Candied Bacon Recipe (2024)

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It’s called Million Dollar Bacon for a reason! My Candied Bacon recipe is sweet and salty, with a kick of heat. Crispy, thick-cut bacon caramelized with a little bit of spice is a perfect pairing for brunch, topping avocado toast, or even as a holiday food gift!

The best part, it is ready in the oven in under an hour, or in the air fryer in 8 minutes.

Candied Bacon Recipe

If you haven’t heard about it already, you might be wondering what the buzz is about the so-called Millionaire Bacon. We’re here to tell you it’s worthy of that buzz!

If you haven’t tried candied bacon yet, let me tell you, you are going to love it. It is rich in flavor and crave-worthy. I first gave it a try at my local First Watch and had to make it myself.

Like the First Watch Million Dollar Bacon recipe, mine is sticky-sweet with a kick of heat. It’s a perfect addition to breakfast, brunch, or even an appetizer for a holiday meal.

I served this with pumpkin bread with maple glaze icing. Thought it would be nice contrast. I was right! Everyone who tried it absolutely loved it! Thank you for a great recipe!

Laurie on Pinterest

Candy Bacon Ingredients

• thick-cut bacon
• light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
• cracked black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes

How to Make Candied Bacon

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet pan with a silicone liner, parchment paper, or aluminum foil for easier cleanup.
2. Lay thick-cut slices onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer until the sheet pan is full. Try to avoid overlapping slices if you don’t have to. If you have an oven-safe wire rack, elevate the slices over the sheet pan – this helps circulate heat.
3. Add brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
4. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the slices. Use your hands to pat the sugar down, making sure to cover it all.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until brown and crispy, up to 40 minutes. Once done baking, remove the sheet pan from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes to allow the caramelized sugar to harden. Serve, and enjoy!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, you must try my ! They are amazing.

My family is obsessed with this candied bacon recipe. They ask me to make it constantly – so often that I even came up with an air fryer bacon version to save some time!

Made this birthday treat for a member of my deployed crew. It paired nicely with a rich double fudge mini layer cake with chocolate frosting. He gave it 😍😍😍😍 for the WIN!

Beverly

Air Fryer Bacon Candy Recipe

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pepper, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
   
3. Place the bacon on a single layer, sprinkle the brown sugar mixture all over the bacon, and pat down.
   
4. Spray the air fryer with olive oil, then add bacon and fry for 8 minutes, checking halfway through at 4 minutes to see if any of the bacon needs any rearranging to crisp up.
   
   
5. Serve and enjoy!

Million Dollar Bacon Recipe Tips

• Make sure to completely coat the strips with the sugar mixture to get the most texture and flavor out of it. Don’t leave any spot uncovered!
• To avoid unnecessary cleanup, line your sheet pan with parchment paper, or a silicone liner. Trust me, you don’t want to candy bacon directly on the sheet pan (it’s a pain to clean!).
• Give the slices some breathing room. Don’t overlap the slices too much, or they’ll stick together.
• Elevating the slices over the sheet pan will allow air to circulate more evenly, so you’ll have beautiful, crisp slices. This is the best way to cook bacon in the oven – trust me!

TOP TIP—Let it cool before you eat it! It will be tempting because of how amazing it’s going to smell and look, but trust me, let it cool first. This will allow the glaze to finish setting for that perfect candied texture. It takes about 10-15 minutes to harden.

What is Candy Bacon?

Also called Millionaire’s Bacon and Million Dollar Bacon, or Pig Candy, candied bacon is made bycoating slices of bacon in something sweet such as brown sugar before baking untilcaramelized. It’s a fantastic combination of flavors!

Candied Bacon FAQs

How to Store Candy Bacon

1. Cooling: Let the candied bacon cool completely after cooking.
2. Storage: Place the cooled candied bacon in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
3. Refrigeration: Store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.

Reheating Millionaire Bacon

When ready to eat, reheat individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds until warm or crisp, or briefly in the oven at 350°F (175°C) on a baking sheet.

This is like candy – we love it! I use a thick sliced pepper bacon and it is so good!

Heather

What is the Best Kind of Bacon for Candy Bacon?

The type of bacon you choose for making candied bacon can vary based on personal preference, but I prefer regular, thick-cut bacon. Here are a few reasons why I recommend using thick-cut bacon.

1. Texture: Thick-cut bacon tends to have a meatier and chewier texture than thinner bacon varieties. This texture pairs well with the sweet and crunchy candied coating.
2. Flavor: Thick-cut bacon provides a robust and savory flavor that balances nicely with the sweetness of the candied coating.
3. Sturdiness: Thick-cut bacon is less likely to become overly crispy or crumble when coated with the sugary glaze, making it easier to handle and enjoy.
4. Caramelization: The thickness of the bacon allows for better caramelization of the sweet coating, resulting in a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors.

What to Serve with Candy Bacon

• Breakfast Casserole
• Starbucks Egg Bites
• Banana Bread Waffles
• Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
• Breakfast Potatoes

This sweet treat makes a great Holiday Gift!

Made this for a Christmas party, huge hit. I used the thick bacon and did bake it on a rack.

Kathryn

📋 Recipe