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How to Make Maple CandiedBaconin theOven. This Million Dollar Baconis crispy, chewy, salty, andsweet- perfect all on its own or added to otherrecipes! With only 3 staple ingredients, it's easy to make and ready in under an hour!
This post was originally posted June 2017, updated May 2023
Have you ever hadCandied Bacon? OrMillion Dollar Bacon? Or maybe you call it Pig Candy? 🐷 🥓If not,please make this soon.It's oh-so-delicious and completely addictive.
I know - candiedbaconis a weird thing to share on my cake-decorating blog. But after sharing theMapleBrown SugarButtercreamrecipelast week, and the candiedbacontoday, I hope you can see that this is going somewhere good.
Somewhere very, very good. And delicious. This tasty treat is perfect for topping those Chocolate Maple Bacon Cupcakes - but also perfect for a snack, appetizer, or brunch! You could even enjoy it on burgers to add a little sweet to the perfectly grilled burger!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love Million Dollar Bacon
- Maple Candied Bacon Ingredients
- Shop Here
- How to MakeCandied Bacon
- Pro Tips for Success
- Candied BaconFlavors
- Serving Suggestions
- How do you storecandied bacon?
- How do you reheatcandied bacon?
- IsMaple Candied BaconGluten Free?
- FAQ
- More Delicious Recipes...
- Recipe
Why You'll Love Million Dollar Bacon
After thinking about it for a while, I think I know why I loveMillion Dollar Baconso much. First, I love breakfast food so much... mostlypancakes. And I love bacon or sausage withpancakes. Why? Because I love to dip the bacon or sausage in the syrup when eatingpancakes. It's the perfect combination of soft and crunchy - sweet and salty.
So it makes sense that I would love bacon baked with syrup and abrown sugar mixture, right?
Okay - so the candiedbacon- let's talk about how to make it.
Since I was making this for cupcakes, I adjusted my candied bacon recipe to a smaller batch to only make 6 slices. Of course, you could double or triple this or make a whole pound ofbaconif you like. I promise, no judgment here.
Maple Candied Bacon Ingredients
Bacon - thick cut bacon slices work best for this recipe! I've also used regular slices but you will have to watch the cooking time. I do not recommend thin bacon because it will likely burn before the sugar is caramelized.
Maple Syrup - real, high-quality maple syrup is what you want for this recipe.
Brown Sugar - I prefer light brown sugar but dark brown sugar would work as well. Either way - brown sugar is the secret ingredient to this sweet and salty candied bacon!
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- Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Aluminum Foil (heavy duty and/or 2-3 layers)
- Cooking spray - this is optional. The bacon actually cooks out it's own grease which prevents sticking.
- Silicone pastry brush
- Tongs
- Cooling rack
How to MakeCandied Bacon
- Start by covering asheet panwith two layers ofaluminum foil. This makes for a mucheasier cleanupwhen all the work is done. The first time I made it (when I took this pic above), I didn't double the foil and I regretted it. You'll see further down below pictures of a different batch with the doubled foil.
- Preheat yourovento 375°F.
- Place thebaconslices on thepan in a single layer, thenbrushthem withmaple syrup.
- Then sprinkle withbrown sugar.
Note - I also added morebrown sugarthan seen here the second time around. In this case, I believe more is, in fact,better! Be generous with thebrown sugar- that's all I'm saying.
My favorite part - this candied bacon recipe is done in the oven!
- Bakethebaconfor 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.
- Remove the bacon from the oven and flip the bacon strips with tongs (or a fork).
- Brush with more maple syrup.
- Add more brown sugar.
- Bakefor 10 more minutes. Check after 5 minutes to make sure it's not starting to burn. Depending on the thickness of yourbacon, it may cook a little faster or slower.
- When it's done, move thebaconfrom the sheet pan to a cooling rack for it to drain, cool, and crisp up!
It only took a few minutes and it was ready to eat. I mean put on cupcakes. Haha!
This Million Dollar Bacon recipe (also called Millionaire Bacon)really is so, so easy to make and it's delicious. I'veonlyused it as cupcakegarnish(ahem!), but I've seenrecipeswhere people eat it straight up as anappetizeror snack (which I highly recommend but know nothing about!), orbakeit into cookies, use it for topping on ice cream.
