Wendy’s Baconator Fries
Wendy’s Baconator Fries are one of those fast food menu items that bacon lovers reach for every time they hit the drive-through. This copycat recipe layers crispy thin-cut fries with a smooth, creamy two-cheese sauce and a generous topping of chopped smoky bacon. You get the same salty, savory combination you love from Wendy’s, but made fresh at home with ingredients you choose. It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an easy side dish for burgers, a satisfying game-day snack, or a casual weeknight treat.
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Wendy’s Baconator Fries are a loaded side dish built around three simple components: crispy fries, a warm cheese sauce, and smoky bacon. The cheese sauce is the key to getting this recipe right. Wendy’s uses a blend of American and cheddar cheese for a sauce that is smooth, pourable, and packed with flavor.
The fries themselves are thin-cut and skin-on, which gives them a slightly rustic texture that holds up under the weight of the sauce and bacon. This recipe comes together fast and rewards a little attention to technique, especially in how you melt the cheese.
Why you should try this recipe
American cheese is the workhorse in this recipe. It contains emulsifying salts that keep the sauce smooth and silky without separating, even as it cools slightly. Adding cheddar to the mix brings the sharp, tangy flavor that makes the sauce taste like something more than just melted cheese. Whole milk creates the right pourable consistency without making the sauce too thin or too thick.
Chopping the bacon into small pieces distributes it evenly across every bite, which is what makes each forkful so satisfying. Assembling the fries in a single layer on a large plate gives the sauce room to coat everything properly, rather than pooling in the center.
Ingredients for Wendy’s Cheese Fries
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- Bacon – Wendy’s uses applewood-smoked, but any variety works
- Frozen French Fries – Thin, skin-on fries mimic Wendy’s style
To prepare the cheese sauce, you’ll need:
- American cheese – Creates a smooth, creamy sauce base
- Cheddar cheese – Adds sharp, tangy flavor to the sauce
- Whole milk – Thins the sauce to the perfect consistency
Ingredient Notes
Applewood-smoked bacon is the type Wendy’s uses in their Baconator Fries, but feel free to use your favorite.
Use your favorite brand of frozen French fries, but if you want to replicate the ones Wendy’s serves, go with thin, skin-on fries like Alexia House Cut Fries with Sea Salt or Ore-Ida Country Style French Fries.
Buy the cheese in blocks and shred it yourself. Not only will you save some money, but your sauce will be smoother since many pre-shredded brands add anti-clumping agents to their products, affecting how the cheese melts. If you find the cheese sticks to the box grater, try spraying the inside and outside of the grater with vegetable oil spray.
How To Make Baconator Fries
To prepare the cheese sauce:
- Place a small saucepan over low heat on the stovetop.
- Pour the milk into the saucepan along with all the shredded American cheese and half the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Stir the sauce with a whisk or silicone spatula just until the cheese melts.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and continue to stir until the sauce reaches a smooth consistency.
To cook the French fries:
- Prepare the French fries according to the directions on the package.
To cook the bacon:
- Prepare the bacon using your favorite method. Try baking bacon in the oven for a foolproof method that removes some fat and makes the bacon extra crispy.
- Chop the cooled bacon into small pieces.
To assemble Wendy’s Baconator Fries:
- Lay the French fries in a thin layer on an oversized plate.
- Warm the cheddar cheese sauce over low heat while stirring, then pour the sauce over the fries.
- Sprinkle with the chopped bacon.
What To Serve Them With
Baconator Fries are perfect as a side dish for traditional fast food like burgers and hot dogs. But they also make a good snack while watching TV or sharing beers with your buddies.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The cheese sauce will firm up as it cools, and the fries will soften.
- Reheating Method: Spread the fries on a baking sheet and warm in a 350 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The cheese will re-melt during reheating. Do not use an air fryer, as the cheese sauce can drip and cause a mess.
- Freezer Storage: Not recommended. The cheese sauce separates when frozen and thawed, and the fries become mushy.
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Wendy’s Baconator Fries
Ingredients
- 8 slices applewood bacon
- 6 ounces American cheese
- 4 tablespoons cheddar cheese divided use
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 8 ounces frozen french fries I recommend Alexia® House Cut Fries with Sea Salt or Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries
Instructions
- Cook the bacon until crisp in a skillet over medium heat or in an air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes at 350°F. Drain the bacon and chop it into small pieces.
- To make the cheese sauce, heat the American cheese, 2 tablespoons of the cheddar cheese, and the milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the cheese melts.
- To prepare the french fries, you can either deep-fry them in oil or air-fry them.
- In oil: In a large Dutch oven, add vegetable oil until it is 4 inches deep. Heat the oil to 350°F. Cook the frozen french fries for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they are crisp. Drain on a wire rack.
- In an air fryer: Heat the air fryer to 350°F. Place the frozen french fries in a single layer in the air fryer and cook for 14 to 16 minutes or until they are crisp.
- To assemble the Baconator Fries, place the french fries on a plate. Cover them with cheese sauce, and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese and the chopped bacon on top.
Notes
- Keeping the heat low when making the cheese sauce is the most important technique in this recipe. High heat causes the proteins in the cheese to tighten up and separate from the fat, producing a grainy, broken sauce. Low heat and constant stirring give you the smooth result you are after.
- Finish the fries last if you can. Fries lose their crispness quickly, especially once you add the sauce, so aim to have the bacon chopped and the sauce ready before the fries come out of the oven.
- If the cheese sauce thickens before you are ready to serve, add a small splash of warm milk and stir over low heat to bring it back to the right consistency.
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