Maple and Brown Sugar Bacon

Browned crisp bacon slices stacked on a plate

The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Serve these baked maple and brown sugar glazed bacon strips as part of a hearty breakfast with pancakes or French toast. Alternatively, cut the bacon strips into pieces before baking and use the glazed pieces on appetizers or in burger mixtures. The bacon would make an excellent topping for chicken or turkey burgers. Crumble the bacon and add it to a pan of cornbread or make a crispy, savory-sweet topping for muffins.

This bacon is so easy to make—be sure to line the baking pan with foil so you won't have a baked-on mess that's difficult to clean. If you want to spice the bacon strips up a bit, sprinkle them lightly with some cinnamon sugar just before baking.

This is a great snack or breakfast bacon recipe, glazed and baked to perfection. Or cook the bacon until it's flexible but not crispy and use it to wrap around a meatloaf or pork tenderloins. Save the collected maple and bacon-flavored drippings to replace other fats for flavorful sautéed meat or vegetables. Or add the drippings to homemade cornbread or cornbread muffins.

What Is the Best Way to Cook a Lot of Bacon?

Bacon can be cooked in a skillet on the stove, in the microwave, or in the oven. If you're making a large amount of bacon at once, the best method is baking it in the oven. A large sheet pan can fit plenty of strips of bacon, and they will get nice and crisp without any flipping or messy cleanup.

Tips for Making Maple and Brown Sugar Bacon

  • For quick and easy cleanup, line the sheet pan with aluminum foil.
  • A friendly reminder: Don't pour bacon grease down the drain. As it cools, it will solidify and clog up your plumbing. Rather, let it cool and then save the drippings or throw them in the trash.

"I love anything sweet when it's baked onto bacon, and this is no exception! I sprinkled a bit of freshly ground black pepper on a few slices before baking, which kicked the flavor up a notch. The salty-sweet-spicy flavor of the bacon, maple syrup, brown sugar, and pepper was absolutely heavenly." —Diana Andrews

Maple and Brown Sugar Bacon/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray

  • 12 to 16 ounces thick-sliced bacon

  • 4 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.

    Ingredients for maple and brown sugar bacon recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

  2. Line a rimmed jelly roll pan, or rimmed half-sheet pan with foil. Place a large cooling rack in the pan and spray lightly with cooking spray

    Metal wire rack on top of rimmed baking pan lined with aluminum foil

    The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

  3. Lay the bacon strips over the rack close together, overlapping slightly if necessary.

    Raw bacon strips placed on the wire rack slightly overlapping

    The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

  4. Combine the brown sugar and maple syrup in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Heat in a microwave or on the stovetop until just warmed through (the sugar does not have to be melted). Brush the sugar mixture evenly over the bacon strips.

    Bacon slices being brushed with maple syrup and brown sugar mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

  5. Bake until the bacon is nicely browned and slightly crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool before serving.

    Browned and crisp bacon slices on the wire rack

    The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • For added flavor, consider sprinkling the bacon strips lightly with cayenne pepper and freshly ground black pepper for an unexpected burst of heat. Or add some Sriracha sauce or sambal to the maple mixture.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
299 Calories
20g Fat
10g Carbs
19g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 299
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 56mg 19%
Sodium 957mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 301mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)