Maple Candied Bacon

Jump to Recipe

Maple candied bacon is the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Bacon is coated with a maple syrup, brown sugar and black pepper mixture and baked until crispy to make a sweet and spicy treat.

Close up of strips of maple candied bacon with maple syrup and brown sugar coating standing up in jar.

This tasty maple candied bacon is perfect for breakfast, brunch or snacking. The leftovers are great in green beans too. This easy recipe takes bacon from good to great.

Serve your candied bacon with pancakes for a fabulous breakfast. Or use it as a topping for salads, burgers and more.

The serving ideas really are almost endless. Luckily it is easy to make, so you can put it on all the things!

Making Maple Brown Sugar Bacon

Candied bacon is actually really pretty easy to make. Just stir together some maple syrup, brown sugar and ground black pepper.

Arrange strips of bacon over a wire cooling rack. They can be touching, but shouldn’t overlap.

Raw bacon strips coated in maple and brown sugar mixture arranged on wire rack over parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.

Maple glazed bacon fresh out of the oven.

Place that wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Then brush both sides of the bacon with the maple and brown sugar mixture.

Bake the bacon until is is crispy and delicious. It takes a little while to get the bacon fully cooked, but it is worth the wait.

It may be tempting to turn up the heat to get the bacon crispy faster, but for the best results you want to leave the temperature low and let the bacon cook slowly.

That gives the fat a chance to render out a bit and the glaze gets all sticky and delicious. As the bacon cools, it will be coated in the perfect mix of sweet, salty and a little bit spicy.

Jar with strips of maple brown sugar bacon inside showing crispy bacon with a bit of a shiny glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular bacon instead of thick sliced bacon?

Yes, you can use regular bacon just start checking the bacon for doneness 5 minutes early.

How long does candied bacon last?

Maple candied bacon is best enjoyed right away. However, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Can I make candied bacon on the stove?

It would be hard to get the bacon and glaze fully cooked without burning the sugars and making a mess on the stove. This recipe really is best made in the oven.

Looking down on some maple brown sugar bacon showing the sweet coating on the cooked bacon.

More Great Bacon Recipes

If you are in the mood for breakfast, try making bacon and eggs in a basket on the sheet pan. It’s an easy way to make multiple eggs in a hole at a time and we added bacon for even more goodness.

For another maple and bacon recipe, try making homemade maple baked beans in the instant pot. It’s a great way to start with dry beans and end up with a delicious sweet and savory side dish.

Maybe you are ready for dessert, in which case maple bacon ice cream is the way to go. It is fabulous on its own, but it is even more fun served over waffles!

Yield: 6 Servings

Maple Brown Sugar Bacon

Maple candied bacon is the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Bacon is coated with a maple syrup, brown sugar and black pepper mixture and baked until crispy to make a sweet and spicy treat.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. thick sliced bacon
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper to make cleanup easier.
Place a wire cooling rack over the sheet pan and arrange bacon slices over the rack. They can be touching, but try to avoid overlapping.
In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, brown sugar and pepper. Brush the mixture over both sides of the bacon.
Place the pan in the oven and bake. Start checking the bacon at about 20 minutes and then every 2-5 minutes after that. It is done when it is browned and shiny.
Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is great crumbled over a salad, cooked into green beans or you can gently reheat it and enjoy it as it is.