Why you’ll love this million dollar bacon
If you’ve ever had the bacon at First Watch, you already know how good this recipe is. So good. This candied bacon is the perfect balance between crispy and chewy and it’s so easy to make at home in the oven.
This million dollar bacon is also a variation of this recipe is featured in Snoop Dogg’s cookbook, but he refers to it as billionaire bacon. My version uses smoked paprika rather than cayenne pepper to enhance the flavor of the bacon without adding extra spice.
More breakfast recipes: breakfast pizza / oatmeal banana chocolate chip muffins / scrambled eggs without milk / apple cinnamon oatmeal
Ingredient notes:
- Bacon – Thick cut is the way to go. I personally like pecan-smoked bacon the best, but anything you like will work.
- Brown sugar – Dark or light brown sugar will work, but we normally use light brown.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – Feel free to adjust this amount to make your bacon more mild.
- Smoked paprika – If you don’t have smoked paprika, regular paprika will work, or you can swap cayenne pepper to make your bacon extra spicy.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
It normally takes about 20 – 25 minutes to cook bacon in the oven. This will vary depending on the thickness of your bacon and the temperature of your oven.
Though I usually bake my bacon at 400˚F, for this recipe the heat has been lowered to 375˚F. The caramelization process of the sugars makes the bacon burn slightly faster. The lower temperature will give you just a bit more breathing room.
No flipping is needed. Even thick cut bacon will cook wonderfully without being flipped in the oven.
Neither. You should position your baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
More bacon recipes you will love: bacon wrapped water chestnuts / Instant Pot baked beans with bacon and brown sugar / asparagus quiche with bacon / pumpkin risotto with crispy sage and bacon
Million Dollar Bacon
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pound bacon
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix the seasoning. In a mixing bowl, stir the all ingredients except bacon together until well combined.
- Season the bacon. Arrange the bacon on your prepared baking sheet lined with parchment and then spread the sugar mixture on top of the bacon.
- Roast the bacon. Put your bacon in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and caramelized. Keep an eye on it after 20 to make sure it doesn't burn. If the edges are starting to blacken, remove the bacon right away.
- Let it cool. Remove the bacon from the oven and use a pair of kitchen tongs to transfer it to a fresh sheet of parchment on a cooling rack. Allow the bacon cool for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.Avoid placing cooked bacon on paper toweling. Since it is common to place cooked bacon on paper toweling to absorb excess grease, for this style of candied bacon try using a separate piece of parchment paper or placing it directly onto a plate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Can I make this ahead of time and freeze for Christmas?
I think so! I’ve never tried it, but you could easily reheat it in the oven.
Can the mixture be made ahead of time? And if so, how far ahead can it be made? I want to make a large batch and give as gifts. I’m just not sure how long it will hold up in a sealed container.
Everything except the bacon is shelf stable, so excluding the bacon, I don’t see why you couldn’t package the seasoning mixture in a small mason jar or something like that.