Easy Maple Bacon Recipe with Brown Sugar
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Sweet, salty, and smoky, this maple bacon is hands-down the most decadent way to serve bacon at any occasion! We love it around the holidays with French toast or pancakes, but it also makes killer sandwiches, a great garnish for roasted squash and so much more.
If you love holiday ham, you’ll love maple bacon! It has a very similar flavor profile that makes it impossible to stop eating. It tastes similar to jerky with the crispy edges and tender, meaty bacon in the center. So good!
It’s a bit over the top so we usually only make it for special occasions, but it’s surprisingly easy and will quickly before your favorite way to make bacon!
Why you’ll love this sweet maple bacon recipe
- Requires just 3 simple ingredients: bacon, pure maple syrup, and brown sugar!
- Perfect balance of sweet and savory
- Tastes amazing on a breakfast sandwich
- Super easy recipe
Ingredients
- Thick-cut bacon – I used uncured bacon for mine. I prefer to use thick-cut bacon slices as you get a meatier bite. Feel free to use homemade bacon if you like to cure your own pork bellies.
- Real maple syrup – This is key! It acts as the glue for the brown sugar and adds that classic maple flavor to every bite. Imitation maple syrup is made with corn syrup and doesn’t have nearly the same texture or flavor.
- Brown sugar – The brown sugar adds a nice texture and extra depth of flavor.
- Spices (optional) – This is entirely optional, but it’s fun to add about 1/2 tsp of your favorite spice to bring out extra flavor. I used smoked paprika, but you can also try black pepper, red pepper flakes, etc. Cayenne pepper is nice, but you may want to use 1/4 tsp.
Equipment
To make this maple-candied bacon, you’ll need:
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Wire rack
- Tongs
- Pastry brush
How to Make Maple Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper (or two) and add the wire rack.
- Open the packet of bacon and arrange in a single layer on the wire rack.
- Brush with maple syrup, then sprinkle with smoked paprika (optional). Sprinkle half of the brown sugar on top then brush over the bacon strips to spread evenly.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Use tongs to flip each piece of bacon. Repeat the glazing process: brush with maple, sprinkle any spices, then sprinkle brown sugar and brush to spread.
- Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the bacon reaches the desired crispiness.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bacon to cool and firm up. Serve warm and enjoy!
Storing Suggestions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, either microwave for 1-2 minutes or warm in a skillet on the stove. Be careful not to burn! The sugar burns very easily.
Tips & Variations
- Ditch the sugar. If you want just the maple flavor and don’t mind a slightly less-sweet bacon, feel free to skip the brown sugar.
- Use special maple. Try using barrel-aged maple for an even deeper flavor.
- Use the right oven tray. I recommend baking your bacon in the center of the oven. If you use the top rack, it’s very easy to scorch the bacon. The bottom rack works, but it slows down the cooking time.
How to Serve
Think of this as luxury bacon. You can serve it as an alternative to regular bacon with your pancakes and waffles, or you can use it as a garnish for salads, soups, roasted vegetables, and more.
It also makes a nice garnish for bacon-themed desserts, like maple bacon cupcakes, doughnuts, etc.
FAQs
Normally when we bake bacon, we cook it at 375-400 F, but you do not want to do that with this recipe. The brown sugar can easily caramelize and burn, wasting your hard work and precious bacon. It’s much better to cook it at a lower temperature and take a little more time.
Related Recipes
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Maple Bacon
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Wire rack
- tongs
Ingredients
- 12 oz thick cut bacon, uncured
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper (or two) and add the wire rack.
- Open the packet of bacon and arrange in a single layer on the wire rack.
- Brush with maple syrup, then sprinkle with smoked paprika (optional). Sprinkle half of the brown sugar on top then brush over the bacon strips to spread evenly.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Use tongs to flip each piece of bacon. Repeat the glazing process: brush with maple, sprinkle any spices, then sprinkle brown sugar and brush to spread.
- Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the bacon reaches the desired crispiness.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bacon to cool and firm up. Serve warm and enjoy!
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