Can I make grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven?

Yes! Grilled cheese is SO easy to make in the oven (perfect for a crowd!) Butter your bread slices, assemble each sandwich as directed, then lay sandwiches on a large sheet pan and bake at 400° F for 5-7 minutes (or until the tops are lightly toasted), then flip the sandwiches over and bake another 5-7 minutes or so until toasty.

Can I make these without the butter?

Yes! If you have a few extra minutes, you can use leftover bacon fat to fry these sandwiches. Fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy, pour off all but a Tablespoon or so of bacon grease (save the rest for later!) and fry the grilled cheeses in the hot grease instead of spreading butter over each piece of bread. You may need to add more bacon fat as you go (and just make sure it's nice and hot so it doesn't soak into the bread before the sandwich starts to crisp up!)

Bacon, Brie, and Apple Grilled Cheese

Description

This easy grilled cheese recipe is perfect for fall!

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked until crispy
8 slices crusty bread (we like using our crusty artisan bread or a nice sourdough!)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 slices sharp white cheddar cheese
4 thick slices brie
1 apple, sliced (we like a tart variety like Granny Smith, but use whatever you like to eat!)

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Instructions

Generously butter one side of each bread slice, then place half of the bread slices butter-side down in a large skillet (reserve the other half of your bread slices for the top of your sandwiches!) You may have to work in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
Lay a piece of white cheddar cheese on each slice of bread, followed by 3-4 apple slices, a few pieces of crispy bacon and a slice of brie (note: it may help to tear the cheeses into small pieces so you can spread them across the surface of the entire sandwich). Top with the last four pieces of bread, buttered side up, to form your sandwiches.
Turn the heat to medium.
Keep an eye on the sandwiches as they cook. When the bottom piece of bread has browned up nicely (about 5-7 minutes, depending on how hot your pan is – I like to keep mine on medium-low so the cheese melts slowly and evenly) flip the sandwich to toast the other side of the bread.
Remove grilled cheeses from the pan, slice in half, and serve immediately.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Add fresh spinach, arugula, kale, or sliced avocado for a pop of color. Add caramelized onions for extra flavor. Use sliced pears, blackberries, or peaches in place of the apples. Swap some or all of the cheese for mozzarella or goat cheese. Use prosciutto, chicken, turkey, or ham instead of bacon if you like.

Serving Suggestions. These grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect for dunking into your favorite fall soup! Try our Roasted Tomato Soup, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, or Apple Tomato Soup.

What kind of apple should I use? We love the bright, tart flavor of something like a Granny Smith apple here, but you can use any variety you like! We've made these sandwiches with Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Sansa, Fuji, Cortland, and Golden Delicious apples - they're all good! The sweeter the apple, the sweeter the sandwich will be.