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    🏠Home » Recipes » Candy Recipes

    Spicy Candied Bacon

    Nov 29, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 12 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.30 from 31 votes

    Delicious sweet and spicy candied bacon is a great finger food for parties or gifts. Coated with brown sugar, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. This irresistible treat is quick to make with these easy step-by-step photo instructions.

    candied bacon on a tray

    Jump To:
    • 😊Why you will love this recipe
    • 👨‍🍳How to make this recipe
    • 🐖Ingredients
    • ✔️Tips
    • ❓FAQs
    • 📖Candy Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    😊Why you will love this recipe

    • Easy and quick to make with only four ingredients.
    • You can adjust the spiciness by decreasing or increasing the cayenne pepper.
    • Great for a "take to the party" dish. You will have everybody talking.
    • It stores well and can be frozen.

    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.

    👨‍🍳How to make this recipe

    1. Preheat the oven and prepare a large baking tray with foil, a baking rack, and a heavy coat of PAM cooking spray.
    2. Mix the coating brown sugar, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
    3. Cut bacon strips in half and trim any large chunks of fat.
    4. Dip bacon in the coating mixture and coat well.
    5. Spread over the prepared rack leaving a little space, then give them a light dusting of the coating before baking.
    6. Bake until bacon appears done, which is dark along the edges—about 15-20 minutes.
    7. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes, then pat off any pools of fat on top with a paper towel carefully.
    8. 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.

    🐖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

    ✔️Tips

    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. 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.
    3. Serve either warm or cold. To warm— 5 minutes in a 350° oven will reheat nicely or a few seconds in the microwave.
    4. 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 important.

    📖Candy Recipes

    Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bacon Wraps

    Homemade Candied Nuts

    Holiday Candy Recipe Roundup

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

    101's Best Recipes, Appetizer and Party Recipes, Candy Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Pork | Ham and Bacon Recipes, Pork Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    Pictures are for a triple batch with three pounds of bacon that yielded 66 pieces.

    bacon with brown sugar and spices

    Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.

    brown sugar and spices in a small glass bowl

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

    Spraying PAM on a rack on a foil covered tray

    Prep a baking tray with a rim with aluminum foil to help clean up and a rack coated heavily with PAM baking spray.

    trimming fat off raw bacon strips

    Cut bacon strips in half and 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 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 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.

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    📝Recipe

    candied bacon on a tray

    Spicy Candied Bacon

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Delicious sweet and spicy candied bacon is a great finger food for parties or gifts. Coated with brown sugar, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. This irresistible treat is quick to make with these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.30 from 31 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 22

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
      bacon with brown sugar and spices
    • Mix ½ cup of brown sugar with 1 tablespoon of chili powder and ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional).
      brown sugar and spices in a small glass bowl
    • Prep a baking tray with a rim with aluminum foil to help clean up and a rack coated heavily with PAM baking spray.
      Spraying PAM on a rack on a foil covered tray
    • Cut bacon strips in half and trim any large chunks of fat.
      trimming fat off raw bacon strips
    • Dip bacon in the brown sugar mixture and coat well.
      dipping half a raw bacon strip in spice mixture
    • Spread over the prepared rack leaving a little space, then give the bacon a light sprinkle of additional sugar and spice.
      sprinkling extra coating on bacon strips on 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.
      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.
      patting off the fat from cooked candied bacon still on the rack
    • 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.
      candied bacon cooling on a rack
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    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.
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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips:

    1. Thicker sliced bacon will work better.
    2. A rack, while not mandatory, will get much better results.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. It may be served warm or cold. About 5 minutes in a 350° oven will reheat nicely or a few seconds in the microwave.
    6. Good refrigerated for 2-3 days and can be frozen if on parchment or wax paper.
    7. 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

    Nutrition Facts
    Spicy Candied Bacon
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 117 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 3g15%
    Cholesterol 20mg7%
    Sodium 361mg15%
    Potassium 118mg3%
    Carbohydrates 5g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 7g14%
    Vitamin A 134IU3%
    Calcium 8mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. 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.
    Course : Appetizer
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    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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    More Candy Recipes

    • Easy Oreo Fudge
    • Candied Almonds or Other Nuts
    • Easy Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes
    • Crock Pot Fudge

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    1. AnnieO

      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

      January 22, 2020 at 11:29 pm

      Excellent recipe, I think its so crispy.

      Reply
    3. Charlene

      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

      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

        March 05, 2018 at 8:42 pm

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

    5. Millyvinilly

      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

        January 16, 2017 at 5:25 pm

        Sounds great.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    6. dusty

      May 02, 2016 at 7:25 pm

      This is heaven on earth!!!!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 02, 2016 at 7:40 pm

        Thank You
        Dan

    7. Kathy M

      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

      May 25, 2015 at 5:04 pm

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

      Reply
      • Leslie

        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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