No splatter. No flipping. No standing at the stove. Cooking bacon in a convection oven is faster, cleaner, and gives you evenly crispy results—every single time. Just a sheet pan, some foil, and your favorite bacon. It’s the only way I cook it now.
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Featured Comment by Rosalina:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This is, hands down, the best way to cook bacon. Thanks for sharing a really helpful post on how to bake bacon the right way!"
🧡 Why You’ll Love This Method
- Fast and crispy—especially with convection – Cooks more evenly and a little quicker, but even a regular oven turns out great bacon.
- No flipping, no mess – No grease burns, no stovetop cleanup.
- Hands-off cooking – Let the oven work while you handle the eggs, toast, or coffee.
- Scales easily – Make a few slices or a full pan—same great results.
- Any bacon works – Thick, thin, turkey... convection handles it all.
🥓 What You’ll Need
- Bacon – thick-cut, thin, or turkey
- Rimmed sheet pan
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Optional: parchment paper for sticking
👨🍳Quick Overview: How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° regular. Line a rimmed sheet pan with heavy-duty foil.
✅ Pro Tip: Preheating is optional—starting cold just adds a few minutes but still gives great results.
Arrange bacon slices close together but not overlapping.
Bake for 18–22 minutes until crispy, checking early. Thinner bacon cooks faster. Stop at the final color you want.
Drain on paper towels and pat off any fat.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions—or keep reading for tips and serving ideas.
⏰ How Long to Bake Bacon in the Oven
18–20 minutes for medium-thick bacon in a 400° convection or 425° conventional oven works for most situations.
Oven temperatures from 350° to 450°F all work—just adjust the time and cook to your desired color and crispiness. Higher temps and thinner bacon cook faster; thicker bacon or lower temps take longer. Always go by appearance, not the clock.
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💡 Pro Tips for Perfect Bacon
- Use heavy-duty foil for easier cleanup, or add parchment if bacon tends to stick.
- No rack needed—bacon renders fine on the pan, and cleanup is simpler.
- Thinner or sugary bacon sticks more—parchment helps prevent this.
- Any bacon works, including turkey, but thick-cut holds up best.
- Convection cooks faster and crispier. No convection? Use 425°.
- Use convection bake, not roast, if your oven gives you the option.
- Cold start is fine—just adds a few minutes to the cook time.
❓FAQs
Nope. The oven cooks both sides evenly—no flipping needed.
Yes, but it’s thinner and leaner, so it cooks faster (8–12 minutes) and may stick more. Use parchment paper and watch it closely.
You can, but it’s more effort than it looks—adjusting power levels, uneven cooking, and more cleanup. Oven-baked is hands-down better in both effort and results.
Strain and store it in a glass container in the fridge for 3–6 months. It’s great for eggs, roasted veggies, or anything that needs a bacon boost. Unstrained grease spoils quickly due to the decay of food particles.
👨🍳 Breakfast Recipes
Check out these other great breakfast recipes. Try How To Sausage in the Oven to cook breakfast sausage patties the easy way.
Serve your crispy bacon with Baked Blueberry Pancakes, Small Cinnamon Coffee Cake, or Small French Toast Casserole.
❄️Storage of leftovers
Store cooked bacon in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–5 days, or freeze for up to a month. Reheating in the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel for 8–10 seconds per slice, does the trick.
Cooked bacon can also be frozen for up to a month, per the USDA.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Cook Bacon in a Convection Oven (Fast & Crispy)
Ingredients
- 8-10 slices bacon - thick sliced preferred
- aluminum foil - to cover tray
- parchment paper - if needed
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (convection bake) or 425°F (conventional). Line an 18-inch × 13-inch rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- Place bacon close together but not touching—8 to 10 slices (about ½ pound) will usually fit.
- Bake until browned and crispy, about 20 minutes. Time will vary depending on thickness and your preferred doneness. Thinner bacon cooks faster; thick-cut may need a few extra minutes—check early.
- Drain on paper towels and pat off any excess fat.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- A half-pound of bacon or a bit more will usually fit an 18-inch × 13-inch sheet pan.
- You do not have to preheat the oven. It just takes a bit longer.
- Use the convection bake, NOT the convection roast setting. You may also cook in a conventional oven without convection. Even toaster ovens work.
