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🏠Home » Recipes » Candy Recipes

Candied Bacon Recipe

Published: Dec 19, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 12 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Sweet, salty, and crispy with a touch of heat, this Candied Bacon Recipe is easy to make at home with bacon, brown sugar, and spices. Known as Millionaire or Million Dollar bacon, it makes a great party dish, snack, or holiday gift.

Ingredients

Bacon—lean, thick cut preferred.
Brown sugar—or maple syrup
Spices—chili powder and cayenne pepper (optional)

candied bacon on a tray.
Jump To (scroll for more)
  • Ingredients
  • 👨‍🍳How to Make Candied Bacon
  • ✔️Tips to get it right every time
  • 🐖Variations and Ingredient Options
  • Other Sweet Recipes
  • Storing leftovers
  • ❓FAQs
  • 📖The Recipe Card
Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

Easy and quick to make with only four ingredients. This caramelized bacon is an irresistible treat and is quick to make with these easy step-by-step photo instructions.

Great for a "take to the party" dish, snack, or as a gift. Or top a brunch salad or ice cream with bits of this bacon candy. It stores well and can be frozen, and you can adjust the spiciness by decreasing or increasing the cayenne pepper.

👨‍🍳How to Make Candied Bacon

bacon with brown sugar and spices.

Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional. Convection baking is recommended to help dry out moisture and have crisper results.

brown sugar and spices in a small glass bowl.

Mix ½ cup of brown sugar with 1 tablespoon of chili powder and ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional).

Spraying PAM on a rack on a foil covered tray.

Prep a rimmed baking sheet like a sheet pan with aluminum foil to help clean up and a wire rack coated heavily with PAM baking spray. If you don't have a rack. Use a heavy spray of PAM on the foil or pan and coat only the top side of the bacon.

trimming fat off raw bacon strips.

Cut bacon strips in half or thirds. Trim any large chunks of fat.

dipping half a raw bacon strip in spice mixture.

Dip bacon in the brown sugar mixture and coat well.

sprinkling extra coating on bacon strips on rack.

Spread in a single layer over the prepared rack, leaving a little space, then give the bacon a light sprinkle of additional sugar and spice.

cooked candied bacon still on the rack.

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.

patting off the fat from cooked candied bacon still on the rack.

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.

candied bacon cooling on a rack.

Then, transfer it for cooling on another rack. A silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or a plate should do. Do not "drain" on a paper towel due to sticking.

candied bacon being held above the tray.

For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.

✔️Tips to get it right every time

  1. 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.
  2. Use a baking rack if you have one. Please note that a cooling rack may not be an oven-safe baking rack.
  3. 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.
  4. Serve either warm or cold. To warm— 5 minutes in a 350° oven will reheat nicely or a few seconds in the microwave.

🐖Variations and Ingredient Options

Bacon Variations

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, may not fully caramelize, and be sticky.

Use smoked bacon for a smoked candied bacon. Or a maple bacon for a maple candied bacon.

Coating Variations

Sugar— Use either dark or light brown sugar. But you may use maple syrup to add more maple flavor to maple candied bacon.

The ratio to substitute is for each cup of brown sugar, use ¾ cup of maple syrup. If you use maple syrup, cook your bacon candy until dark brown to make it less sticky.

Chili powder—substitute smoked paprika for a more smokey taste.

Cayenne pepper—varies according to your taste.

Other Sweet Recipes

Check out other popular sweet recipes, like Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls, White Chocolate Fudge, Chocolate Peanut Clusters, Easy 5-Minute Fudge, Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites, and Cinnamon Candied Almonds. This recipe is featured in Holiday Candy Recipe Roundup.

Storing leftovers

Seal leftovers in an airtight container. Good refrigerated for 2-3 days and can be frozen if on parchment or wax paper.

❓FAQs

Should I coat both sides or one side of the bacon?

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.

Do I have to use a baking rack?

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 essential.

If you need to cook without a baking rack, use a heavy coat of PAM on the sheet pan and only coat the top side of the bacon strips.

Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

Appetizer and Party Recipes, Candy Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Pork | Ham and Bacon Recipes, Pork Recipes

Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.

📖The Recipe Card

candied bacon on a tray

Candied Bacon Recipe

4.28 from 36 votes
From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Sweet, salty, and crispy with a touch of heat, this Candied Bacon Recipe is easy to make at home with bacon, brown sugar, and spices. Known as Millionaire or Million Dollar bacon, it makes a great party dish, snack, or holiday gift.
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings #/Adjust if desired 22

Save this recipe link to your inbox for later!

