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Sweet, spicy, salty…..this is bacon like you’ve never tasted before. Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon, also known as Millionaire Bacon, is a decadent treat you won’t be able to put down. Hands down, the best bacon ever with it’s crispy, sweet and slightly spicy coating, it’s a wonderful surprise at any dinner party and makes a great holiday gift.

Sweet and Spicy candied bacon in a mason jar with charcuterie tray.

It’s no secret that I love pork recipes, especially bacon. We eat bacon almost everyday here, besides coffee, it’s the only way to start the day, in my opinion. Ham comes in at a close second with eggs, bagels and pancakes a very distant tie for third place. I even perfected the art of How to Cook Bacon in the Microwave to get it in my mouth even faster!

I can find just about any occasion to add bacon to the menu for any meal, breakfast, lunch, dinner and now snacks, this Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon recipe is on repeat most of the month. Also called Million Dollar Bacon or Millionaire Bacon, it’s the best bar snack ever.

I always wanted to try my hand at candied bacon, I saw it on a travel show or the Food Network once and have been dreaming of it ever since. The version I saw was spicy, sweet and salty. My idea of the perfect food.

It turns out…it’s sooooo easy to make, you just need to make sure you use a thick cut bacon. The thicker cut will take longer to cook giving the sugar time to melt down and caramelize before the bacon burns.

Sweet and spicy candied bacon on a charcuterie tray.

What is Millionaire’s Bacon?

Millionaire’s Bacon is a sweet and spicy caramelized bacon that originated at San Francisco’s Sweet Maple restaurant. Coated in a brown sugar/cayenne pepper coating before being baked, this sweet and spicy treat is a fabulous addition to any party.

Close up of sweet and spicy candied bacon in a mason jar.

How To Make Candied Bacon

Making this easy sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon is so easy to do, simply follow these steps for pure bacon nirvana.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet.
  2. Arrange the bacon on the wire rack and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Lightly pat the brown sugar on top of the bacon to create a thin layer.
  3. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the brown sugar has melted and the bacon is crisp.
  4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  5. Using tongs, transfer the bacon to a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature.
  6. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Overhead shot of sweet and spicy candied bacon.

What To Serve with Candied Bacon

We like to serve our sweet and spicy candied bacon as an appetizer with beer and cocktails but here are our other favorite ways to use this addicting bacon treat:

Sweet and spicy candied bacon in two mason jars.

How to Store Leftovers

Millionaire’s Bacon, candied bacon, is best enjoyed the same day you make it. If you have leftover candied bacon, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. To reheat, place on a baking rack on a baking sheet and reheat in the oven for a few minutes until it becomes crispy again.

This Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon (Millionaire’s Bacon) is the best thing since…well, bacon. I, really, didn’t think bacon could get any better but it can and it did.

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Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon Recipe

4.95 from 40 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Lovingly known as Millionaire’s Bacon, this Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon is a cinch to make!

Equipment

  • baking sheet with a wire rack
  • aluminum foil or parchment paper

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound thick cut bacon
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place a wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet. Arrange the bacon on the wire rack and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Lightly pat the brown sugar on top of the bacon to create a thin layer.
  • Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the brown sugar has melted and the bacon is crisp.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Using tongs, transfer the bacon to a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Video

Notes

If the leftover bacon loses crispness, you can reheat it in the oven for a few minutes to restore the crispiness of the bacon.
If you prefer less spice, you can omit the cayenne pepper or use half the amount called for in the recipe.
For best results, use a thicker cut bacon as thin cut bacon could burn before the topping caramelizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 347kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 399mg, Potassium: 188mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 525IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 0.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe?Leave a comment below!

YouTube video

 

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86 Comments

  1. Barbara Belisle says:

    I bring this to every function. Always a big hit.

    1. Kellie says:

      I’m so happy you like it! Thank you for your comment!

  2. Debrah W Morton says:

    Delicious. Everyone loves this.

    1. Kellie says:

      That makes me so happy! Thank you!

  3. Maria Creel says:

    OMG! So good! This recipe was super easy to follow.Made a whole pound of bacon for less than an order of six pieces at a restaurant!Thanks for this delicious recipe

    1. Kellie says:

      Thank you for your comment! Isn’t it crazy what a restaurant charges for bacoN!?!?

  4. Diane says:

    Recipe says bake 30-40 minutes, video says 20 -30. I baked 35 and bacon seemed very chewy. Did I bake too long?

    1. Kellie says:

      It definitely is more of a jerky style bite to it so you baked it for the right amount of time.

  5. Karin says:

    This recipe for candied bacon is the best I have found! (I especially like the spicy version.)
    I made it as a holiday party hostess gift, and my family ate  
    it before the party!
    I had to pick up a bottle of wine for the hostess.
    We now make spicied candied bacon for any occasion we can think of.

    1. Kellie says:

      Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad you liked it.

  6. Susan Cohn says:

    Sweet AND Hot! One of my favorite combinations of flavors. I only had 1/2 lb of regular OM bacon. Still used the full amount of seasonings since I used the plastic storage bag method of coating the bacon. Then distributed most of the rest on top before baking. Baked 15 minutes at 350° then maybe 20 more minutes at 325° since it was thinner bacon. OMG, so good! Thank you!