This adult version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich brings sweet and savory together with perfection. Made with bacon, sweet blackberry jam, smoky cheese, and jalapenos. One bite, and you’ll never think of grilled cheese sandwiches as “kids’ food” again!

Why should kids be the only ones who get to enjoy this classic sandwich? The crunch of the toasted bread, the stringy melted cheese, greasy fingers. Well, now you can have your sandwich and eat it too! This is grilled cheese for adults!

I’ve seen other food bloggers, who I follow, do varying versions of this sandwich, and I thought, “Yes, a grilled cheese sandwich for me!” My favorite food as a kid was grilled cheese. You could take me to any restaurant in town, fine dining or otherwise, and there I was, ordering a grilled cheese sandwich every time! Of course, my parents were slightly annoyed with my eating rut and lack of dining adventure, but hey, this girl likes her grilled cheese! All that to say, this sandwich makes me happy!! This is my comfort food!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Bread
• Smoky cheese (I like to use gouda, but any smoky cheese will do)
• Bacon
• Jalapeno
• Blackberry jam

The first step is frying up the bacon – the crispier, the better. While the bacon is frying, slice the jalapenos. Remove the seeds if you want less heat. Also, thinly slice the cheese. I always use gouda for this recipe. It’s a soft cheese with a mild smoky flavor. I find that it just complements the other flavors perfectly.

Once you have drained the bacon, assemble your sandwich by layering the cheese, bacon, and jalapenos. Spread one side of the bread generously with blackberry jam. Butter the outside of the sandwich on both sides. Heat your skillet over medium-low to medium heat (depending on your stove).

**I like to preheat my skillet on medium, and right before I add the sandwich, I lower the heat to medium-low. The key is to slowly toast your bread to give the cheese enough time to melt completely. If your heat is too high, your bread will be completely toasted (or burnt), but your cheese will not have had enough time to melt. Low and slow is the key.

Once one side is golden-brown, flip and brown the other side. This pairs perfectly with a bowl of tomato soup or any soup of your liking. Enjoy!