Candied Bacon
on Jan 11, 2024, Updated Mar 05, 2024
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Sweet, salty, and a little bit crunchy, this Candied Bacon recipe takes a basic ingredient one step further to give you a tasty treat that can be used in many different ways!
I’ll have to admit, candied bacon is one of my favorite treats! Once you have a taste, it’s hard to put it down. If you have never made it before, this recipe is perfect for you because it only uses a few ingredients and is easy to follow. Simply coat your bacon strips in sugar, chili powder, and salt and you are good to go! The sugar will caramelize as the bacon cooks, giving you a crunchy, flavorful coating that will add depth to the bacon.
You can customize your candied bacon by using your favorite brand and thickness of bacon. After the bacon is prepared, it has a plethora of uses! From adding it to grilled cheese to crumbling it on top of pancakes, you can use this candied bacon in both sweet and savory dishes!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
- Candied bacon can be served by itself or with a variety of dishes.
- Takes bacon, a classic ingredient, to the next level.
Recipe Ingredients
- Uncooked bacon—The main ingredient! You can use thick or regular cut bacon.
- Light brown sugar— Provides the perfect glaze for your bacon.
- Chipotle chili powder—Gives the bacon a little bit of heat to balance the sweetness.
- Salt— Helps the flavor of the sugar and chili powder pop.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Candied Bacon
Step #1. Gather your ingredients and preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step #2. Whisk together the brown sugar, salt, and chipotle powder in a small bowl.
Step #3. Lay down your bacon on the sheet and sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top. Use your hand to rub the mixture into the bacon.
Step #4. Cook your bacon until it begins to crisp. Allow the bacon to cool down on the counter for 10 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Because of the small amount of molasses in light brown sugar, it will caramelize easily in the oven when cooked on the bacon, giving you a sweet flavor and perfect texture. If you use a different kind of sugar, you will not get the same caramelized coating. That being said, if you have to use a replacement, stay away from granulated sugar and stick to dark brown sugar or any coarse sugar. This will give you a slightly sweeter flavor and the closest results to using light brown sugar.
Candied bacon is usually served at room temperature or slightly chilled. This is because the layer of sugar will stick better to the bacon if it is cooled rather than sliding or dripping off if it’s too hot. It will also help prevent anyone from burning themselves on hot sugar. Ultimately it is up to you how you serve or eat this bacon, but this treat is so tasty you won’t be able to resist it either way.
You can use thick or regular cut bacon for this recipe, and any brand is fine! Personally, I use thick cut bacon because it gives you a better texture and holds up well with the sugar coating. I never have to worry about brittle bacon with thick cut, but either will work just fine.
Expert Tips
- As you are spreading the brown sugar mixture on the bacon, ensure that every piece is evenly coated.
- If you have a cooling rack that fits your baking sheet, you can place the rack on top of the sheet, and then place the bacon down to cook so that the baking sheet catches the grease.
- Don’t forget to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil. This will make your clean up easier.
- Cooling the bacon allows the juices to settle and helps bring out as much flavor as possible so although it smells extremely appetizing, be patient.
How to Serve and Store Candied Bacon
There are countless ways you can serve candied bacon! This dish is often served on its own as an appetizer or finger food. You can use candied bacon in easy grilled cheese sandwiches or paninis for an extra crunch and burst of flavor. If you crumble up candied bacon after cooking it, you can use it as a topping for this homemade mac and cheese, baked potatoes, or salads. Since this bacon has a strong, sweet flavor, it also makes a great topping for pancakes or waffles when crumbled.
Candied bacon is best served fresh; however, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days if needed. After the bacon is cooled, put it in a Ziploc bag or container and place the bacon in the fridge. When you are ready to eat it again, serve the bacon cold or quickly reheat it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
More Bacon Recipes To Consider
Side Dishes and Salads
Charro Beans
Soups, Stews, & Chowders
Cream of Potato Soup
Pizza & Sandwiches
Pineapple Pizza
Vegetable Sides
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
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Candied Bacon
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 pound uncooked bacon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, salt and chipotle powder in a small bowl.
- Lay down your bacon on the baking sheet and sprinkle the brown sugar on top. Use your hand to rub the mixture into the bacon, ensuring each piece of bacon is evenly coated.
- Cook your bacon for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon begins to crisp.
- Allow your bacon to cool down on the counter for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Cooling the bacon allows the juices to settle and helps bring out as much flavor as possible.
- You can use regular or thick cut bacon for this recipe.
- You can use dark brown sugar for a slightly sweeter flavor in your bacon.
- If you have a cooling rack that fits in your baking sheet then you can place the bacon on top of the cooling rack so that the baking sheet catches the grease.
- This bacon is best served fresh, but you can store your leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve your leftover bacon cold or microwave it for 30 seconds.
