Maple Pepper Bacon

Everyone loves bacon, right? Well, go even further with this incredible (and easy) recipe.

This is truly one of those “special occasion” treats. We love serving these for a special brunch during the holiday season. These alongside Classic Eggs Benedict or Lemon Ricotta Pancakes is a true dream come true! The maple brown sugar matches perfectly with the bacon and the little kick of pepper puts it over the top!

How To Make Maple Pepper Bacon

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The Ingredients You Will Need

There are just a small handful of ingredients for this bacon, but they all come together to make the best bacon you’ve ever made, served, or eaten! Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

Bacon – We love thick-cut smoked applewood. Thick-cut is highly recommended.
Maple syrup – Make sure it’s 100% pure maple, don’t go with pancake syrup.
Brown sugar – Light or dark.
Pepper – Freshly ground is best.

EXPERT TIP: Use two baking sheets lined with parchment paper for the first round of baking. Then simply transfer the partially cooked bacon to two new sheets of parchment. A pastry brush makes adding the maple brown sugar mixture a snap.

Tips for Making Perfect Maple Pepper Bacon

Use High-Quality Thick-Cut Bacon – Choose high-quality thick-cut bacon to ensure a meaty texture and a substantial base for the flavors.

Coat the Bacon Evenly – Coat the bacon slices evenly with a mixture of maple syrup and freshly ground black pepper to ensure a balanced sweet and savory flavor.

Allow the Bacon to Cool and Set – Let the maple pepper bacon cool and set on the wire rack to achieve a satisfying crunch and allow the flavors to meld.

EXPERT TIP: Use coarse ground black pepper, if possible. Simply sprinkle it all over the bacon (both sides) with your fingers.

How To Serve

As mentioned, this bacon is perfect for a special brunch occasion, however, the flavor and texture are so enticing, that you can really serve them for any purpose.

It’s always a hit when we serve it at parties or for the big game.

The bacon can be prepared 4 to 6 hours in advance and it will keep covered for several days.

Other Brunch Recipes To Try

Brunch is so delicious. And so much fun. Here are some of our favorite brunch recipes that we’re sure you and your guests will love, too.

Classic Eggs Benedict
Huevos Rancheros
Eggs Blackstone
Croque Madama
Buttermilk Waffles with Blueberry Sauce
Caramel Banana Baked French Toast
Best-Ever Scrambled Eggs
Diner-Style Hashbrowns
Breakfast Potatoes
Orange Sweet Rolls

These are absolutely spectacular. But, in the meantime, aren’t these babies grabbing your eye?

There is truly something extra special about this bacon.

You will be amazed at the taste and the texture and will have a hard time not going back for more and more! But that’s a good thing!

They have become a holiday tradition in our home and we think once you make them for your loved ones, they just might become a family tradition for you, too.

Ready to make the best batch of bacon of all time? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

Maple and Black Pepper Bacon

This Maple and Black Pepper Bacon recipe is a house favorite, without a doubt. This always makes an appearance at the holidays and gets gobbled up very fast. The combination of bacon with maple and brown sugar is great, but add a little kick from freshly ground black pepper, and you've got something really special on your hands (and in your belly!).

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Course: Breakfast / Brunch

Cuisine: American, Holiday

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Resting time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 604kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

• ▢
  2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or foil

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb thick-cut bacon
• ▢ ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
• ▢ Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper (or foil, or use a rack).
• Place the bacon in an even row on the baking pans.
  1 lb thick-cut bacon
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. (Bacon won't be fully cooked, yet).
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup with the brown sugar. Continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved.
  ½ cup pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
• Remove the pans from the oven and place the partially cooked bacon on 2 new sheets of parchment. Discard the used parchment and place the new back on the baking sheets.
• Brush the sugar syrup all over the bacon strips (both sides) and then sprinkle pepper all over (both sides).
  Freshly ground black pepper
• Return to the oven for another 20 minutes, until darkened and fully cooked.
• Serve at once, or keep warm in a 225°F oven.

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Keep an eye on the bacon as it bakes. The thicker the bacon, the longer it will take to bake. It's important to let the bacon rest on a rack after it comes out of the oven. It will harden somewhat as it cools off a little. 

Leftover bacon will keep covered in a container for 3 to 4 days, but will lose its crispiness. 

Nutrition

Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 452mg | Potassium: 323mg | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This post was originally published in November 2017, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in December 2023!