My bacon wrapped water chestnuts are by far one of the most requested appetizers from friends AND one of the most viewed recipes on this site. Water chestnuts are wrapped in bacon and slathered in a brown sugar glaze to make tasty bites that are always a huge hit.

This recipe is probably one of my top 5 favorite appetizers. If you have a can of water chestnuts in your pantry I would consider giving these a try.

Some people refer to these are Rumaki, but we just call them bacon wrapped water chestnuts. They are the perfect balance of salty and sweet with a crunch that makes them irresistible.

I have made and tested this recipe over many years to be sure that it would come out perfect every time. It’s a great balance of flavors.

If you want more bacon wrapped food, try this bacon wrapped asparagus, bacon wrapped pineapple, and bacon wrapped little smokies.

What are water chestnuts?

Water chestnuts are not nuts and they definitely are not chestnuts. They are actually a vegetable that lives under the water.

Bacon wrapped water chestnuts ingredients

• Water chestnuts – You can typically find them in a can in the international aisle of the grocery store.
• Bacon – I like to use center cut bacon because it typically has less fat. Feel free to use your favorite bacon, however, I would suggest not using thick cut bacon to ensure that it crisps up.
• Brown sugar – This makes the delicious, sweet glaze.
• Worcestershire sauce – A savory ingredient for the glaze.
• Ketchup – This is the base of the glaze sauce.
• Toothpicks – You will need these to hold the water chestnut and bacon together.

How to make bacon wrapped water chestnuts

Scroll down for full, printable recipe, ingredients and video.

1. Wrap: Make sure to cut each piece of bacon into three pieces. Wrap a piece of bacon around one water chestnut and put a toothpick through the center to hold the bacon in place.

2. Bake: Place them on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
3. Sauce: Combine brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat until the brown sugar dissolves. Make sure to stir so that the sauce doesn’t burn.

4. Bake again: Spread the sauce over each bacon wrapped water chestnut. Bake again for another 20 minutes or until the bacon is cooked.

Heather’s recipe tips

• Don’t use thick cut bacon. Thin bacon will cook faster and is easier to get crispy.
• Serve warm. I find that these are best served warm.
• You can soak the toothpicks in water to help prevent them from burning.
• Cook them on foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up.

Can you make these in the air fryer?

Yes, this recipe uses the oven as the cooking method but you can make bacon wrapped water chestnuts in the air fryer. Cook them at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes. Cover them in the sauce and then cook another 5-6 minutes or until bacon has cooked.

Can you make bacon wrapped water chestnuts ahead of time?

They can be made ahead of time by wrapping the bacon around the water chestnut and securing with a toothpick. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 24 hours ahead of time.

How to store leftovers

These will last up to 2 hours at room temperature if you are serving them at a party. You can also keep them warm in a slow cooker to keep them hot.

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.

You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.

Common questions

More of our favorite appetizers

• Chipped beef dip – Creamy dip with dried beef.
• Sausage balls – One of our family favorites made with 3 ingredients.
• Hot sausage beer cheese dip – A delicious, hot dip with sausage and beer cheese.
• Chicken wings – Baked chicken wings.

If you made these bacon wrapped water chestnuts let me know in the comments. Also be sure to check out this delicious list of 31 bacon appetizers.