Candied Bacon is crispy, sweet and salty oven baked bacon strips and brown sugar. An easy side dish recipe for a special breakfast or brunch.
This is the perfect side for all your favorite Breakfast Recipes from Sheet Pan Pancakes to Breakfast Casserole! This easy sweet and savory side dish is ready in less than 30 minutes!
CANDIED BACON
Bacon just got so much better! You may be thinking how could bacon get any better (who could blame you), but just wait until you’ve had a bite of this salty, sugary snack. Perfect for any time of the day, you’ll be looking for reasons to make Candied Bacon for every occasion.
Candied Bacon Slices for breakfast is a no brainer. Serve it instead of your usual maple breakfast sausage, right alongside your favorite savory main dishes like eggs and Breakfast Burritos. This easy crisp bacon candy makes a great brunch appetizer too.
This Candied Bacon recipe has only 3 ingredients, bacon, brown sugar, and coarse ground black pepper. Or it can be a 2 ingredient snack if you choose not to use the black pepper. Try it with the black pepper first though, as it adds a slightly spicy flavor that balances out the salty and sweet notes.
Candied Bacon can be used for desserts too. Just like a Salted Caramel Sauce, crispy sweet bacon adds depth to rich Chocolate Cakes and Brownies. Mix in Candied Bacon crumbles to your batter or sprinkle on top of Peanut Butter Frosting for a drool worthy dessert.
Tips for making Candied Bacon:
- Don’t attempt to make candied bacon in a skillet! It won’t get the right crispiness, stay flat, and all the grease will get trapped in the sugar coating.
- Elevate the bacon on a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet so that it gets crisp all over and doesn’t rest in the bacon grease.
- Your baking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon. If you use thick-cut or center cut bacon, you will need to add time and start watching after 20 minutes so it doesn’t burn.
EASY BREAKFAST RECIPES TO SERVE WITH CANDIED BACON
Easy French Toast Bake
Gooey Monkey Bread
Easy Cinnamon Rolls (in 1 Hour!)
Breakfast Casserole
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This recipe uses regular bacon but it works with turkey bacon, thick-cut bacon, applewood smoked bacon, hickory smoked bacon, or Canadian bacon.
Instead of brown sugar, you can drizzle the slices with pure maple syrup for Maple Candied Bacon or use honey for a glazed bacon snack.
To make Spicy Candied Bacon, use ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper in your brown sugar mixture. Try other spices and herbs like thyme, cardamom, or cinnamon.
Crush pecans or walnuts and sprinkle over bacon slices about halfway through cooking for an extra crunch.
Make a tasty holiday gift by dipping in chocolate! Freeze cooked bacon on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Dip halfway in melted chocolate disks and cool on a wire rack until chocolate sets.
More Ways to Use Candied Bacon:
The possibilities are practically endless on what to serve with Candied Bacon!
- Sprinkle bacon crumbles on a savory salad for a sweet, salty crunch. Try it out on any creamy deli or garden Salad Recipes.
- Candied Bacon is a fancy topping for Vanilla Ice Cream or any of your favorite Dessert Recipes.
- Serve it with sweet breakfast baked goods like Cinnamon Rolls or French Toast Bake.
- Carefully wrap warm bacon (before the crispiness sets in) around figs, peaches, or apple slices for an easy brunch appetizer.
MORE EASY CANDY RECIPES
Buckeye Balls Recipe
Easy Chocolate Fudge
Pretzel Turtles
Homemade Turtle Candies
HOW TO STORE CANDIED BACON
- Serve: Candied Bacon can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours – if it lasts that long before getting eaten!
- Store: Refrigerate any leftover Candied Bacon in a zippered plastic storage bag for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in a skillet on low heat.
- Freeze: You can freeze cooked bacon for up to 3 months. Lay flat in a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour before transferring to a freezer bag so it doesn’t stick together.
Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper and top with a metal cooling rack.
- In a medium bowl toss the bacon with brown sugar and black pepper.
- Lay the bacon over the cooling rack in a single layer and sprinkle with black pepper.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until crispy and browned.
Nutrition
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