Pro Tips for Success
- Use heavy duty foil on your baking sheet - two or three layers will give you the most insurance against a long cleanup (caramelized sugar ain't no joke!)
- Brown sugar is best - dark for more intense flavor, but I always use light and am still very pleased. Avoid white sugar if at all possible.
- Use real maple syrup. Corn syrup, imitation syrup or maple-flavored syrup won't get you the results you want!
Candied BaconFlavors
Want to spice things up? Add more flavor to yourcandied baconby mixing some other flavors into yourbrown sugar. Then use thatbrown sugar mixturein the same way you use the plainbrown sugar.
Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of any of the following spices to change up the flavor. You can even add two or three if you really want to amp up the flavors. Here are some suggestions:
- For an herb flavor, try dried Rosemary
- Garlic and/or Onion Powder
- To add some heat, tryChili Powder, Red Pepper Flakes,Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, and orBlack Pepper.
- Cinnamonand/or Nutmeg
- Fresh Orange or Lemon Zest
However you choose to eat it - I'm sure it'll be fantastic and ahuge hitwith your crowd!
Serving Suggestions
As I've mentioned already, I started making this candied bacon as a topper for cupcakes. But this would be a great appetizer for a party or a lovely addition to a fancy brunch. You could also use it on hamburgers to make them a little more "wow!"
How do you storecandied bacon?
If your bacon is not eaten within a couple of hours, it will need to be refrigerated or frozen.
Candied baconcan be stored in therefrigeratorfor up to one week in an airtight container. Layer it between sheets of wax paper orparchment paperto keep it all from sticking together.
You can also freezecandied bacon. Leftovers can be placed in thefreezerfor up to 6 months if wrapped and separated withparchment paper, then placed in an airtight,freezer-friendly container.
How do you reheatcandied bacon?
If all of yourcandied baconisn't eaten immediately and you've stored it in therefrigeratororfreezer, there are a few ways to reheat it.First, you can eat it cold (not my favorite) or let it come to room temperature by leaving it out on the counter for a bit.
Or if you'd like to reheat it, you can warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds.Or for my favorite option, preheat yourovento 350°F and warm it in theovenfor five minutes. Reheating it in theovengives it the best overall flavor and texture (in my opinion).
IsMaple Candied BaconGluten Free?
The short answer... yes!Thissweetand savory and sticky treat is gluten-free!
Is it Keto?While there might be some sugar-free options out there, myCandied Baconrecipeis not Keto-friendly (thanks to thebrown sugarandmaple syrup).
FAQ
How long does candied bacon last?
It will last a few hours at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Can candied bacon be left out?
Yes, for a few hours. After that, it should be refrigerated or frozen (see details above).
Can you eat candied bacon cold?
Yes - Million Dollar Bacon can be eaten cold!
Can you makecandied baconwith white sugar?
Yes. But I don't recommend it. The flavor and richness will not be as delicious as withbrown sugar and I'm not even sure you could call it a Millionaire Bacon Recipe anymore 😉.
Another option is to make your ownbrown sugarif you happen to have molasses on hand. Find outhow to makebrown sugarhere.
More Delicious Recipes...
- Chocolate Maple Bacon Cupcakes
- How to Make the BEST Maple Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting (with a surprise ingredient!)
- OREO Maple Creme Cupcakes
- Spicy Cottage Cheese Dip
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Here's the printablerecipefor you:
Recipe
Maple Candied Bacon (Million Dollar Bacon)
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 1 review
- Author: Rose
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
Description
This Millionaire Bacon is crispy, chewy, salty, and sweet - perfect all on its own or added to other recipes! It's also super easy to make with only 3 ingredients!
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Line a cookie sheet with foil (I recommend doubling it). Lay out the strips of bacon and brush with maple syrup. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip the bacon. Brush with more maple syrup and sprinkle again with brown sugar.
Bake for at least 5 more minutes (up to 15, depending on the thickness of your bacon). Check often - once it's close to done, it'll go from done to burnt very quickly!!
Transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp up. It'll stick together very easily so spread it out!
Enjoy!
Notes
- use thick-cut bacon for best results
- be sure to line your pan before baking for easy cleanup
- brown sugar and real maple syrup are key!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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