Candied Smoked Bacon (Easy Candied Bacon Recipe} (2024)

Candied Smoked Bacon

This simple recipe starts with store-bought smoked bacon – I prefer Applewood or pecan wood smoked bacon. Then, I add brown sugar, paprika, chipotle powder, black pepper, and garlic powder and bake it in the oven. When it’s all said and done, I end up with thick, crispy bacon that’s sweet, hot, and zingy. It’s just about the best thing you’ll ever eat. The smokiness of the bacon, the brown sugar, and the spices combine perfectly to create candied bacon like you’ve never had before.

Why You’ll Love This Candied Smoked Bacon Recipe

• It’s absolutely delicious and so easy to make.
• It only takes a few simple ingredients.
• It’s a delicious sweet and salty addition to breakfast with all your favorite breakfast foods, in salads, on baked sweet potatoes, as a snack, or even dipped in chocolate. And that’s just the beginning of what you can do with it.

Tips

• It’s important that you DO NOT preheat the oven. It’s tempting but don’t do it.
• Always line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and no sticking.
• Thick-cut bacon is the way to go with this recipe to get the best texture.

Variations

• I love smoked bacon for this recipe, but you can use any thick-cut bacon you prefer.
• If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika.
• A little cumin makes a nice flavor addition.

What to Serve with Candied Smoked Bacon

This candied bacon recipe makes a delicious snack all on its own, but you can also serve it with so many things. You can use it with or on anything to which you’d normally add bacon.

• Breakfast and brunch favorites like eggs, hash browns, sausage, pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
• BLTs
• Pasta
• Casseroles
• Hamburgers
• Baked potatoes
• Baked sweet potatoes
• Bloody Mary
• Grilled cheese sandwiches
• Wraps

Recipe FAQ

What is candied bacon?

It’s thick sliced bacon coated in brown sugar, maple syrup, or caramel and spices and then baked until caramelized.

Are pig candy and candied bacon the same thing?

Yes, they are. They’re just different names for the same kind of food.

What bacon is best for candied bacon?

Any bacon will work so long as it’s thick-cut.

How long does candied smoked bacon last?

It will last for up to a week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

How do you keep candied bacon crispy?

Thanks to its caramelized coating, candied bacon stays almost naturally crispy. Just reheat it by baking it for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

How to Store Candied Smoked Bacon

Store the bacon in single layers separated by parchment or wax paper in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator. For longer storage, layer the bacon in single layers with parchment or wax paper between them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Candied Smoked Bacon Ingredients

It only takes a handful of ingredients to make this delicious candied bacon. You’ll find them all easily at your local grocery store.

• Applewood smoked or pecan wood smoked bacon
• Brown sugar
• Smoked paprika
• Chipotle powder
• Ground black pepper
• Garlic powder

How to Make Candied Smoked Bacon

Making this bacon is just as easy as gathering up the ingredients. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps.

Step 1: Make the Seasoning

Whisk all the seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Bake

Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with at least ¼-inch of space between the bacon slices. Place in the oven and set the temperature to 330 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes. DO NOT preheat the oven. After 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet, flip the slices of bacon back over, and continue baking for another 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add the Seasoning

After 5 minutes, pull the bacon again and cover it completely – but not too thickly – with the brown sugar mixture. Place the bacon back in the oven.

Step 4: Continue Baking

Continue baking, opening the oven door and shaking the baking sheet to coat the top of the bacon with hot bacon fat to get that nice crunchy/soft texture. Do this until the top edges of the bacon pieces are the color of coffee.

Step 5: Cool

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the bacon with tongs to a cooling rack to cool completely. The bacon is extremely sticky until completely cooled. Enjoy!

Try This Delicious Candied Smoked Bacon Today

This candied smoke bacon is so easy to make and one of the most delicious things you’ll ever eat in your life. Give this recipe a try, and I know you’ll find yourself making it again and again. It’s just about the most amazing thing ever!

More Delicious Recipes Using Bacon You’ll Enjoy

BLT Avocado Pasta Salad – This delicious salad is loaded with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, pasta, lettuce, croutons and cheese. A BLT made into a salad. YUM!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza – A homemade pizza crust with a creamy white sauce loaded with seasoned chicken and bacon, and topped with ranch dressing. So good.

Chicken Caesar Bowtie Pasta Salad – This salad is loaded with crispy romaine lettuce, tender chicken, crispy bacon, pasta, cheese, croutons and topped with creamy Caesar dressing.

And, these Bacon Green Beans, from Great Grub, Delicious Treats, are a delicious side dish recipe you are sure to enjoy as well.