Warning: Herb Candied Bacon is highly addictive. It may be difficult to resist the allure of this tantalizing combo of salty and sweet goodness.
Thick-cut bacon slices are coated with brown sugar, fresh rosemary, and thyme, plus a little smoky paprika. Then, they are baked until perfectly crispy and all sorts of caramelized.
You’ll never look at regular bacon the same way again.
Make Herb Candied Bacon for any breakfast or brunch (or just as a fun treat!). It’s perfect for casual get-togethers, bridal showers, baby showers…or just because you love yourself some bacon!
Why you’ll love this candied bacon recipe
Crave-worthy flavor
This candied bacon recipe strikes the perfect balance between salty and sweet.
5 simple ingredients
Just 5 easy ingredients, and you are on your way to pure bacon bliss.
No stovetop grease
No one likes wiping up grease splatters. Simply stick the bacon in the oven for easy cleanup.
Added bonus:
Your house won’t smell like you just purchased a deep-fat fryer when you’re done. Instead, an herby, sweet, smoky aroma will fill your house. Bacon bliss, I tell you. Bacon bliss.
Herb Candied Bacon Ingredients
Thick-cut bacon
Thick-cut bacon cooks more slowly, allowing the brown sugar time to caramelize. If you choose classic or thin cut, take it out earlier so the bacon doesn’t burn.
Brown sugar
Light brown sugar is best for this recipe, as it has less molasses and will caramelize better. But either type of brown sugar will work!
Fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme
Paprika
Why KJ Loves
Herb Candied Bacon
Take your bacon to the next level with this Herb Candied Bacon! I love how easily it comes together in the oven and how quickly it disappears afterwards!
How to Make the Best Candied Bacon
1
Prep
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or foil). Then, place a cooking rack on top. Toss the bacon with the brown sugar, fresh herbs, and paprika. Then, lay each slice flat on the rack.
2
Bake
Up next: put it in the oven and FORGET ABOUT IT.
How awesome is that?! An insanely delicious recipe that doesn’t require much attention!
That means you can be doing so many other things while this candied bacon cooks: taking a shower, getting the kids ready, finishing your makeup, cooking eggs and pancakes, or just kicking up your feet (because you deserve it!).
3
Wash the dishes. How sad.
What to Serve With Herb Candied Bacon
So. Many. Options. If you love breakfast and brunch as much as I do, it’s gonna be hard to narrow down your choices.
Here are a couple of places to start:
- Eggs – Try these Easy Sheet Pan Baked Eggs.
- Pancakes – Flip some Blueberry Pancakes and stack ‘em up.
- Baked treats – You can’t go wrong with Almond Glazed Cinnamon Rolls.
- Oatmeal – Serve up oatmeal for a crowd with Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal.
- French toast – Make some Cinnamon Brioche French Toast for a classic breakfast of champions.
And don’t forget to brew a pot of steaming hot coffee (jk, as if anyone would forget 😜…)
Herb candied bacon would also taste delicious crumbled over a salad. It’s all about balance, right?
Candied Bacon FAQ
What herbs pair well with bacon?
Candied bacon tastes great with herbs like fresh rosemary or fresh thyme. If you need to use dried herbs, use (insert amounts here) since they will be more concentrated.
How do you keep candied bacon crispy?
To get candied bacon crispy in the first place, make sure you bake it on a wire rack to let the air circulate. To keep the bacon crispy for up to two hours before serving, leave it in the oven, set the oven to 200 degrees and prop the oven door open slightly.
What is candied bacon made of?
Candied bacon is bacon strips coated in sugar or maple syrup and baked until the sugar is caramelized and “candied” on top.
How do you store herb candied bacon?
Store candied bacon in the refrigerator in an airtight container. (Pro tip: Cold candied bacon is delicious on salads!)
How do you reheat herb candied bacon?
Candied bacon tastes best straight out of the oven. But if you want to reheat it later, simply warm it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Be careful — it heats up quickly and may splatter!
Herb Candied Bacon
(5 votes, average: 4.60 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
Warning: Herb Candied Bacon is highly addictive. It may be difficult to resist the allure of this tantalizing combo of salty and sweet goodness.
Thick-cut bacon slices are coated with brown sugar, fresh rosemary, and thyme, plus a little smoky paprika. Then, they are baked until perfectly crispy and all sorts of caramelized.
You’ll never look at regular bacon the same way again.
Make Herb Candied Bacon for any breakfast or brunch (or just as a fun treat!). It’s perfect for casual get-togethers, bridal showers, baby showers…or just because you love yourself some bacon!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds thick-cut bacon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the bacon, brown sugar, rosemary, thyme and paprika. Use a pair of tongs to gently toss to coat the bacon completely. Lay the bacon pieces completely flat on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and then inserted with a wire baking rack, so that the bacon slices are evenly spaced on top of the wire baking rack. Two baking sheets are required if you want to make all the bacon at the same time, otherwise work in batches.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until desired crispiness is achieved. This time may vary depending on the thickness of your bacon. If the cut of the bacon is on the thicker side, then you may need to bump up the time a bit to get it crispy. In the end, you want the bacon to be crispy, not burnt, so keep an eye on it towards the end.
- Allow the bacon to cool slightly and enjoy! The bacon will also get a little more crispy as it cools.
Notes
- If you are using regular bacon instead of thick-cut, check on it at around the 30 minute mark for desired doneness. It will cook faster.
- If you don’t have a wire rack to insert into your baking sheet, you can lay the bacon directly onto the parchment paper in the baking sheet. Since the bacon will be sitting in it’s grease instead of it dripping below it, the bacon will cook quicker. Check on the bacon a few minutes earlier than you would if you had a wire rack.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 303
- Sugar: 8.8g
- Fat: 25.4g
- Carbohydrates: 10.3g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 8.2g
Keywords: Herb Candied Bacon
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Hi, I’m KJ!
Here you’ll find simple, delicious recipes for the home cook. I strive to make wholesome meals with easy-to-find ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen—but I won’t shy away from a few indulgences! (I see you: butter, bacon, cookies!)
