Crispy bacon with topped with brown sugar and then baked in the oven makes for the perfect oven baked bacon. Baked Brown sugar bacon, also known as candied bacon and pig candy is easy to make. Fresh bacon is topped with brown sugar and then baked in the oven until crispy while the brown sugar is caramelized in the process. The sweet and salty combination makes candied bacon the perfect breakfast side dish or party appetizer.
Brown Sugar Bacon Recipe
Bacon is one of the best foods to eat in my opinion and when you make a recipe with bacon everyone is sure to love it. There is bacon and then there is brown sugar bacon. My kids called it bacon candy whenever I make it and they ask for it often!
The combination of sweet from the brown sugar and salty from the bacon makes a recipe that just can not be beat. Anyone who has tasted this sweet twist on bacon has loved it and always asked for more. There are never any leftovers when I make it so many times I have resorted to doubling the recipe just so there is some left over to snack on.
When I want to make a tasty snack, appetizer, or brunch recipe that I know everyone will devour candied bacon is my go-to. It is a must for all of our brunches and breakfast for dinner meals and lots of times breakfast too!
What is Brown Sugar Bacon?
Brown Sugar bacon is bacon coated in brown sugar and then baked in the oven until the brown sugar has cramalized and the bacon is crispy. It is also sometimes referred to as candied bacon, pig candy or bacon candy.
Brown Sugar Bacon is the perfect addition to any breakfast and with it being so easy to make you can prep it and have it cook in the oven while making your eggs! Plus there is no grease mess to clean up from the bacon spraying grease when you cook it in a pan! Everyone is going to love this Brown Sugar Bacon and want it for every breakfast meal!
I didn’t know that brown sugar bacon was a thing until a friend of mine told me about it. Boy, do I wish I had learned about brown sugar baked bacon sooner, it is AMAZING! This baked bacon recipe gives you this amazing salty and sweet flavor that is just simply amazing. I really can not use any other word to describe it, I am just telling you that you have to try it. You are going to love it I am sure of it!
What to Serve with Brown Sugar Bacon
Everyone is going to love brown sugar bacon in the oven at the first bite, so don’t be surprised if you have your whole family asking you to make this bacon all the time. I like making this candied bacon recipe with our favorite breakfast recipes or when we are making a brunch.
If you are a fan of breakfast like we are then you also have to check out these amazing pancake recipes and waffle recipes! Some of our favorite breakfast recipes that we love making with our brown sugar bacon are:
What is the best bacon to use for this recipe?
You can use regular cut bacon or thick cut bacon. We prefer pork bacon in our house but you can also use turkey bacon for this recipe.
How long to Bake Bacon
When cooked at 400°F Regular cut bacon takes about 17 to 20 minutes and thick cut bacon will take about 20 to 25 minutes depending on how you like it cooked and you oven.
Why Cook Bacon in the Oven?
I have always cooked my bacon for breakfast in a frying pan, like my parents did when I was a kid. Then I started working in a hotel kitchen and they cooked bacon in the oven. I started with just baking my bacon in the oven after seeing how amazing oven baked bacon is. When you cook bacon in the oven it does not shrivel up, and it is crispy with out being dry.
One of the other things I love about brown sugar bacon, is the clean up. Normally when I fry bacon on the stove I end up with a grease mess. Grease flies out of the pan no matter what you do when you are frying bacon. With oven baked bacon there is no grease mess to clean up from the bacon spraying grease when you cook it in a pan! And we all know that I am all about making less mess when cooking so I can spend less time cleaning up!
Tips for Making oven baked bacon
Use a large baking sheet. When you are making brown sugar bacon you want to have a large baking sheet and a baking rack. When the baking is cooking all of the grease will go in the bottom of the pan making clean up super easy!
Don’t skimp on the brown sugar. You need that browns sugar to melt all over the bacon to give you the perfect sweet and salty bacon.
Use a lined baking sheet. Line the baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper for even easier clean up. This way the bacon drippings and the brown sugar that drips off will land on the foil or parchment paper instead of the baking sheet making for even easier clean up.
Variations of This recipe
- You can use thick cut slices or regular bacon slices.
- Change out the brown sugar for maple syrup or caramel sauce.
- Make it spicy. If you want a bit of a kick you can add a pinch of chili powder or cayenne pepper.
How to Store Candied Bacon
If you have any leftover bacon store it in an air tight container in the fridge. Reheat on a plate in the microwave.
Brown Sugar Bacon Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon strips (thick-cut bacon is our favorite but you can use regular cut bacon too)
- 1.5 cups brown sugar
How to Make Brown Sugar Bacon
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place to cooking rack on top of the rimmed baking sheet.
Place bacon slices in a single layer onto the baking sheet.
Sprinkle the bacon with brown sugar. I like to use homemade brown sugar but you can use store bought.
Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F.
Regular cut bacon takes about 17 to 20 minutes and thick cut bacon will take about 20 to 25 minutes depending on how you like it cooked.
Line a plate with paper towels, remove the bacon from the baking pan and place on to the plate to absorb some excess bacon grease.
Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Biscuits and Gravy
- French Toast Casserole
- Pecan Sticky Buns
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- egg muffins
- Easy Breakfast Tacos
Brown Sugar Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- 1.5 cups brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Lay the bacon out onto a broiler pan or on a rack inside of a larger pan. A great tip is to line the pan underneath with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- Sprinkle the bacon with brown sugar and place into the oven.
- Regular cut bacon takes about 17 to 20 minutes and thick cut bacon will take about 20 to 25 minutes depending on how you like it cooked.
- Transfer the bacon onto a plate with paper towels to help absorbs some excess fat.
Love breakfast? Make sure you check out these other tasty breakfast recipes!
Comments & Reviews
Dorothy says
The baked bacon & brown sugar made my mouth water. But could not find recipe. Can you help me..
Thanks for any help you may give me.
Dorothy
carol says
click on the recipe info on original post, then under the picture, you’ll see written in a redish brown colour, the recipe, click on this and the recipe will open up. Good luck and enjoy.
Marianne says
If you add a pinch of chili powder to the brown sugar it tastes incredible too!
Stephanie says
Sounds yummy! I will have to try this out thanks for the share.