Maple Bacon (Only 2 Ingredients).
This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for details.
This Maple Bacon is the answer to all of life’s problems! Well, maybe not, but it’s perfect for breakfast, burgers, BLTs, salads—and even ice cream. It’s so easy, you might ditch regular bacon for good!
This Maple Glazed Bacon recipe is so easy to make – only 2 ingredients – and adds such a special touch to any breakfast. It’s great for a special occasion or holidays, but such a sweet surprise any time of the year!
Maple Candied Bacon is a great addition for everything from breakfast, lunch or dinner, even dessert! Seriously, try it crumbled over donuts, Coffee Ice Cream or Pumpkin Ice Cream for a real flavor treat!
And don’t worry about disconnecting your smoke alarm before starting this bacon recipe! This maple bacon recipe has been tested and tweaked so that the maple doesn’t burn, smoke or set off all the smoke detectors in your house.
Why You’ll Love Maple Glazed Bacon
- Baking bacon in the oven cooks the bacon more evenly than frying, and the parchment paper absorbs a lot of the fat and makes for easy cleanup, especially with an optional layer of foil between the parchment and the pan.
- You can really taste the maple on the bacon, and it adds a special touch to any breakfast.
- This recipe has been tested and tweaked so that the maple doesn’t burn or set off all the smoke detectors.
Ingredients for Maple Candied Bacon
This super-simple recipe only requires two common ingredients
- Thick cut bacon – I recommend thick-cut bacon so it doesn’t burn. Center cut also works!
- Pure maple syrup – not pancake syrup. That will not work.
Step by Step Instructions
Follow these simple directions for how to make maple bacon in the oven. Full instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Step 1
Move oven rack to middle level and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 2
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lay out the slices of bacon in a single layer on the sheet pan.
Step 3
Bake the bacon for 20-30 minutes until 95% baked and just starting to crisp.
Step 4
Remove the pan from the oven and carefully blot off the fat with a paper towel until the surface of each bacon slice is dry. Drain off the bacon grease if there’s an excess swimming around the bacon.
After removing the fat, use a pastry brush and brush each strip of bacon generously with the maple syrup.
Drizzle on any excess syrup left in the dish.
Step 5
Bake for 3-8 min longer or until the bacon is crisp, and the maple syrup is bubbling on the top of the bacon.
Let the bacon strips cool for a minute on the sheet pan. Then transfer them to a wire rack or a clean piece of parchment paper to cool.
Pro Tip
Don’t cool the bacon down on the paper towels, the bacon will stick to it!
Tips & Tricks
- Parchment paper absorbs fat and prevents splattering and burning. For super easy cleanup, line your pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil before placing your parchment, then throw the whole mess away!
- Dabbing off fat before adding the syrup gives the bacon a stronger maple flavor, and allows the syrup to glaze the bacon better.
- Adding syrup last prevents burning, cooking the bacon most of the way in the beginning will ensure crispness
- Bacons will cook differently depending on size and thickness
- Cool bacon on a cooling rack or on a clean sheet of parchment paper. It will stick to paper towels
- The maple-glazed bacon will crisp up as it cools
Substitutions & Variations
- Use turkey bacon instead of pork. The cooking time will be shorter, so keep an eye on the bacon so that it doesn’t burn.
- Center cut bacon is a good swap for thick cut bacon. FYI- It will overpower the maple flavor a little.
- Swap the maple syrup for honey or agave nectar.
- Peppered bacon is delicious for this recipe. The spicy black pepper tastes great with the sweet maple syrup! You can also add a half teaspoon cayenne pepper or smoked paprika to the maple syrup before brushing it on
- I do not recommend regular or thin sliced bacon. There’s too much fat and it’ll burn in the oven.
How to Serve Maple Bacon
- Perfect at breakfast time alongside eggs, a simple fruit salad, Buttermilk Pancakes or waffles, all sorts of muffins, toast or French toast, and Breakfast Potatoes.
- This bacon also adds an amazing flavor component to BLTs, Breakfast Sandwiches, Brussels sprouts, and Bacon Cheeseburgers. Or try it chopped on a Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad or BBQ Chicken Pizza.
- Chop bacon into bits and sprinkle over some ice cream! It’s particularly tasty on Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and goes really well with Pumpkin Ice Cream or Coffee Ice Cream!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat in the air fryer at 390°F for 3-5 minutes or in the oven at 400°F for 5-10 minutes until warmed through and crisp. I don’t really recommend reheating in the microwave, it loses its crispness.
FAQs
Maple bacon is made with just two simple ingredients, bacon and maple syrup!
I would recommend honey or agave. It doesn’t taste the same, but the texture and sweetness is very similar. You can add a little brown sugar to the bacon too to give it a richer, caramelized taste.
YES. If you’re a fan of sweet and salty, this is your recipe. If you’re a fan of sweet, salty, and spicy, try it with pepper bacon.
More Serving Suggestions
More Recipes To Add Maple Bacon To
Save This Recipe
Just enter your email below and we will send this recipe right to your inbox, plus we will send more yummy recipes and ideas.
Oven Baked Maple Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces thick cut bacon
- 4 tablespoons of maple syrup not pancake syrup
Instructions
- Move the oven rack to the middle level and preheat the oven to 400°F
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lay out the slices of bacon in a single layer on the sheet pan.
- Bake the bacon at 400°F for 20-30 minutes until 95% baked and just starting to crisp.
- Remove the pan from the oven and carefully blot off the fat with a paper towel until the surface of each bacon slice is dry. Drain off the bacon fat if there’s an excess swimming around the bacon.
- After removing the fat, brush each slice of bacon generously with 4 tablespoons of syrup and drizzle on any excess left in the dish.
- Bake 3-8min longer or until the bacon is crisped and the maple syrup is bubbling on the top of the bacon.
- Let the bacon cool for a minute on the sheet pan. Transfer the bacon to a wire rack or a clean piece of parchment paper to cool and firm up. Don’t use paper towels, the bacon will stick to it!
Notes
- Center cut bacon will work in place of thick cut bacon, but it does overpower the flavor of the maple syrup.
- Do not use pancake syrup, it's not the same as pure maple syrup.
- Feel free to use peppered bacon or any other spicy flavored bacon in this recipe!
