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5 from 1 vote

Million Dollar Bacon

You have yet to taste true decadence until you try Million Dollar Bacon! This recipe for sweet and spicy candied bacon is a must-try your family will adore!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Resting time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: candied bacon, million dollar bacon, millionaire bacon, millionaire's bacon
Servings: 8
Calories: 291kcal
Author: Isabel Laessig

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Aluminum foil, silicone liner, or parchment paper
  • Oven or air fryer

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Thick-cut bacon
  • ½ cup Brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper freshly cracked
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
  • ½ Tablespoon Red pepper flakes

See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!

Instructions

Oven Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the uncooked bacon slices on the pan. Then combine the brown sugar, pepper, cayenne and pepper flakes, and stir to combine.
    ½ cup Brown sugar, ½ teaspoon Black pepper, ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper, ½ Tablespoon Red pepper flakes
  • Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the bacon, fully coating every slice. Put the sugar down so it's well worked in.
    1 lb Thick-cut bacon
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove, and let cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool another 10 minutes.

Video

Notes

  • Make sure to use thick-cut bacon. Thin cuts will burn before the sugar has a chance to melt.
  • Don't get impatient- let the bacon cool completely! This will allow the melted sugar to harden into a caramel coating.
  • Candied bacon is the perfect addition to sandwiches in place of regular bacon, or bundle it up and give it out as a gift! It's also good just eaten plain!
  • Leftover bacon can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, but good luck having any leftovers!
Air fryer instructions:
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. While it's heating, combine the brown sugar, pepper, cayenne, and pepper flakes in a small bowl.
  2. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the bacon, making sure to pat it into the meat.
  3. Lay the bacon flat in the air fryer basket or tray so it doesn't overlap, then air fry for 8 minutes, checking at 4 to see if it needs to be rearranged.
  4. Remove, let cool 10 minutes, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.4mg