Candied Bacon Recipe Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

Home Recipes by Type Appetizers/Snacks

GFGluten-FreeDFDairy-Free

4.46

/5

45 minutes mins

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By: Rachel GurkPosted: 12/23/2019

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Candied bacon, “pig candy”, bacon candy, pork candy, call it what you will, this irresistible treat will have everyone calling for more! This candied bacon recipe is easy to whip up and is a guaranteed favorite!

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: This is an easy appetizer using ordinary ingredients. It’s always a hit!

How long it takes: 10 minutes to prep, 35 minutes in the oven
Equipment you’ll need: rimmed baking pan, wire rack that fits inside the pan
Servings: 10

Table of Contents close

  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 What is candied bacon?
  • 3 How do you make candied bacon?
  • 5 More Bacon Appetizers
  • 6 Get the Recipe: Candied Bacon Recipe

Have you tried candied bacon, aka, “pig candy”? Made with thick cut bacon, brown sugar, and spices, it’s finger-licking good.

My in-laws recently celebrated their marriage (44 years!) by renewing their vows on a beautiful September day at a lovely nearby park. After a tender and nostalgic service, during which there were few dry eyes, guests were treated to a luncheon catered by a local restaurant.

We started with appetizer platters stacked with candied bacon and skewers of fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil drizzled with balsamic reduction. Guests were lined up waiting to pile their plates with these yummy appetizers. There was a lot of delicious food served that afternoon but I have to say that the appetizers were the best! May I say that we “pigged out”? Or is that too corny?

Sticky, crunchy, salty, sweet, spicy, and lots of umami, candied bacon covers all the bases. No wonder it’s always a hit!

Looking for more special occasion appetizers? Be sure to take a look at my list of 32 easy holiday appetizers!

Candied Bacon Recipe Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2)

What is candied bacon?

Candied bacon is simply thick cut bacon, dredged in a mixture of brown sugar, and spices, and baked until crispy. It smells so good when it’s baking, you’ll hardly be able to wait to take it out of the oven and try it.

Candied Bacon Recipe Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (3)

How do you make candied bacon?

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Prepare a baking pan by lining it with heavy duty foil and placing a baking rack on it. Spray the rack lightly with non-stick spray.
  • Using a large bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne, and black pepper. You can customize the spices to your own preference, making it more or less spicy.
  • Separate the bacon into slices and dredge the slices with the sugar mixture, rubbing lightly to help the sugar adhere to the bacon.
  • Arrange the slices on the baking rack and bake until crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Cooking time will depend on how thick your bacon slices are. Watch closely at the end of the cooking time so that they don’t get too brown. You may want to remove slices that are getting done more quickly.
  • Cool slightly. The slices will crisp up a bit as they cool.
Candied Bacon Recipe Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (4)

Storage & Reheating Tips

Candied bacon is delicious warm or at room temperature. If you would like to reheat it, put it on foil and warm it up in the oven for 10 minutes or so.

It should be kept in a covered container in the fridge or freezer, between wax paper layers so it doesn’t stick together. Keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Don’t be surprised if you open the container and it has completely disappeared though.

Candied Bacon Recipe Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (5)

More Bacon Appetizers

Bacon Wrapped Water ChestnutsBacon Guacamole Appetizer (low-carb!)Vidalia Onion Tart with Bacon, Kale, and FetaHomemade Caramel Corn with Bourbon and Bacon

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Candied Bacon Recipe Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (10)

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Candied Bacon Recipe

4.46 from 22 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

10 servings

Print Rate Recipe

Candied bacon, "pig candy", bacon candy, pork candy, call it what you will, this irresistible treat will have everyone calling for more! This candied bacon recipe is easy to whip up and is a guaranteed favorite!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound thick cut bacon (see note)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top of lined baking sheet. Spray rack lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

  • In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne, and black pepper.

  • Cut bacon in half if you would like smaller pieces. Dredge bacon in spice mixture so both sides are coated, rubbing it in with your fingers to make it stick well.

