Salty, sweet, and perfectly crispy, Candied Bacon is always a crowd pleaser! Serve it as a snack, a breakfast side, or an appetizer. Easy to throw together and baked instead of fried, this bacon recipe will have everyone begging for more!
Candied Bacon
Snacking bacon is all the rage right now and for good reason. Candied bacon may seem like an odd thing to reach for but the salty, sweet, spicy, crunch has everything you could want in a single bite! The brown sugar and maple syrup glaze creates a crispy coating around the bacon while the Cajun seasoning gives just the right amount of bite to the flavor. Bacon on its own is clearly a delicacy but even something great can be improved upon. I love how versatile this recipe is! You can serve the candied bacon as is for snacks and appetizers (you may even need to double the recipe with how addicting this is). It can be served as a side with breakfast or brunch. Use it to garnish a gorgeous bloody mary. Or crumple it up and use as a topping for salads, veggies, potatoes, or mac and cheese. Truly, bacon goes with anything and everything!
Begging for more bacon appetizers? Check out these classic Bacon Wrapped Smokies or some homemade Potato Skins to get the crowd gathered around the table!
What’s the best cut of bacon to use?
You can use any kind of bacon you prefer but I find a thinner cut gives you a crispier piece of bacon. Thicker cuts can take longer and come out chewier. If you prefer a chewy bacon over crispy, by all means choose a thick cut. Just watch the baking time as it will take longer.
How To Make Candied Bacon
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a metal cooling rack on top of the lined tray and spray the rack with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Stir. In a small bowl, pour in the maple syrup. Add the brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Mix. Add in a teaspoon of water at a time, stirring after each addition. You want the mixture to be thin but not too watery. If you accidentally add too much water, add some more maple syrup to adjust the consistency.
- Glaze. Lay the bacon strips on the cooling wrack, careful not to overlap. You may need multiple trays or to cook this in batches, depending on how big your items are. Spread about a tablespoon of the brown sugar mixture evenly over each piece of bacon.
- Bake. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the bacon reaches your preferred crispiness level.
- Serve. Let the candied bacon cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Storing Candied Bacon
You can store leftover snacking bacon in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
Ingredients Notes for Candied Bacon
- Brown Sugar – Make sure it’s packed down when measuring to ensure you get the right amount. Brown sugar has a lot of moisture in it and can get air bubbles easily. You don’t want to miss out on any of that sweetness!
- Maple Syrup – Use your favorite brand or whatever you have on hand. I do recommend a traditional syrup as opposed to a flavored variety. Blueberry might not mix well with this blend of flavors!
- Cajun Seasoning – I like to use salt free Cajun seasoning since the bacon already contains quite a bit of salt, but use what you prefer.
- Pepper – For an extra dash of flavor, although you can omit this if you find the Cajun seasoning to be enough.
- Water – A couple teaspoons to thin out the glaze.
- Bacon – Any cut. You’ll want the full pound here, trust me!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Candied Bacon
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup Maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt-free Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 Pound Bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil then place a cooling rack on top, spray it with non-stick spray, and set aside.
- Stir the brown sugar, maple syrup, Cajun seasoning, and pepper in a medium bowl, stirring in a teaspoon of water at a time until it’s just thin enough to spread but not watery.
- Lay the bacon on the cooling rack, not overlapping then spread 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar mixture evenly on top of each of the pieces.
- Bake for 15 minutes then turn the pan around and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until crispy and brown.
- Let it cool completely on the rack then remove and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
