This Grilled Cheese with Apples is the epitome of the best gooey and cheesy Fall sandwich. With sharp cheddar and caramelized onions, it comes together in about 5 minutes, but tastes gourmet and elevated with every bite. Serve it for lunch, dinner, or even as an appetizer for any gathering.
As the weather cools, there’s nothing better than cozying up with a warm, flavorful sandwich, and this Apple Grilled Cheese is exactly what the season calls for. Made with bacon jam, sharp cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, pickled red onions, and tart Granny Smith Apple, this sandwich is an explosion of autumnal flavors. It’s now a sandwich I make all fall long after we’ve come back from apple picking or just when we want a gourmet-style sandwich with minimal hassle.
Since I’ve made this recipe countless times, you can use store bought bacon jam, or swap the bacon jam for chili crisp. You can easily buy one at the store, but if you like a little spice then I highly recommend it! If you’re looking for a grilled cheese that’s more than just comfort food, this is it – warm, melty, and absolutely next-level. I love to serve it with a salad or soup like my Mini French Onion Soup or Wild Rice Salad with Kale.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Elevated twist on a classic grilled cheese. With just a couple of extra ingredients, this Apple Grilled Cheese goes from simple to elevated!
- Use your favorite apples. While I prefer to use Granny Smith, if you have a bunch of apples in your kitchen, use whichever you prefer.
- Perfect for lunch or dinner. It’s a hearty grilled cheese and can easily be the main course for a simple weeknight meal or entertaining.
Ingredients
Ciabatta loaf: The base to the sandwich, choose your favorite ciabatta here.- Pickled red onions: Homemade or store-bought, they add acidity and crunch that help balance the richness of the cheddar, bacon jam, and caramelized onions.
- Sharp cheddar: Sharp cheddar adds a rich, tangy flavor that pairs with the tart Granny Smith apples and balances the sweeter elements of the sandwich.
- Caramelized Onions: Alternatively, you could use Trader joes caramelized onion cheddar and skip caramelizing onions.
- Bacon Jam: Bacon jam adds a sweet and savory element that complements the apples, cheddar, and caramelized onions.
- Granny Smith apple: Adds both tang and sweetness, plus a little bit of crunch!
- Butter or oil of choice: The fat to griddle the sandwich perfectly.
How to Make Apple Grilled Cheese
1. Make the caramelized onions: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion, salt, and pepper and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 25–30 minutes.
2. If you are making bacon jam from scratch, add the chopped bacon to a skillet over medium heat and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan. Add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and water, then return the bacon to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and jammy, about 10–15 minutes.
3. Assemble the sandwiches: Slice the ciabatta and spread a layer of bacon jam on the bottom half. Add the grated sharp cheddar.
4. Add a layer of caramelized onions, followed by a layer of thinly sliced Granny Smith apple and pickled red onions.
5. Cook the grilled cheese: Butter the outsides of the ciabatta and add the sandwich to a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 3–5 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is toasted and the cheddar has melted. If the bread is browning before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the skillet for a minute or two.
6. Slice and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Swap the caramelized onions and cheddar for Trader Joe’s caramelized onion cheddar cheese.
- Omit the bacon jam if you don’t like it. Make this sandwich your own however you please.
- Make a big batch of pickled red onions to save on time. I always like to make a big recipe of them on a Sunday to easily enjoy on other sandwiches and salads throughout the week.
- Swap the onions for mustard or other condiments. If you prefer a classic pairing, Dijon mustard would be delicious on this sandwich too. I would omit the onions if you plan to use mustard.
- Don’t heat the skillet too high, medium is best. You want the inside of the sandwich to warm through at the same rate that the outside bread toasts and browns.
Storage
Store the leftover apple grilled cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes until warmed through and melty in texture.
It’s really best to enjoy this sandwich fresh off the stove, and since it’s quick and easy to assemble in 5 minutes, there’s no stress!
Caramelized Onion Storage
Store leftover caramelized onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat them gently in a skillet or microwave before adding them to the sandwich.
Pickled Red Onion Storage
Store pickled red onions submerged in their pickling liquid in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Keep them refrigerated and use a clean utensil each time you remove onions from the jar.
FAQs
Make sure you don’t heat your pan too high, you want a medium heat to make sure it’s gooey and evenly melts. Turn the heat down if the bread is toasting too quickly.
You could also try brie, Swiss, or gruyere, just make sure you can easily slice it.
Of course, turkey, ham, or even prosciutto would all be delicious.
More Gourmet Sandwich Recipes
- Grilled Cheese and Pickle Sandwich
- Mushroom, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Sandwich
- Chopped Caesar Crispy Chicken Sandwich
- Roasted Eggplant Sandwich
Apple Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 ciabatta loaf or 2 ciabatta rolls
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded sliced
- 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced optional
- 4 tbsp butter
- Bacon jam (See notes on recipe to make at home)
- 1 yellow onion
- 1/2 cup pickled red onions (See notes on recipe to make at home)
Instructions
- Make the caramelized onions: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion, salt, and pepper and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 25–30 minutes.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Slice the ciabatta and spread a layer of bacon jam on the bottom half. Add the grated sharp cheddar. Add a layer of caramelized onions, followed by a layer of thinly sliced Granny Smith apple and pickled red onions.
- Cook the grilled cheese: Butter the outsides of the ciabatta and add the sandwich to a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 3–5 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is toasted and the cheddar has melted. If the bread is browning before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the skillet for a minute or two. Slice and serve warm.
Video
Notes
For a batch of homemade pickled red onions:
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For a batch of homemade bacon jam:
- 1 lb bacon 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 medium onions diced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup coffee
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup syrup
- 2 garlic cloves diced
Sandwich Storage:
Store the leftover apple grilled cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. Reheat on a griddle on the stovetop or in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes until warmed through and melty in texture. It’s really best to enjoy this sandwich fresh off the griddle, and since it’s quick and easy to assemble in 5 minutes, there’s no stress!
Made this recipe? Don’t gatekeep! Five stars? Chef’s kiss?
I’d love to hear it! Review or comment below.