Have you ever tasted bacon jam? It's a spread made with bacon, onions, and brown sugar, and it has one of my favorite flavor profiles - sweet and savory. I love how it accentuates the flavors of any dish it's paired with. Another example of this irresistible combination is Maple Bacon.
Making bacon jam can be quite time-consuming, and the yield is typically quite small. However, this recipe for maple bacon is a quick and easy alternative that provides the same satisfying taste. You don't need any special skills to prepare it - just mix and roast the ingredients. The result is a delicious side dish that can be used in a variety of ways. Plus, it's gluten-free and perfect for any meal of the day!
Read on for all the loving details to make brown sugar Maple Bacon.
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Featured Ingredients
Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make maple bacon.
Bacon - Use thick-cut bacon for this recipe. You'll get 8 - 9 pieces from a ½ pound. Thick-cut pepper bacon is also a great option.
Maple syrup - Use real maple syrup rather than maple-flavored syrup.
Brown sugar - Dark or light brown sugar is fine. Be sure to pack the tablespoon.
Optional seasonings - cinnamon, cayenne, pepper or pepper flakes
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools for the job
- Measuring spoon
- Bowl
- Sheet pan with parchment
- Plate or tray with parchment for cooling
- Tongs
How to make maple bacon
This is a simple 2 step process that takes 30 minutes or less!
Prepare the bacon
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. If you're worried about it burning, you can also cook it at 325°F - 350°F for a longer time.
- Add the maple syrup and brown sugar to a bowl large enough to hold the bacon. Stir them together to combine, then add the bacon to the bowl.
- With your hands, toss the bacon around in the syrup to completely coat each piece.
- Then, lay the bacon slices onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Roast the bacon
- Roast the maple glazed bacon in a 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes, checking at 15 minutes, then 7-10 minutes later, depending on how well your oven holds the temperature. Mine dips down when the oven gets steamy with the moisture from the bacon.
- Continue to roast the bacon until it darkens significantly, and you see bubbles all over each piece. The fat will get much darker because of the sugar, but it's not necessarily burnt.
- When the bacon is done to your liking, move the slices to a new piece of parchment to cool. (If you use paper towels, they will stick!) You can also let the bacon candy cool on the sheet pan you roasted it on, but it will continue to cook, so be aware of that.
- HINT: A good way to tell if the maple bacon is done is to lift up a piece and look at the underside. The tops may look cooked but still look raw underneath. For me, this happens at the 20-minute mark, and typically, 5 more minutes is all it needs! There is no need to flip the bacon.
- The bacon will become less sticky as it cools, and it is ready to eat immediately. Enjoy with breakfast, on a burger or sandwich, or crumbled over vanilla ice cream.
Add the brown sugar to the maple syrup and stir to combine.
Pour the maple mixture onto the bacon.
Rub the syrup mixture all over the bacon until all the pieces are coated.
Lay the bacon out on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper.
Roast in the oven until cooked through. Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cool bacon on parchment instead of paper towels so it doesn't stick. The fat gets slightly darker than the rest but is not burnt.
Hot Tip!
Parchment can be difficult to handle. It always rolls back up and is never the right size for the pan. To make things easier, crinkle the parchment into a tight ball and then unfold it, pressing it flat. It becomes easier to handle and doesn't roll away when you're trying to fill it.
Substitutions and Variations of maple bacon
- Pepper bacon - Sub out plain bacon for pepper bacon for a little kick.
- Maple and brown sugar - While I do not advise swapping out either of these ingredients for something else, you can omit one of them for a slightly different flavor. Maple syrup alone is much less sweet but still delicious. Brown sugar alone is still sweet but less sticky.
- Add seasonings - For a little something special, try adding ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon or ground ginger (or ⅛ teaspoon of both!).
- Spice it up - Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne, Aleppo pepper, or Gochugaru flakes for extra spice.
Leftover maple bacon
- Store leftover maple bacon in a sealed container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat maple bacon in a nonstick skillet on low until warmed through.
FAQ
This sweetened bacon would be great on a sandwich or burger. You could also use it in any recipe that calls for bacon, like a Cobb salad, or stirred into Southern-fried corn. Another tasty idea combines chopped maple bacon with roasted Brussels sprouts for an easy maple bacon brussels sprouts side dish. For an unusual treat, enjoy a few slices with a few of these four-ingredient peanut butter cookies!
This is such a classic combo! I always loved drizzling more maple syrup on my bacon or sausage when I had a pancake breakfast as a kid. Cooked onto the bacon does not have as prominent of maple flavor, but it's great in its own way.
Yes, but it is also savory. The first bite will taste very sweet, but then the flavor turns deeply roasted, juicy, and smokey.
Food Safety
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Recipes that can use maple bacon
Here are a few recipes you could use the maple bacon with!
Maple Bacon
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: ½ pound 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
The ultimate sweet and savory treat, maple bacon is easy to make and even easier to pair with your favorite dishes. It is done in less than 30 minutes and is so simple to roast in the oven for hands-off cooking time.
Ingredients
- ½ pound thick cut bacon
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a bowl large enough to hold the bacon, add the maple syrup and brown sugar. Stir to combine, then add the bacon.
- With your hands, coat the bacon with the maple syrup mixture until all the pieces are coated.
- Lay the bacon slices onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, checking at 15 minutes, then 7-10 minutes later, depending on how well your oven holds the temperature.
- When the bacon is done to your liking, move the slices to a new piece of parchment to cool. (If you use paper towels, it will stick!)
- The bacon becomes less sticky as it cools and is ready to eat immediately.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
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