Hot Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

These hot honey Brussels sprouts with bacon are roasted until crispy and caramelized, then finished with a sweet and spicy hot honey drizzle. The salty, crispy bacon pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of roasted Brussels sprouts and the kick of heat from the hot honey. This easy sheet pan side dish takes about 30 minutes and is perfect not just for weeknight dinners but also Thanksgiving, Christmas, or whenever you want a side dish that actually gets everyone excited.

This is one of those recipes that will turn you from a brussels sprouts hater into a brussels sprouts lover. Trust me, I grew up hating brussels sprouts and now they’re my go-to side dish! Plus, combining it with hot honey makes it even more mouthwatering as it adds another layer of flavor to the dish!

 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s extremely easy to make this roasted brussels sprouts recipe. The oven does most of the work. So if you have a busy evening but still want a delicious vegetable side dish, this is perfect. We love an easy sheet pan side dish in this house! There’s no need to stand over a skillet on the stove, so you can use that time to work on another dinner component.
• It’s perfect for any meal, from a roasted chicken to a pot roast to a holiday spread with turkey! (See my dutch oven turkey breast, air fryer turkey thighs, or instant pot turkey breast recipes!)
• Roasting the brussels sprouts brings out their natural sweetness and paired with the salty bacon and the slight heat from the hot honey, you’ve got a hit on your hands.
• Crispy and caramelized brussel sprouts paired with salty and crispy bacon all topped with a sweet and spicy hot honey is a great combination of textures and flavors.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• brussels sprouts — try to get them similar in size so they cook evenly. If you have some giant ones, cut those in quarters instead of half. For the tiny ones, I just cut off the bottom and skip cutting them in half. I was able to pick mine individually, so I chose them as similar in size as possible. I always wash and pat them dry beforehand to ensure they crisp up instead of steam in the oven.
• oil — I use olive oil, but you can use any neutral oil, such as avocado oil.
• salt and pepper — feel free to use as much or as little of kosher salt and pepper you prefer.
• garlic powder — I use garlic powder as sometimes minced garlic will burn in the oven.
• bacon — I use thick-cut bacon, so they don’t burn up while roasting with the brussels sprouts. I don’t recommend swapping for turkey bacon as the turkey bacon won’t render enough fat to add to the flavor and crisp up the brussels sprouts.
• hot honey — you can use homemade hot honey or store-bought hot honey. I prefer my homemade one because I can adjust the level of heat in the hot honey, depending on my mood. If you want this recipe to be less spicy and you are using store-bought hot honey, simply add more honey to the dish.
• oil spray or additional oil — to lightly grease the sheet pan.

How to Make Hot Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

• Heat the oven to 450F.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss together the brussels sprouts, oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Lightly grease a large sheet pan, place the brussels sprouts in a single layer, cut side down, and place the cut bacon around them.

• Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the size of your brussels sprouts.
• Take out the sheet pan and drizzle the hot honey over the brussels sprouts and gently toss to combine.
• Spread the brussels sprouts and bacon back out on the sheet pan and continue roasting for 5 more minutes or until everything is crispy to your liking.
• Serve with additional hot honey on the side for dipping, if desired.

Tips for Crispy Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts

• Placing the brussels sprouts cut side down will give you more surface area to caramelize and crispier brussels sprouts.
• Make sure the brussels sprouts are fully dried before tossing them in olive oil. I always wash them beforehand and pat them dry with paper towels. If the brussels sprouts are wet, it’ll be difficult for the olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat the brussels sprouts, and they’ll steam instead of crisp up.
• Avoid any brussels sprouts with loose yellow leaves or dark brown spots. Make sure the leaves are tightly packed. Discard any leaves that come off as you prep the sprouts.
• Line the sheet pan if you want to have an easier time cleaning up. I like the browning that I get from the sheet pan, so I just roast it directly on the sheet pan. Due to the high heat, I would recommend foil over parchment paper if you decide to line your pan. You won’t get the same level of crispiness with parchment paper and it might burn in the high heat.
• Make sure you do not overcrowd the sheet pan as the brussels sprouts can steam and become softer. It is okay if the bacon is overlapping as it will render fat to crisp up the sprouts and the bacon also shrinks as it roasts.
• Make sure you add the hot honey at the end. Adding the hot honey after the initial roasting prevents the hot honey from burning while still allowing it to caramelize on the bacon and sprouts during the final roast.

Make Ahead Tips

• Meal prep: once cooled, store the roasted brussels sprouts in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
• Reheat: I recommend reheating them in the oven or air fryer to keep them crispy.
• Make ahead: for holiday dinners, I like to wash and cut my sprouts ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge, usually in a container that has a draining tray so the brussel sprouts can drain any extra moisture and the ones on the bottom don’t sit in water. This way I just have to quickly toss them in the oven when the time comes.

More Brussels Sprouts Recipes to Try

• Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
• Maple Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots
• Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts
• Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts
• Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

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