Air fryer bacon roses are the perfect edible gift for Valentines Day, Fathers Day, Mother's Day, or even just a Wednesday!
Ready in just 10 minutes, these bacon roses can be bundled together for a delicious bouquet for the bacon lover in your life.
It really is a shame bacon roses don't just grow in your backyard garden, but trust me, using your air fryer to make this edible gift is easier than you think.
All you need to make bacon roses
- Air Fryer (I have the Instant Vortex Plus )
- 12 strips bacon - thick bacon works best for these.
- Brown Sugar
- Toothpicks - to secure the bacon into shape while cooking.
- Skewers - to be your stems.
- Optional - parchment paper and twine.
If you are in the market for an Air Fryer - my review of the one I have is here!
Creating the rose shape is easier than you think!
No fancy moves or skills needed here.
Simply lay the strip of bacon out and roll it up. You don't want it rolled too perfect, though or your roses will look more like rosebuds and not the actual petals.
You can gently pull some of the middle bacon out a bit once it is rolled, too. See step #2 in the graphic below.
Don't forget that gifting roses usually comes in a dozen. Make sure you make at least a dozen, and a couple of extras in case a few go rogue!
So many flavor options, too!
This recipe is as simple as it gets, with only brown sugar on the roses. But, you can easily try a few different flavor combos.
- Maple syrup + sriracha
- Your favorite sweet BBQ rub
- Maple syrup + chipotle chili powder
- Roasted garlic (rolled into the rose)
- Fresh ground coarse peppercorns
Gifting Ideas
When gifting this bouquet, it is nice to pair it with something.
I have often given these roses with a few small (think airplane size) liquor bottles of the recipient's favorites. You could gift with coffee beans for the non booze lover, too!
Staying in with your Valentine? Add some strawberries and chocolate on a tray!
Air fryer vs Oven
You can absolutely make your edible bouquet in the oven vs the air fryer - but it will take 3-4 times longer!
In the oven you are looking at at least 30 minutes and in the air fryer you are looking at about 10 minutes!
Of course cook time may vary a bit depending on the thickness of your bacon.
What is in the center?
Nothing! this rose is 100% all bacon.
As the bacon cooks down, the fat renders and the rose tightens up and takes shape. The bacon all rolled up in the middle will come together and that is what the skewer goes into!
That's it, that's all - that is how quick and easy air fryer bacon roses are to make!
If you make these adorable edible roses, I would love to see them! Tag me @mealplanaddict on Instagram!
Recipe
Air Fryer Bacon Roses
Ingredients
- 12 slices medium to thick cut bacon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F
- Take each piece of bacon, one at a time, and lay it out vertically in front of you.
- Starting at the end closest to you, roll the bacon up. Don't make it a perfect roll or your roses will look like buds and not roses.
- optional - you can add your brown sugar or any other seasoning choices onto the bacon before you roll it up.
- Use a toothpick to hold the rolled up bacon together. As it cooks and the fat renders, it will hold shape on its own.
- Add a pinch of brown sugar to each rose.
- Arrange the bacon on your air fryer tray and place into your air fryer.
- Set the timer for 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes, gently flip your bacon roses.
- Set the timer for an additional 5 minutes. After a total of 10 minutes, check on your bacon roses. Depending on your air fryer, and thickness of bacon, you may have to add an additional minute or two.
- Once cooked, remove from air fryer to cool.
- Once cool to the touch, insert a skewer into the "bottom" of the rose. The bottom is the end that looks less like petals.
- You can now use twine to combine the roses into a bouquet!
- Gift to a bacon lover!
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