If you are tired of appetizers that turn soggy before the party even starts, these Mini BLT Appetizers are the answer. By swapping standard white bread for rich, toasted Brioche, we create a sturdy and delicious base that holds up for hours. Ready in about 40 minutes, this recipe is a simple way to bring big flavor to your next grazing table without the stress.
Why You'll Love This Mini BLT Appetizer:
- Quick and easy: Ready in just 40 minutes.
- Flavor-packed: Each bite delivers the perfect balance of crispy bacon, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and creamy garlic mayo.
- Perfect for gatherings: Great for appetizers, grazing tables, or as finger food for parties.
Ingredients for the Mini Blt's
- Brioche Loaf: We use brioche instead of standard white bread because of its high butter and egg content. When toasted, it becomes sturdy and golden, preventing the appetizer from becoming soggy when sitting on a platter.
- Thick-Sliced Bacon: Thick-cut bacon holds its shape better and provides a substantial crunch that balances the soft bread.
- Grape Tomatoes: These are the ideal size for bite-sized appetizers and tend to be sweeter and less watery than slicing large tomatoes.
- Garlic Powder & Mayonnaise: Mixing these creates a quick, savory aioli. It acts as the flavor booster and the "glue" that keeps the lettuce and tomato attached to the bread.
- Romaine Lettuce: Selected for its crunch and structural integrity. It stays crisp longer than iceberg or mixed greens.
Putting Together the Mini BLT Appetizers
- Prep the Produce: Slice the grape tomatoes lengthwise. Cut the romaine lettuce leaves into roughly 2-inch squares. Place both in the refrigerator to keep them crisp until you are ready to assemble.
- Cook the Bacon: Cook the bacon until crispy. (Tip: Baking it at 400°F on a wire rack helps keep it flat). Let it cool completely, then cut each strip into 1 ½ to 2-inch pieces.
- Make the Spread: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and garlic powder until smooth.
- Toast the Bread: Slice the crusts off the brioche loaf slices. Cut each slice into quarters. Brush one side of each quarter with melted butter. Arrange them on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 5-6 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Let them cool completely; this step seals the bread against moisture.
- Assemble: To build the appetizers, place a dot (about ½ teaspoon) of garlic mayo on a piece of toasted brioche. Add a piece of bacon. Add a tiny dot of mayo, then the lettuce. Add another tiny dot of mayo, then the tomato. Repeat until all appetizers are constructed.
Tips for the Best Mini BLTs
- 1. The Squeeze Bottle The biggest problem with mini appetizers is that they slide apart. To fix this, put your garlic mayo in a simple squeeze bottle. Add a small dot of mayo between every layer (bread, bacon, lettuce, tomato). This acts as tasty "glue" to hold the stack together.
- 2. How to Get Flat Bacon For perfect stacking, your bacon needs to be flat, not curled.
- Additional Tip: Bake your bacon in the oven at 400°F on a wire rack or parchment paper. It cooks evenly and stays perfectly flat, making it easy to cut into neat squares.
- 3. Don't Skip the Toast You must toast the brioche after cutting it. This seals the bread and prevents the mayo and tomato juice from making the appetizer soggy.
Try the loaded hash browns, spanakopita dip, or rosemary parmesan crackers, or add these to your next grazing table!
Please visit my appetizer page for more ideas!
FAQ's:
Thick-sliced bacon is recommended because it tends to cook without curling, allowing the pieces to lie flat and making the BLT appetizers easier to stack neatly.
While you can use standard white bread, brioche is an excellent choice. Its higher egg and butter content allows it to toast up firmly, creating a barrier against moisture from the tomato and mayo so your appetizers don't get soggy.
The secret is using a "glue." Putting a small dot of garlic mayonnaise between every layer—specifically between the lettuce, bacon, and tomato—helps hold the stack together so they are easy to eat.
Using a squeeze bottle (like a clean ketchup bottle from a dollar store) for the garlic mayonnaise can make spreading it much faster and more efficient, especially when preparing many appetizers.
While the assembly can be done entirely ahead, you can prepare components (cook/slice bacon, make garlic mayo, toast/cool bread) in advance and assemble just before serving to maintain freshness and crispness.
Not at all. This recipe uses garlic powder and mayonnaise, which creates a savory, creamy flavor without any heat. It is very kid-friendly.
Recipe
Mini BLT Appetizers (Easy Brioche Bites)
Ingredients
- 10 grape tomatoes
- 2 whole leaves of romaine lettuce
- 4 slices of thick sliced bacon
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ cup of mayonnaise
- 5 slices of brioche loaf
- 1 tablespoon of melted butter
Method
- Slice tomatoes lengthwise and store in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
- Cook bacon. Try to keep as flat as possible.
- After bacon is cooked and cooled, slice into 1 ½ to 2 inch pieces.
- Combine garlic powder and mayonnaise. Next, cut the romaine into 2 inch by 2 inch pieces. Set both in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
- Cut the crusts off of the slices of brioche loaf. Slice the pieces into quarters. Refer to the video if needed.
- Brush the quartered pieces with the melted butter and bake for 5-6 minutes at 375 degrees F or until golden brown. After baking, set aside to cool.
- To assemble, spread about a ½ teaspoon to a teaspoon of garlic mayonnaise on a piece of toasted brioche. Next place a piece of bacon, lettuce and tomato then repeat until done.
Linda Nix says
Great idea of blt thanks
clevelandcooking says
Thank you for the feedback!