Million Dollar Bacon
May 09, 2025
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Million dollar bacon is about to be your next favorite brunch food. It’s packed with so much flavor and made with just a handful of ingredients. This recipe is a must make for your next breakfast, brunch, or party.
I love bacon. Like really love it! And while a classic piece of bacon is so good, this Million Dollar Bacon really takes it over the top. Salty, smokey, sweet, and spicy, this is completely irresistible.
My recipe is very simple but feels like you are eating something special. You only need a few ingredient and about 30 minutes to make this recipe. I like serving it with brunch, on salads and more. This is a must try recipe!
If you want more bacon recipes, be sure to check out bacon crackers, baked bacon dip, bacon crackers, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, and this crack dip.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Amazing flavor – This bacon is packed with sweet, salty, and a little spicy flavor. Once you have one piece, you will be coming back for more.
- Restaurant favorite at home – Inspired by the First Watch restaurant, this recipe is a great copycat.
- Wows a crowd – Everyone that tries this bacon falls in love.
Ingredients
- Bacon – Use a thicker cut bacon so that it can hold up to the glaze.
- Light brown sugar – This ingredient gives the bacon it’s sweetness. As it cooks, the brown sugar turns into a glaze that coats the bacon.
- Maple syrup – Adds another layer of flavor and sweetness.
- Black Pepper – Balances out the sweet and and savory flavors.
How to make million dollar bacon
This is an overview with step-by-step instructions. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions below.
Step one – Mix together the brown sugar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Step two – Pour the maple syrup on a plate or shallow bowl. Dip a piece of bacon in the syrup.
Step three – Spread the brown sugar mixture out on a plate or shallow bowl. Press the mixture on each side of a piece of bacon.
Step four – Place the bacon on a baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Heather’s recipe tips
- Line the baking sheet. This will help make clean-up easy.
- Watch the bacon. When the bacon is getting close to being finished cooking, make sure to take a look to be sure the sugar doesn’t burn.
- Let it cool for a few minutes. You will want to let the bacon cool off a few minutes before serving.
Storage instructions
Store – Keep any leftover bacon covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat – Reheat in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. You can also reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes.
Serving suggestions
Breakfast side dish: Serve this sweet bacon as a breakfast side dish with things like eggs, breakfast casserole, waffles, or french toast.
On a salad: Crumble the bacon and add it to salads like this strawberry spinach salad.
Inside a sandwich: Add instant flavor to sandwiches.
On a brunch board: This candied million dollar bacon is the perfect thing to add to a brunch board with fruit, cheese, muffins, and more.
Frequently asked questions
“Million dollar” recipes are typically named that because they taste like a million bucks.
If you cook your bacon directly on the foil, yes, you should flip the bacon. If you are cooking them on a wire rack, you don’t need to flip.
I recommend using real maple syrup if possible. It really gives the bacon fantastic flavor. You can use other syrup if thats all you have.
More breakfast recipes
- Air fryer turkey bacon
- Cinnamon roll casserole
- Copycat McDonalds steak egg and cheese bagel
- Farmers casserole
Million Dollar Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 package thick sliced bacon
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablepsoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the light brown sugar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan with foil, top with an oven safe rack. (If you don't have an oven safe rack, spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and lay the bacon directly on the foil.)
- Pour the maple syrup on a plate or shallow bowl. Place a strip of bacon in the syrup to coat.
- Spread the brown sugar mixture on a plate. Put the bacon with syrup in the brown sugar to coat each side.
- Place the bacon on the wire rack. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Let the bacon cool for about 5 minutes.
Notes
- Line the baking sheet. This will help make clean-up easy.
- Watch the bacon. When the bacon is getting close to being finished cooking, make sure to take a look to be sure the sugar doesn’t burn.
- Let it cool for a few minutes. You will want to let the bacon cool off a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
