Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon (Millionaire Bacon)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

• Top your favorite Wedge Salad to take it totally next level
• Add it to your next Charcuterie Board!
• Add to vegetable soup for a burst of savory flavor
• This Pear Salad is so totally extra with a sprinkle of candied bacon.
• Layer it on your favorite BLT for an updated twist!
• Sprinkle on my favorite Pumpkin Soup.

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.

More Easy Bacon Recipes

• How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
• Bacon Wrapped Dates
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast
• Easy Hot Bacon Dressing Recipe

 For more favorite bacon recipes, follow us on Instagram!

Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon Recipe

4.96 from 41 votes

By Kellie

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 8

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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
• mixing bowl

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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

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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.

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