Maple Bacon Recipe
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Maple bacon is comfort food like you’ve never had. Just when you thought that bacon can’t get any better, it surprisingly can – when it’s coated in sweet maple glaze then baked to perfection in the oven! The result is sweet, smoky, savory candied bacon that’s delightfully crispy and irresistibly tasty. If there’s one food your breakfast table is missing, it’s maple bacon.
Bacon is the kind of food that everybody loves because it’s delicious, versatile, and just the right amount of indulgence. Name a food, and bacon instantly makes it better! Everyone has their own favorite way to enjoy it, and mine would definitely be maple bacon.
Maple-glazed bacon is super easy to make, too – it takes only 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes in the oven. It’s perfect for slow mornings, weekend brunches, game nights, as a snack, party side, or a treat to satisfy your sweet and salty cravings. So if bacon is a staple in your home just like in ours, this recipe is the easiest way to transform everyday bacon into a mouth-watering treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 2-ingredient recipe: If you have bacon and maple syrup at home, you’re already halfway to making this treat.
- Beginner-friendly: You don’t need to be a pro in the kitchen to make something delicious. Impress your family and friends with this easy recipe!
- Best flavor combo: Smoky, savory bacon and sweet, rich maple syrup create a crave-worthy flavor combination.
- Comfort food upgrade: This recipe takes the classic comfort food and makes it into a party or holiday-worthy treat.
- Endlessly versatile: The ways to use it are endless. I love adding it to various recipes like salads, burgers, sandwiches and even baked goods like cupcakes or muffins. You can even use the bacon-flavored drippings to sautée meat or vegetables!
How to Make Maple Bacon
Glaze and bake – that’s all you need to do to make the perfect maple-glazed bacon. Honestly, the hardest part of this recipe is getting the bacon out of its package! As it bakes in the oven, the glaze gets gooey and crisps up the bacon perfectly – it’s a simple upgrade you can do to bacon and make your meals extra special, with no extra effort.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Bacon: Regular thick-cut bacon is best for this recipe, although smoked varieties like applewood smoked or hardwood smoked bacon will work great, too. I don’t recommend using bacon with any added flavors such as peppered or hickory, as they can throw off the flavors of the recipe.
- Maple syrup: Real, high-quality maple syrup is what you want for this recipe. Don’t use corn syrup, pancake syrup, maple-flavored syrup, or any other synthetic syrups as they have too many added sugars and won’t get you the same flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Bacon maple is so good that it’s almost hard to believe that you can make it in 2 simple steps. Just do some quick prep and your oven will do the cooking. Ready to get started? Follow the steps below!
Step 1: Prep the bacon
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Arrange an oven-safe wire rack inside of a baking sheet. Place the bacon slices on the rack, then use a pastry brush to spread the maple syrup evenly over the top surface of all the slices.
Step 2: Bake
Bake the bacon slices in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and carefully flip over each piece using tongs. Brush the second side of bacon with the remaining syrup.Finally, return the sheet to the oven and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the bacon is as crispy as you like.
Substitutions
You only need a few bacon slices and a small amount of maple syrup for this recipe. However, if you prefer to use alternative ingredients, here are substitutions I recommend:
- Bacon: If you don’t eat pork, substitute pork bacon with turkey bacon.
- Maple syrup: If maple syrup isn’t available, honey should do the trick. Just be sure to come back next time and try it with maple!
Variations
Maple-glazed bacon is a treat on its own, but I like to keep it exciting and varied. These equally delicious variations will let you experiment and find your favorite way to enjoy this treat!
- Mix 1/3 cup of brown sugar to the maple syrup to create a thick glaze that will perfectly caramelize the bacon.
- Before baking, sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts over the bacon and maple mixture for a delightful crunch.
- Add your favorite fresh herbs to the maple syrup for added depth of flavor. Dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano are great options.
- Grate some fresh orange zest into the maple syrup for a citrusy brightness that pairs wonderfully with the bacon.
- Love peanut butter? Swirl in 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter to the syrup for an unexpected tasty, nutty flavor.
- Add your favorite spices to maple bacon for warmth or a kick of heat. Mix and match spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. You can also fold in hot sauce, sriracha, or sambal to the maple syrup for a burst of heat.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overlap the bacon: Arrange the bacon slices in single, even layers on the baking sheet, making sure there are no overlaps. This allows for even, perfect baking.
- Line the baking sheet: Line the baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil for a quick and easy cleanup.
- Watch the oven: Keep an eye on the bacon as it bakes; it can go from perfectly caramelized to burnt quickly, especially with the added sugar.
- Cool after baking: When done baking, let the maple bacon cool on the rack for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the glaze to set. Remove them from the rack after 10 minutes, though, or else they’ll get stuck.
- Discard the drippings properly: Save the drippings to use for other recipes or wait for the bacon grease on the foil to cool and solidify before throwing it out. Do not pour the grease down your drain – it solidifies as it cools and can clog up your drain and cause plumbing issues.
How to Store This Recipe
Store maple bacon in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. I recommend layering them between sheets of wax or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350 F and warm the bacon slices for 5 minutes.
What to Serve with Maple Bacon
There are so many delicious ways to serve maple bacon. Here are some of my favorites!
- Breakfast: Go classic and serve them with pancakes, french toast, or with sunny side-up eggs. You can also fold in crumbled maple bacon into your waffle batter before cooking for tasty maple bacon waffles or mix chopped maple bacon with potatoes, eggs, and your favorite veggies for a hearty breakfast hash.
- Meals: Replace traditional bacon bits with crumbled maple bacon in salads. Use sliced maple bacon as a topping for burgers.
- Dessert: Sprinkle chopped maple bacon over vanilla ice cream for a quick treat or fold in crumbled pieces to various doughs and batters to add a unique twist to your favorite baked goods.
If you make this delicious maple bacon please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Maple-Glazed Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Arrange an oven-safe wire rack inside of a baking sheet.
- Place the bacon slices on the rack.
- Use a pastry brush to spread the maple syrup evenly over the top surface of all the slices.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove and carefully flip over each piece with tongs. Brush the second side of bacon with the remaining syrup. Return the sheet to the oven and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the bacon is as crispy as you like.
Notes
- Arrange the bacon slices in single, even layers on the baking sheet, making sure there are no overlaps for even, perfect baking.
- Line the baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil for a quick and easy cleanup.
- Keep an eye on the bacon as it bakes; it can go from perfectly caramelized to burnt quickly, especially with the added sugar.
- Let the maple bacon cool on the rack for 10 minutes after baking to allow the flavors to meld and the glaze to set.
- Save the drippings to use for other recipes or wait for the bacon grease on the foil to cool and solidify before throwing it out. Do not pour the grease down your drain – it solidifies as it cools and can clog up your drain and cause plumbing issues.