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Ingredients

US Customary - Convert to Metric
  • 1 pound bacon - thick sliced
  • ½ cup brown sugar - light or dark
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional

Instructions
 

  • bacon with brown sugar and spices
    Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional. Convection baking is recommended to help dry out moisture and have crisper results.
  • brown sugar and spices in a small glass bowl
    Mix ½ cup of brown sugar with 1 tablespoon of chili powder and ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional).
  • Spraying PAM on a rack on a foil covered tray
    Prep a rimmed baking sheet like a sheet pan with aluminum foil to help clean up and a wire rack coated heavily with PAM baking spray. If you don't have a rack. Use a heavy spray of PAM on the foil or pan and coat only the top side of the bacon.
  • trimming fat off raw bacon strips
    Cut bacon strips in half or thirds. Trim any large chunks of fat.
  • dipping half a raw bacon strip in spice mixture
    Dip bacon in the brown sugar mixture and coat well.
  • sprinkling extra coating on bacon strips on rack
    Spread in a single layer over the prepared rack, leaving a little space, then give the bacon a light sprinkle of additional sugar and spice.
  • cooked candied bacon still on the rack
    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.
  • patting off the fat from cooked candied bacon still on the rack
    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.
  • candied bacon cooling on a rack
    Then, transfer it for cooling on another rack. A silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or a plate should do. Do not "drain" on a paper towel due to sticking.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

  1. Thicker sliced bacon will work better.
  2. Variations in bacon and spices are discussed in the recipe post.
  3. A rack, while not mandatory, will get much better results. If you do not have a rack, only coat the top side of the bacon and use a heavy coat of PAM on the tray.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. It may be served warm or cold. About 5 minutes in a 350° oven will reheat nicely or a few seconds in the microwave.
  7. Good refrigerated for 2-3 days and can be frozen if on parchment or wax paper.
  8. I suggest following the food safety rules. Please do not store at room temperature.

Your Own Private Notes

Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect.

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

Calories : 117 kcal (6%)Carbohydrates : 5 g (2%)Protein : 7 g (14%)Fat : 7 g (11%)Saturated Fat : 3 g (15%)Cholesterol : 20 mg (7%)Sodium : 361 mg (15%)Potassium : 118 mg (3%)Fiber : 1 g (4%)Sugar : 5 g (6%)Vitamin A : 134 IU (3%)Calcium : 8 mg (1%)Iron : 1 mg (6%)
Serving size is my estimate of a normal size. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors.

This spicy candied bacon recipe combines two of my most popular recipes: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites and Bacon in the Convection Oven

.

Editor Note: Originally published May 24, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
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    9 Easy Christmas Candy Recipes
  • Roasted candied almonds fresh out of the oven.
    Candied Almonds

Comments

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  1. AnnieO says

    July 14, 2020 at 12:34 pm

    I use this recipe for my chocolate chip/bacon cookies. So, so good. I add a bit of smoked paprika.

    Reply
  2. Asraf abid says

    January 22, 2020 at 11:29 pm

    Excellent recipe, I think its so crispy.

    Reply
  3. Charlene says

    November 30, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    Yes, you are right - sounds "evil" but I am going to give it a try! Thanks Dr. Dan - once again!

    Reply
  4. Carolyn Welch says

    March 05, 2018 at 7:50 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • DrDan says

      March 05, 2018 at 8:42 pm

      Hi Carolyn,
      I would only do 2-3 days refrigerated.
      Dan

  5. Millyvinilly says

    January 16, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    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

    Reply
    • DrDan says

      January 16, 2017 at 5:25 pm

      Sounds great.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  6. dusty says

    May 02, 2016 at 7:25 pm

    This is heaven on earth!!!!

    Reply
    • DrDan says

      May 02, 2016 at 7:40 pm

      Thank You
      Dan

  7. Kathy M says

    June 08, 2015 at 9:28 am

    Excellent recipe. I cut the recipe in a third otherwise the two of us would have eaten a pound of bacon!

    Reply
  8. Leslie says

    May 25, 2015 at 5:04 pm

    5 stars
    I served with melted dark chocolate for a decadent appetizer. Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Leslie says

      May 25, 2015 at 6:54 pm

      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

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