ounce package Bob Evans Macaroni & Cheese , prepared and cooled
- 4 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into 16 cubes
- 4 ounces mild cheddar cheese, cut into 16 cubes
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Lightly flour your countertop.
- Place 8 dinner rolls on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on defrost for about 2-4 minutes (or until dough is no longer frozen, but not cooked). Remove dough balls from the plate and place them on your floured countertop. Flip the dough balls in the flour so they are all lightly coated in flour. Repeat with the remaining 8 dinner rolls.
- Flatten and stretch one piece of dough, on the floured board, like you are making a mini pizza. Stretch dough to about 3-4” across. You can use a rolling pin if you like. I love to use a small wooden dowel rolling pin it is perfect for the job.
- Place one scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon scoop) of mac and cheese in the center of your dough and use the back of the scoop to spread the mac and cheese out over the dough. Add 1 tablespoon of bacon pieces in the center of the rolled dough. Use the back of the measuring spoon to spread the bacon over the mac and cheese.
- Place one cube of mozzarella and cube of cheddar on top of the bacon.
- Pull the top and bottom edges of the dough together and then the left and right edges. Continue pulling up the edges (pushing the filling back inside as needed) until you have closed the dough. Pinch the dough together to create a ball. If the ball won’t seal, tap your fingertips into the flour and then crimp the seal together.
- Place the dough balls on your baking sheet, a few inches apart, 8 to a sheet. Repeat until all Bacon Mac & Cheese Bombs are on the baking sheets.
- Beat egg and water, in a small bowl. Gently brush the egg wash onto dough balls.
- Bake 16-20 minutes, rotating the pans half-way through cook time until the tops are golden brown.
- The ooey-gooey cheese may escape some of your mac and cheese bombs. That is a beautiful thing! Scoop all that cheesy goodness up onto the plate and serve. Your guests will go crazy over them.
- Remove the bombs from the oven. Brush them with reserved bacon drippings and sprinkle with reserved bacon pieces and fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published January 2020, updated and republished October 2024
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I will be making these and trying them out for the Super Bowl!!! Thank you for the fun recipe.
Awesome! Enjoy!
hey I made these for superbowl on sunday! they are bomb. thanx
Omg, these are so good!!!!! The boys all loved them!