Description
Sweet maple magic meets crispy bacon in this irresistible candied maple bacon recipe that combines rich Canadian maple syrup with smoky, caramelized pork. Salty and sweet notes dance together, creating an addictive treat you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) thick-cut bacon
Sweeteners:
- 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack in the center position and preheat to 350°F, ensuring even temperature distribution.
- Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, allowing excess paper to hang over edges for easy cleanup.
- Meticulously arrange bacon strips in a single layer, ensuring no overlap to promote uniform caramelization.
- Using a pastry brush, generously coat each bacon strip with pure maple syrup, creating an even glossy layer.
- Delicately sprinkle brown sugar across bacon strips, pressing gently to help sugar adhere and create a crisp candied texture.
- Transfer baking sheet to preheated oven, rotating midway through cooking to guarantee consistent browning.
- Monitor bacon closely, baking until edges curl and surface transforms into a glistening, mahogany-colored candied crust, approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately transfer bacon to a wire cooling rack, allowing excess grease to drip and sugar coating to solidify and crisp.
- Let candied bacon cool completely for 5-10 minutes, during which the sugar will harden into a delectable, crunchy shell.
- Serve at room temperature as a decadent appetizer, sweet garnish, or indulgent snack.
Notes
- Experiment with different maple syrup grades to find your perfect flavor intensity, from light and delicate to rich and robust.
- Use thick-cut bacon for a meatier texture that holds up better to the sweet maple coating and provides a satisfying crunch.
- Adjust cooking time based on bacon thickness; thinner slices might caramelize faster, so watch closely to prevent burning.
- Transform this indulgent treat into a low-carb option by substituting brown sugar with a sugar-free alternative like erythritol or monk fruit sweetener.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 292
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 898 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg