If you're looking to up your breakfast and brunch game, then this candied bacon recipe is the way to do it. Sticky, sweet, chewy, and salty--it's the perfect combination of flavors and textures and will complement all of your breakfast favorites from eggs to pancakes. It also happens to be a fantastic topping for cupcakes with maple frosting.

Whenever I make this recipe, everyone fights over every last piece. (So go ahead and do yourself a favor: make a double-batch.) Whether it's for a special holiday breakfast, or a fun treat for weekend brunch, this candied bacon recipe is always a hit.
Heck, it'll even make a fried egg or simple veggie omelet feel special. Want to know something else? Baking the bacon strips in the oven also means less messy cleanup. (I always have tons of bacon splatter when I cook it on the stovetop.)
The other best part about this bacon recipe is that you can even make it ahead of time and reheat it. Love that, don't you?

Looking for more ways to use this bacon recipe? This salty and sweet bacon is a great topping for my ultimate Cheddar cheese burger recipe. You can use it to garnish my favorite salty snack: these deviled eggs. Or, chop some up and fold it into spicy pimento cheese.
You can also add some to this shaved Brussels sprouts salad. Another fun idea: sprinkle some on top of these pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple frosting for the ultimate breakfast treat. Yum-o! The possibilities are truly endless, so are you ready to make it? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this easy candied bacon recipe:

- thick-sliced bacon
- light brown sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- maple syrup
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!

- First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Arrange the slices of bacon in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and cook the bacon for 5 more minutes.

- Next, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, and maple syrup in a small bowl.

- Then, brush one-third of the mixture on one side of each slice of bacon. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip and brush with another one-third of the mixture. Bake for another 10 minutes. Flip and brush with the remaining mixture and bake for 5 more minutes or until the bacon is golden brown.

- Finally, remove the bacon to parchment paper or a greased wire rack to cool slightly and set up. (The bacon will not be crisp when you transfer it.)
Hint: It's crucial to buy thick-cut bacon. A regular bacon slice will be too thin and will burn.
Substitutions
Here are some ingredient substitutions should you need them:
- Bacon - I used applewood hardwood-smoked bacon for this recipe. You can also use hickory smoked or black pepper crusted bacon.
- Light Brown Sugar - Use dark brown sugar if you'd like, but keep an eye on the bacon as it bakes. Dark brown sugar has a higher molasses content so it can burn more easily.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Instead of apple cider vinegar, use regular white vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or rice vinegar.
Variations
Looking for some ways to change up this recipe? Here are some suggestions:
- Spicy - Add a little cayenne pepper to the brown sugar mixture to give this recipe some heat.
- Sweet Mustard Bacon - Stir in a little Dijon mustard to the brown sugar mixture to give it a tangy kick.
- Sweet Rosemary Bacon - Sprinkle the bacon with a little chopped fresh rosemary during the last round of baking to give it an herby flavor.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this bacon candy recipe:
- dry measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- small bowl
- whisk
- rimmed baking sheet
- silicone mat or parchment paper
- pastry brush
Storage
Store the bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, wrap the candied bacon slices individually in plastic wrap and place in an airtight freezer bag or container. Freeze up to 6 months.
Tasty Tip
Keep an eye on the bacon during the last round of baking. It may need as little as 5 minutes to get nice and browned. Because we're dealing with sugary ingredients though, it's easy to overdo it--you're looking for crispy edges (not burnt ones).
Frequently asked questions
There are a couple of reasons your candied bacon burned. It could be that the oven temperature was too high. Or, it may have cooked for too long. Towards the end of cooking, you'll want to be sure to watch the bacon as it cooks. It can go too dark fairly quickly.
It's really easy! Let the cooked bacon cool to room temperature, then wrap with with parchment paper, wax paper, or my personal favorite: press 'n' seal. Then slide the wrapped slices into a freezer bag or airtight container. It'll last that way for several months!
It'll be good for about 3 days.
I don't recommend it. Just like other meats, you don't want it to stand at room temperature for more than a couple of hours.
You can! Zap it in the microwave in 10-second intervals or reheat in an oven at fairly low heat (250°F-300°F) until it's warmed through.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this "millionaire's bacon":
🍽Get the recipe

Maple and Brown Sugar Candied Bacon
Equipment
- dry measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- small bowl
- whisk
- rimmed baking sheet
- silicone mat or parchment paper
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and place on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes; flip the bacon and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, maple syrup in a small bowl.
- Brush the bacon with one-third of the brown sugar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip the bacon over and brush with another one-third of the brown sugar mixture. Bake for another 10 minutes.
- Flip the bacon over one last time. Brush with the remaining brown sugar mixture. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until the bacon meat is browned and the bacon fat is translucent. (The bacon will not yet be crisp.)
- Transfer the bacon to parchment paper or a greased cooling rack to cool slightly. (The bacon will harden as it cools.)
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat or eggs.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat or eggs.
- Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Oscar says
My family keeps asking me to make this again. It’s seriously the best breakfast upgrade!
Tisha says
Candied bacon is always a hit in my house! It tastes really good on a BLT with an egg!
Swathi says
Maple and brown sugar candied bacon is delicious I have made it, perfect treat. my bacon lover son approved it.
Liz says
Oh, my gosh, this candied bacon is addictive!!! My husband was in heaven with every bite.
Juyali says
This candied bacon was a hit! Loved the balance of sweet and salty, and baking it made cleanup easy. Perfect for brunch—definitely making it again!