Candied Bacon (aka Pig Candy) is the ultimate, easy, party snack that leaves everybody satisfied & coming back for more! Can’t you just imagine biting into a thick crispy slice of bacon, caramelized with brown sugar and maple syrup topped with pecans, seasoned with cayenne? It’s an amazing treat!
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I heard about candied bacon years ago and initially thought, “no way”. But then it was on the menu at a brunch I attended at a food conference in Oregon and obviously I had to try it. As soon as I took my first bite I understood what all the fuss was about. It’s a wonderful salty, sweet, savory bite that will blow your tastebuds out of the water!
If you are a bacon lover, be sure to dive into some of my other favorite bacon snacks like Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers, Bacon Green Onion Deviled Eggs, & Bacon Ranch Cheeseball.
Candied Bacon, also known as Pig Candy, originally gained popularity in Washington D.C. from what I can tell. It was served to patrons as an alternative bar food snack and from there the bacon spread. It has a generous amount of brown sugar and maple syrup to give it is ‘candied’ taste and appearance. This candied bacon recipe makes a delicious snack or appetizer and can be served warm or cold.
If you find you love this candied bacon, you might also want to try chocolate covered bacon next!
What you need
- Bacon: Regular or thick-cut with both work great, although thick-cut will be chewier and take longer to crisp up.
- Brown Sugar: Will sweeten up the bacon and help with caramelization.
- Pecans: You’ll want to use finely chopped pecans here.
- Salt: Even though bacon is salty already, the pecans and brown sugar we are adding is not, so a little bit of salt keeps things balanced.
- Pepper: Some bacon already comes peppered. In this case, you can leave it out or add more if you’d like.
- Cayenne: If you don’t like spicy, just leave this out.
- Maple Syrup: Helps add sweetness and moisture to the candied mixture.
How to Make Candied Bacon
- Arrange the bacon on a wire rack. Be careful not to overlap the bacon pieces. You can also cut the bacon slices in half crosswise for smaller servings if desired. It is okay to use more than one pan.
- Combine the brown sugar, pecans, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Pulse in a food processor (affiliate link) until pecans are finely chopped and ingredients are combined. Add maple syrup and pulse again.
- Lather up the bacon. Spoon some of the sugar mixture over each slice of bacon and use your fingers or the back of the spoon to spread it all over each slice of bacon until it has all been used up.
- Bake and Enjoy! Bake until the bacon is crispy and the topping is browned. Cool and enjoy!
How long does candied bacon last?
Your bacon should last up to 3 weeks stored in an airtight container in the fridge. In the freezer it can last up to six months. Just reheat and crisp up the bacon in the oven before serving.
What are some different variations of toppings?
Leave out the nuts if you don’t like them or have a guest with allergies. You could also add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a slightly different flavor profile. You could also sub honey for the maple syrup or even dip half of the bacon in melted chocolate.
How to serve candied bacon?
Enjoy warm or at room temperature served either as an appetizer or snack. Or add to salads or sandwiches, or even use it on desserts like cakes, cookies, cupcakes, or brownies! Candied bacon is amazing with eggs, omelets, eggs benedict, cinnamon rolls, etc.
Give Candied Bacon a try with these recipes
- The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Homemade Brownies
- Spinach, Bacon, & Egg Salad
- Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Grilled Cheese Eggs Benedict
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Candied Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon (regular or thick cut, although thick cut will be chewier and take longer to crisp up)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top of it.
- Arrange the bacon on top of the wire rack being careful not to overlap the bacon pieces. You can also cut the bacon slices in half crosswise for smaller servings, if desired. You may need more than one pan.1 pound bacon
- Combine the brown sugar, pecans, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a food processor (affiliate link) and pulse several times to combine and finely chop the pecans. Drizzle in the maple syrup and pulse again to moisten.½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Spoon some of the sugar mixture over each slice of bacon and use your fingers or the back of the spoon to spread it all over each slice of bacon until it has all been used up.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the topping is browned. Keep in mind that the bacon will crisp up a bit more as it cools. If you would like the bacon crispier, you can always cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, if desired.
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature served either as an appetizer or snack. Or add to salads or sandwiches, or even use it on desserts like cakes, cookies, cupcakes, or brownies! Candied bacon is amazing with eggs, omeletts, eggs benedict, with cinnamon rolls, etc.
Notes
- Variations: Leave out the nuts if you don’t like them or have a guest with allergies. You could also add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a slightly different flavor profile. You could also sub honey for the maple syrup.
Excellent. Everyone loves it and it starts with a food everyone loves! Nicely balanced can’t really even taste the Ceyanne in it but I am sure it offsets the sweetness for a really pleasing overall result!
I’m glad you thought so!