  • Arrange bacon in a single layer on wire rack. Sprinkle any remaining spice mixture over the top of bacon slices.

  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Check frequently toward the end of the cooking time to make sure bacon doesn’t get too brown. Let cool slightly before serving. Bacon strips will get crisper as they cool.

Notes

  • I use “butcher” thick cut bacon. If you use regular thick cut bacon, or a thinner cut, decrease the cooking time.
  • Don’t cool this bacon on paper towel lined plates, it will stick!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2pieces, Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 305mg, Potassium: 108mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 68IU, Vitamin C: 0.04mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 0.3mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review

  1. Kim says

    Hi Rachel. What an amazing mix of flavors! Great advice for storing and reheating this treat. It will satisfy any bacon lover.

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      For sure! Thanks Kim!

      Reply

  2. denise says

    It wouldn’t last long in our house. Sounds so good.

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      It’s irresistible!

      Reply

Candied Bacon Recipe Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

FAQs

How long does candied bacon last? ›

You can store the cooked candied bacon in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Store it in an airtight container, such as a large zipper bag or plastic container with a lid. To reheat bacon in the microwave, place the bacon on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds.

How do you preserve candied bacon? ›

The best practice for storing candied bacon is to keep it in the refrigerator. Before storing, let the caramelized bacon cool to room temperature. This helps keep condensation at bay when the meat is stored in the fridge, ensuring your delectable bacon stays crisp and delicious.

What is candied bacon made of? ›

Brown sugar and bacon. There are recipes around the web that call for other ingredients such as chili powder, cinnamon, maple syrup, pepper, even cayenne powder, but since I was making these for my boys, I wanted to keep it simple. But definitely feel free to add some spice to yours if you so desire.

How do hardee's make candied bacon? ›

Candied bacon is made in-house using Applewood-smoked bacon. It's then coated with caramelized brown sugar and finished with a hint of black pepper. We used a similar combination of flavors in our Candied Bacon Crackers.

How can you tell if bacon is rancid? ›

The most notable sign of rancid bacon is a change in appearance. Bacon that has gone bad doesn't retain its redness and will instead take on a brown, gray, or greenish hue, and the color itself will seem faded. Rancid bacon also takes on an unpleasant odor and may become sticky or slimy.

Can I reheat candied bacon? ›

Reheating Candied 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!

Can you eat bacon left out overnight? ›

The general rule of food safety is to not let raw meat or cooked food sit out for more than 2 hours, and that rule applies to uncooked or cooked bacon. It's wise to be careful with uncooked pork products since they can harbor and grow bacterial pathogens like salmonella and trichinosis.

Is candied bacon perishable? ›

Much like traditional bacon, it is best to store candied bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While regular cooked bacon lasts only four to five days when stored in the fridge, candied bacon will last a little bit longer — up to three weeks.

What is the history of candied bacon? ›

Bacon candy is believed to have first gained popularity in Washington, D.C.'s party circuit. But Thompson speculates that pig candy was most likely an import to the nation's capital brought from the kitchen of an unknown Southern hostess.

How long does bacon last in a Ziploc? ›

Uncooked bacon

Unopened bacon may last roughly two weeks in the fridge and eight months in the freezer. Once the package has been opened, as long as it is well stored in a sealed container, uncooked bacon is good for a week.

What ingredient to avoid in bacon? ›

The health risk of bacon is largely to do with two food additives: potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre) and sodium nitrite. It is these that give salamis, bacons and cooked hams their alluring pink colour.

What is the white stuff in the bacon package? ›

“Mold — The white film could be mold on the surface if the product is packaged where oxygen can get to the surface (i.e., packaged in a jar, or non-vacuumed bulk pack), not vacuum packaged, nor backflushed with nitrogen. Mold requires oxygen to grow and will not grow if oxygen is excluded from the product.

Does brown sugar go bad? ›

Brown sugar essentially does not go bad (unless contaminants have gotten mixed in), making it ideal for buying in bulk if you do a lot of baking. Hardened sugar isn't bad. It's just in need of moisture. However, brown sugar will perform best if used within two years of purchase.

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