Sweet and savory, this baked brown sugar bacon is delightfully caramelized and is such a delicious way to make bacon! Perfect for breakfast but also for adding to sandwiches, pastas, burgers, salads, and more!
The perfect balance of crispy and chewy, this wonderfully caramelized brown sugar bacon is a delicious and easy way to make bacon!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The sweetness from the brown sugar pairs wonderfully with the salty, savory flavor of the bacon! I’m always tempted to eat the whole plate whenever I make these.
- It’s so easy to make. All you have to do is sprinkle the brown sugar onto the bacon and into the oven it goes! The oven does all the work for you and the brown sugar caramelizes perfectly on the bacon.
- Make it ahead of time so you can enjoy it for breakfast on busy mornings or add it to your sandwiches, pastas, burgers, salads, etc throughout the week!
Ingredients You’ll Need
bacon — if you can get thick-cut bacon, that’s perfect, but normal bacon will do! I usually just use whatever is in my freezer at the time, as I usually buy bacon in bulk at Costco or at my local butcher’s.
brown sugar — I usually use dark brown sugar. If you only have light or regular brown sugar, that’s totally fine!
How to Make Brown Sugar Bacon
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Line a sheet pan with foil, then place the bacon strips side by side without any overlap.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of each strip and gently press the brown sugar onto the bacon.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s reached your desired level of caramelization.
- Transfer the bacon with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate or container to absorb extra oil before serving.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I’ve used this bacon before, so I’m familiar with it and how much it shrinks in the oven. If it’s the first time you’ve used a specific brand of bacon, I would be very mindful about overcrowding the sheet pan. If bacon is too tightly packed together, they don’t crisp up as nicely.
- In the last few minutes, keep a close eye on the oven baked brown sugar bacon to make sure nothing burns.
- I usually bake my bacon at a higher temperature (check out my post on how to cook bacon in the oven!), but because of the brown sugar, I lower the temperature to 375°F so I can keep a closer eye on the caramelized bacon as the sugar can burn easily.
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the caramelized bacon in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: allow the bacon to cool before transferring it into an airtight container before storing in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Sweet Baked Bacon FAQs
Should I use a cooling rack?
I don’t cook my bacon on a cooling rack, as I don’t find much difference in crispiness with and without one. So I save myself from having to scrub a cooling rack and skip using it entirely. I also like to line the sheet pan with foil, as it can be difficult to scrub the baked-on sugar off the pan.
Do I have to flip the bacon?
Nope! When cooking bacon in the oven, I don’t flip it. If your oven is uneven, I’d rotate the sheet pan at the halfway mark, but I usually just leave my sheet pan of bacon alone in the oven until my timer goes off!
Does the sheet pan size matter?
Yes! I use a large baking sheet (standard half sheet). In my experience, if you use a smaller baking sheet pan, there is less space for the rendered bacon fat to spread out in and you will burn the bacon much quicker. Also, I like to make sure the sheet pans I’m using have a decent rim around the edge so when I grab them from the oven, there’s no bacon fat sloshing around and out.
Can I use parchment paper?
I would avoid using parchment paper as the high temperature can cause it to burn. You also don’t want the hardened sugar to coat the parchment paper as it can make clean up much more difficult. I would stick to using foil.
Baked Brown Sugar Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 package bacon, (500 grams)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Line a sheet pan with foil, then place the bacon strips side by side without any overlap.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of each strip and gently press the brown sugar onto the bacon.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s reached your desired level of caramelization.
- Transfer the bacon with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate or container to absorb extra oil before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
More Breakfast Recipes to Try
- Breakfast Potatoes (Air Fryer)
- Air Fryer Sausage Links
- Brown Sugar Overnight Oats
- Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
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