This Million Dollar Bacon Goat Cheese Appetizer log is always a hit. Served with crostini, it’s perfect as the star of a charcuterie board or a game-day snack your family will go bonkers for!

slice of crostini covered in candied bacon with text overlay "million dollar bacon goat cheese appetizer"

Note: The links in this post may be affiliate links.

Million Dollar Bacon (also known as “Bacon Candy,” Billionaire’s Bacon,” and “Pig’s Candy”) is a menu favorite at First Watch Restaurant. It’s an amazing upgrade from regular bacon, and people are usually addicted after the first bite.

And while I previously thought there was no way to make First Watch bacon any better, a recent visit with my aunt proved otherwise.

Smack in the middle of one of her amazing charcuterie boards was the most amazing log of goat cheese, covered in pieces of million dollar bacon and drizzled with Mike’s Hot Honey. My kids and I gobbled it up, and I’ve made it about a gazillion times since then. It’s always a hit, and it’s my new favorite way to serve goat cheese as an appetizer.

overhead view of a charcutterie board with a log of goat cheese covered in pieces of million dollar bacon and mike's hot honey

What You’ll Need to Make Million Dollar Bacon Goat Cheese Log

For the Million Dollar Bacon

1 pack of thick-cut bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

For the Crostini

1 baguette
olive oil
salt and pepper

Additional Ingredients

4 or 8-ounce log of goat cheese
maple syrup, honey, or hot honey

goat cheese log topped with million dollar bacon and hot honey

How to Make Million Dollar Bacon Recipe

Begin by placing an oven rack on the center row and preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with either aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place an oven-safe baking rack on top of the foil in the pan.

Next, place the brown sugar, black pepper, water, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

Lay bacon slices on your prepared sheet pan in a single layer. Cover both sides of the bacon with the brown sugar mixture, making sure to press the spice mixture into the bacon, so it sticks. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes if using.

Next, place the tray of bacon into your oven on the center rack and allow it to bake for 15 minutes. Take the millionaire’s bacon out of the oven, flip the slices, and allow it to cook for another 10-15 minutes until it’s crispy but not burned.

(If you want an easier way to cook bacon and not have to flip it, check out this Nordic Ware Baking Pan. The grates fit perfectly into the pan, the grease drains away from the bacon easily, and because the air circulates around the bacon, there is no zero need to flip the bacon. It’s a win-win all around! It’s the only pan I use to bake bacon in the oven now.)

Remove the spicy candied bacon strips from the oven and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to cool.

How to Make Crostini

I’ve toasted crostini a few different ways over the years, but since being gifted a copy of Joanna Gaines Magnolia Table Volume 2 (one of my favorite cookbooks for inspiring cozy cooking), I’ve been inspired by her method.

Once you’ve taken the bacon out of the oven, increase your oven’s temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating to the new temperature:

Slice the baguette into 1/2 inch slices and place them in a single layer, cut side down, on a foil-lined cookie sheet. (I always have a stack of these Nordic Ware Quarter sheet pans at my cooking station, but you can also use this Big Baking Sheet (which I also love) if you’d prefer to have all of your bread baked in one pan.)
Lightly brush the tops of the bread with olive oil. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper to taste.
Put the pan of crostini onto the center rack of your preheated oven. Allow them to bake for 7-10 minutes until they crisp and golden brown. Joanna’s method does call for flipping the bread slices halfway through baking, but I’m a little lazy about that, so I don’t, and they still come out perfectly toasted.
Once the crostini are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 30 minutes before using.
My favorite part about this method – I used to try to guess how much bread I would need, I never thought to toast the entire baguette. But, you can pop the leftovers into an airtight container, and they’ll still be good for up to 3 days. You can use them for another purpose. (Throw them on a tray with sliced cheeses and meats for an extra special after-school snack!) I can honestly say that I’ve never had to throw out a single slice in my house – these get gobbled up!

How to Assemble the Millionaire’s Bacon Goat Cheese Appetizer Log

slice of crostini covered in million dollar bacon pieces

Place the goat cheese log on your serving dish.

Next, take your cooled, cooked bacon and break it into small pieces.

Press the bacon pieces into the goat cheese log. Next, lay some at the base of the cheese so your guests have extra to scoop up. The number of pieces you use will depend upon the size of the cheese log you’re serving and how much bacon you decide to use. (This is the best part of cooking the entire package for the millionaire bacon recipe – leftover slices of bacon! It’s a great snack to munch on after you’re done prepping this appetizer.)

Finally, top with hot honey, regular honey, or a maple syrup drizzle. Serve the crostini alongside the bacon cheese log.

More Easy Recipes You’ll Love

Million Dollar Bacon Goat Cheese Appetizer Log

Print Recipe

This Million Dollar Bacon Goat Cheese Appetizer log is always a hit. Served with crostini, it’s perfect as the star of a charcuterie board or a game-day snack your family will go bonkers for!

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:30

Crostini:8

Total Time:10