- I have done this with oven temperatures from 350° to 450°. With or without convection—just adjust the time.
- Thinner bacon cooks faster. Very thick bacon will take a few minutes longer.
- Thinner bacon and bacon with more sugar will tend to stick. Use a layer of parchment paper if you are unsure or have a problem.
- Turkey bacon cooks fast—usually 8–12 minutes. Check early. It also tends to stick, so parchment paper is recommended.
- No flipping or rack is needed, although some people will use them.
- It is done when it looks cooked to your taste.
- I usually bake two sheet pans at once in a convection oven. At 10 minutes, rotate them front to back and switch the top and bottom trays for even cooking.
- Cooked bacon is good refrigerated for 4-5 days and frozen for one month.
- Reheat bacon in a microwave covered with a paper towel for about 8-10 seconds per piece. If frozen, thaw first.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally published October 8, 2011, it was updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Larry Penner says
There is little benefit to convection over use. I bake in a conventional oven for 15 minutes at 400 and the bacon is perfect
Karen says
This is the only way I make bacon now! Thank you for sharing this recipe it’s so good!
Nana Donna 2 6 says
I saw an earlier post about this from you a year or so ago and it's the only way I cook my bacon now. I always despised doing this on the stove due to the grease splatter and the cleanup of the stove/area afterwards. I love being able to put it in the oven and then get the rest of the meal items ready (like toast, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo). I did discover tonight, however, that you really do need to make sure you cook the sheet-pan of bacon IN THE MIDDLE as it cooks more evenly and doesn't burn as easily. Cleanup is super easy in addition to saving the bacon grease. Thanks for posting this again!
Terry says
This also works well on a gas grill. Use the indirect heating method and a sheet of foil with sides folded up. I do turn my bacon over about half way. 400 degrees same amount of time as the oven. Thanks for a great site. Definitely my go to.
EveM says
I spray a rack both sides and line my pan with foil. Lay the bacon (regular) on the rack at 400 for 20 minutes. The bacon is crispy and cleanup..well there isn't any really. The foil is thrown away, the pan is still clean, and I briefly wash the rack, since it was sprayed and any bits will come right off. Will never go back to frying..If you need the grease for other reasons just pour from the foil...
In the oven allows you time to do other things while the bacon is baking.It's great!
Linda Jones says
I used the instructions to cooking this bacon and it was wonderful. Nice and crispy is what I like. This is the only way my husband will eat it now.
Rosalina Villarruel says
This is, hands down, the best way to cook bacon. Thanks for sharing a really helpful post on how to bake bacon the right way!
Web says
Do you need to preheat the oven? A lot of people swear by starting with a cold oven, and then setting the oven to 400 F at the same time you put the bacon in. With this method, the bacon fat renders slowly and can result in evenly cooked bacon excellence. However, some ovens heat up much faster than others, so when you don t preheat it s more difficult for us to tell you how long to cook bacon in the oven since we re not at your house using your oven and eating your bacon. Try both methods next weekend and let us know which you prefer!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Web,
Welcome to the blog.
I don't think it matters. I have done both and to me, the texture is the same.
The amount of time it takes to get to a specific temperature does vary A LOT. I have two ovens, both high-end things. One will preheat to 400 in 5 minutes if it uses rapid mode and 10 otherwise. The second take closer to 15 minutes but will brown bake cooks better.
I almost always use Black Label thick cut. I turn on oven #1 and spread the bacon on a tray. And is close to 400 when I put the trays in. But the cooking time still varies by 2-3 minutes. So even the "same" bacon cooks somewhat differently - it is a natural product.
I sometimes forget to flip the oven on and it will take 3-4 minutes longer is my sense of the timing for the faster oven. But the same even cooking and results overall, just a few minutes longer.
So either is fine. As with all meat cooking, you cook to the final endpoint you want and not by time.
Dan
KimarieSings says
I made 6 slices of extra thick bacon in my counter top convection oven. Aluminum foil @ 400 deg for 20 minutes and I will NEVER go back to a frying pan again. Every slice was evenly cooked and crisp. No huge mess as far as splatters. Thank you for posting your method. It works wonderfully.
DrDan says
Hi Kimarie,
Welcome to the blog.
It is so simple and glad it worked for you well in the countertop oven.
Thanks for the note.
Dan