Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pickle Spears

If you love pickles and you love bacon, this one is for you. These air fryer bacon wrapped pickle spears are crispy, salty, tangy, and absolutely addictive.

The idea is simple – wrap a pickle spear in bacon and air fry it until the bacon gets nice and crispy. It sounds almost too easy, but the result is seriously good.

You only need a handful of ingredients to make these, and they come together in about 15 minutes. That’s it – no fuss, no complicated steps.

The smoky, salty bacon pairs so well with the tangy dill pickle inside. And when you dip them in a little seasoned ranch? Perfect combo.

These work great as a quick snack, a game day appetizer, or honestly just something fun to make when you’re craving something different. Let me show you how to make them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Only 4 Ingredients – You just need pickle spears, bacon, ranch dressing, and smoked paprika. That’s it. You probably already have most of these in your fridge right now, so there’s really no excuse not to try it.

Ready in Minutes – Bacon wrapped pickles cook super fast in the air fryer. From start to finish you’re looking at about 10 to 15 minutes, which makes this perfect for a quick snack or last-minute appetizer.

The Air Fryer Makes the Bacon Perfectly Crispy – This is one of those recipes that was basically made for the air fryer. The hot circulating air gets that bacon impossibly crispy on all sides without you having to flip or babysit anything.

No Greasy Mess – When you fry bacon on the stove, grease gets everywhere. In the air fryer, the excess fat drips right down and away from the food, so you get all the crunch with way less mess to clean up.

Ingredients

• 4 large Dill Pickle Spears
• 4 slices Bacon
• 1/4 cup Ranch Dressing
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

How to Make

Step 1

Pat the dill pickle spears completely dry with paper towels to ensure the bacon will crisp up properly.

Step 2

Wrap one slice of bacon tightly around each pickle spear, tucking the ends in so they do not unwrap.

Step 3

Place the wrapped pickles seam-side down in the air fryer basket.

Step 4

Air fry at 400F for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway, until the bacon is fully cooked and crispy.

Step 5

Sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika and serve hot with ranch dressing for dipping.

Tips

Dry the Pickles Really Well

This is the most important step in the whole recipe. Pickles are soaking wet, and if you skip drying them off, the bacon will never get crispy no matter how long you cook it.

Use a few layers of paper towels and press firmly on each spear. Roll them around and get every side dry. If you have time, let them sit on a paper towel for a few minutes after patting them down so even more moisture gets absorbed.

You want the outside of each pickle to feel almost dry to the touch before you start wrapping the bacon around it.

Use Thin-Cut Bacon

Thin-cut bacon works way better here than thick-cut. Thick bacon takes longer to cook, and by the time it finally crisps up, the pickle inside can get overly soft and mushy.

Thin bacon wraps more easily around the pickle spear and crisps up faster and more evenly in the air fryer. It also sticks to itself better, so it is less likely to unravel while cooking.

If all you have is thick-cut, it will still work, but you will probably need to add 3-4 extra minutes to the cook time and keep a closer eye on it.

Wrap the Bacon Tightly

When you wrap the bacon around the pickle, keep it tight and slightly stretch it as you go. You want the bacon to hug the pickle with no loose spots or gaps.

Start at one end of the pickle and wrap at a slight angle so the bacon spirals all the way down to the other end. Tuck the starting and ending pieces underneath so they are pinned between the pickle and the air fryer basket.

If the bacon is too loose, it will shrink away from the pickle as it cooks and you will end up with a curled-up piece of bacon sitting next to a naked pickle.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
• Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
• Air Fryer Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
• Air Fryer Blooming Onion Bites

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep the bacon from unraveling in the air fryer?

The key is to wrap the bacon tightly around each pickle spear in a spiral pattern, slightly overlapping as you go. Place them seam-side down in the air fryer basket so the weight of the pickle holds the bacon in place.

You can also secure the ends with toothpicks if you are worried about them coming apart. Just remember to remove the toothpicks before serving so nobody bites into one.