This candied bacon recipe is quick, easy, and yields a sweet & savory topping that's perfect for burgers, salads, charcuterie & more. Once you learn how to make candied bacon, try it on a hot honey chicken sandwich or a goat cheese salad.
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Sweet, salty, and a little spicy, this candied bacon recipe elevates a breakfast favorite, transforming it into the perfect crispy addition to a plethora of dishes and treats.
If you've ever had it at a restaurant and wondered how to make candied bacon at home, it's surprisingly simple. All you need are four ingredients and an oven!
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon works best. You can use a thinner cut, but it may be more brittle and will probably require less oven time, so keep an eye on it.
- Hot honey: Try this elevated hot honey recipe, maple syrup, or omit it entirely.
- Brown sugar: This creates a thick, crunchy candy coating. If you prefer, you can just use hot honey or maple syrup and omit the sugar, but this will yield a thinner, stickier glaze rather than a crispy candied finish. I recommend using both hot honey and sugar.
- Optional: I like to top it with some Everything but the bagel seasoning, but this can be omitted. Alternatively, you can use crushed red pepper, sesame seeds, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, jalapeño, diced pecans or cashews, chipotle powder, even Chinese five-spice! Feel free to experiment.
🥓 How To Make Candied Bacon
Preheat oven to 350°F
Step 1: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, then set a lightly greased oven-safe wire rack on top. Cut bacon slices in half, pat dry, and arrange on the rack in a single layer.
Pro Tip: You will likely need to candy the bacon on more than one baking sheet or in multiple batches.
Step 2: Lightly brush the upward-facing side of each piece of bacon with a thin coating of hot honey, then sprinkle with brown sugar, pressing gently to help it adhere. Bake for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from oven and flip bacon strips so that the bottom side is now facing up. Coat with another thin layer of hot honey and additional brown sugar, then return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: Make sure you wash your hands any time they come into contact with the bacon before it's fully cooked! Raw pork can contain harmful bacteria, which, trust me, you don't want to spread around the kitchen.
Step 4: Remove tray from oven and sprinkle everything but the bagel seasoning over the bacon. Bake another 3 minutes, then flip bacon strips and add seasoning to the other side and bake another 3 minutes. Continue to flip at 3 minute intervals, if necessary, until bacon develops a deep mahogany-red color.
Pro Tip: Bacon will still be somewhat flexible when it's done baking, but should crisp up as it cools.
Step 5: Allow bacon to cool at room temperature for 20-30 minutes for maximum crunch, then serve and enjoy.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Can candied bacon be made ahead of time?
Yes! For best texture, I recommend making this candied bacon recipe the same day you plan to serve it, or up to 1 day ahead.
Can you freeze candied bacon?
You can freeze candied bacon in a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. For best quality, use it within a month, and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Can you make this candied bacon recipe with white sugar?
White sugar can be used to candy bacon, although the flavor and texture will be slightly different than when using brown sugar.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
This is the fun part! Now that you know how to make candied bacon, you can try it hundreds of different ways!
I personally like it on an egg salad sandwich or deviled eggs. It's also great on a bagel breakfast sandwich, gourmet grilled cheese, or Blackstone smash burgers.
Candied bacon also enhances salads, roasted brussel sprouts, dill potato salad, cranberry jalapeño dip, whipped goat cheese, or a fall charcuterie board.
Combine it with this red onion chutney to make a candied bacon onion jam.
Set it out amongst these baked potato bar toppings or use a slice to garnish a Bloody Mary or a glass of bourbon.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- You just need a light coating of hot honey. Too much honey will prevent the bacon from crisping up.
- Wait until step 4 to add the everything but the bagel seasoning so the garlic and onion flakes don't burn.
- Refrigerate completely cooled leftovers in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. The coating may become softer or stickier during storage.
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📖 Recipe
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Candied Bacon
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, then set a lightly greased oven-safe wire rack on top. Cut bacon slices in half, pat dry, and arrange on the rack in a single layer.
- Lightly brush the upward-facing side of each piece of bacon with a thin coating of hot honey, then sprinkle with brown sugar, pressing gently to help it adhere. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and flip bacon strips so that the bottom side is now facing up. Coat with another thin layer of hot honey and additional brown sugar, then return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.
- Remove tray from oven and sprinkle everything but the bagel seasoning over the bacon. Bake another 3 minutes, then flip bacon strips and add seasoning to the other side and bake another 3 minutes. Continue to flip at 3 minute intervals, if necessary, until bacon develops a deep mahogany-red color.
- Allow bacon to cool at room temperature for 20-30 minutes for maximum crunch, then serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Notes
- You will likely need to candy the bacon on more than one baking sheet or in multiple batches.
- Make sure you wash your hands any time they come into contact with the bacon before it's fully cooked! Raw pork can contain harmful bacteria, which you don't want to spread around the kitchen.
- Bacon will still be somewhat flexible when it's done baking, but should crisp up as it cools.
- You just need a light coating of hot honey. Too much honey will prevent the bacon from crisping up.
- Wait until step 4 to add the everything but the bagel seasoning so the garlic and onion flakes don't burn.
- Refrigerate completely cooled leftovers in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. The coating may become softer or stickier during storage.
Hilda Sterner says
We hope you love this candied bacon recipe. Let us know your thoughts!