Delicious sweet and spicy candied bacon is a great finger food for parties or gifts. Coated with brown sugar, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
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Easy and quick to make with only four ingredients. This irresistible treat is quick to make with these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
Great for a "take to the party" dish. You will have everybody talking.
It stores well and can be frozen and you can adjust the spiciness by decreasing or increasing the cayenne pepper.
This spicy candied bacon recipe combines two of my most popular recipes: Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bacon Wraps and How to Cook Bacon in the Oven post.
Check out some other popular sweet recipes, like Popcorn Balls, Oreo Fudge, Chocolate Peanut Clusters, Easy 5-Minute Fudge, Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites, and Candied Nuts. This recipe is featured in Holiday Candy Recipe Roundup.
🐖Ingredients
- The Bacon—Use good quality thick-cut bacon. If you use thinner bacon, the cooking time will decrease, and since it is finger food, it will tend to fall apart easier if thinner.
- Brown sugar—Use either dark or light. Some recipes use maple syrup instead, leaving the candied bacon sticky—OK for breakfast but not snacking.
- Cayenne pepper and chili powder
👨🍳How to Make Spicy Candied Bacon
- Preheat the oven and prepare a large baking tray with foil, a baking rack, and a heavy coat of PAM cooking spray.
- Mix the coating brown sugar, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Cut bacon strips in half and trim any large chunks of fat.
- Dip bacon in the coating mixture and coat well.
- Spread over the prepared rack leaving a little space, then give them a light dusting of the coating before baking.
- Bake until bacon appears done, which is dark along the edges—about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes, then pat off any pools of fat on top with a paper towel carefully.
- Then transfer for cooling on a cooling rack, a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or a plate should do. Do not "drain" on a paper towel due to sticking.
✔️Tips
- Bake until crispy. This is not the time for wimpy bacon. But that time will vary by the thickness of the bacon and your oven, so times are approximate.
- Pat some of the fat off the top of the bacon after removal from the oven. But let it cool for a few minutes before moving to the cooling area. But get it off the rack before it sticks.
- Serve either warm or cold. To warm— 5 minutes in a 350° oven will reheat nicely or a few seconds in the microwave.
- Good refrigerated for 2-3 days and can be frozen if on parchment or wax paper.
❓FAQs
Both sides are great if you use a rack coated with cooking spray since you get more coating.
If you do not use a rack, only coat one side.
No, but the results are better if you use a rack. You get to coat both sides of the bacon, and the fat will drain away from the bacon, which is important.
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Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Pictures are for a triple batch with three pounds of bacon that yielded 66 pieces.
Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
Mix ½ cup of brown sugar with 1 tablespoon chili powder and ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional).
Prep a baking tray with a rim with aluminum foil to help clean up and a rack coated heavily with PAM baking spray.
Cut bacon strips in half and trim any large chunks of fat.
Dip bacon in the brown sugar mixture and coat well.
Spread over the prepared rack leaving a little space, then give the bacon a light sprinkle of additional sugar and spice.
Bake until bacon appears crispy and done—about 15-20 minutes. It may take longer, so cook until it looks done. But remember, sugar can begin to burn when left in too long.
Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes, then carefully pat off any pools of fat on top of the bacon with a paper towel.
Then transfer for cooling on another rack, a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or just a plate should do. Do not "drain" on a paper towel due to sticking.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Candied Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon - thick sliced
- ½ cup brown sugar - light or dark
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
- Mix ½ cup of brown sugar with 1 tablespoon of chili powder and ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional).
- Prep a baking tray with a rim with aluminum foil to help clean up and a rack coated heavily with PAM baking spray.
- Cut bacon strips in half and trim any large chunks of fat.
- Dip bacon in the brown sugar mixture and coat well.
- Spread over the prepared rack leaving a little space, then give the bacon a light sprinkle of additional sugar and spice.
- Bake until bacon appears crispy and done—about 15-20 minutes. It may take longer, so cook until it looks done. But remember, sugar can begin to burn when left in too long.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes, then carefully pat off any pools of fat on top of the bacon with a paper towel.
- Then transfer for cooling on another rack, a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or just a plate should do. Do not "drain" on a paper towel due to sticking.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Thicker sliced bacon will work better.
- A rack, while not mandatory, will get much better results.
- Bake until crispy. This is not the time for wimpy bacon. But that time will vary by the thickness of the bacon and your oven, so times are approximate.
- Pat some of the fat off the top of the bacon after removal from the oven. But let it cool for a few minutes before moving to the cooling area. But get it off the rack before it sticks.
- It may be served warm or cold. About 5 minutes in a 350° oven will reheat nicely or a few seconds in the microwave.
- Good refrigerated for 2-3 days and can be frozen if on parchment or wax paper.
- I suggest following the food safety rules. Please do not store at room temperature.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor Note: Originally published May 24, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
AnnieO
I use this recipe for my chocolate chip/bacon cookies. So, so good. I add a bit of smoked paprika.
Asraf abid
Excellent recipe, I think its so crispy.
Charlene
Yes, you are right - sounds "evil" but I am going to give it a try! Thanks Dr. Dan - once again!
Carolyn Welch
I look forward to making this recipe for my husband's 50th birthday party. However, can it be made ahead of time and store? Has anyone tried doing that?
DrDan
Hi Carolyn,
I would only do 2-3 days refrigerated.
Dan
Millyvinilly
I used this for BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avacado, tomato) sandwiches so yummy! I used red chili powder instead of the other spices and added some honey
DrDan
Sounds great.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
dusty
This is heaven on earth!!!!
DrDan
Thank You
Dan
Kathy M
Excellent recipe. I cut the recipe in a third otherwise the two of us would have eaten a pound of bacon!
Leslie
I served with melted dark chocolate for a decadent appetizer. Great recipe!
Leslie
I also made more of the sugar-spice mix (1/2 of original), cooked bacon for 15 minutes, turned bacon, added the extra sugar mix, and cooked for another 15 minutes to extra crispy but not burned. Leslie