Easy Air Fryer Candied Bacon (Perfectly Crispy!)
Yes, you can make candied bacon in the air fryer! This easy recipe takes just a few ingredients. It’s an awesome Bloody Mary garnish!
We love bacon in my household! Over the years, I’ve shared some awesome bacon recipes like this Millionaire’s Bacon (baked with maple syrup), bacon jam (aka pig candy), Candied Bacon Baked Brie and Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts.
Bacon is definitely one of our favorite foods, although we typically limit it to the weekends. Frying your bacon strips in the air fryer is definitely a healthier option if you’re like us and only eat bacon as a special treat.
This sweet and salty treat is a wonderful addition to a charcuterie board, as a garnish for a Bloody Mary, or as the best part of your brunch spread with some delicious Brioche French Toast!
Although I think maple syrup is one of the better ways to make candied bacon, I first tested this bacon recipe with maple syrup and it was a disaster!
The strips of bacon started to burn before they were cooked through. The second time I tested using just brown sugar, and it was a huge hit!
You may see recommendations to line your air fryer basket with parchment paper or aluminum foil, but I don’t recommend it! While doing this does make for easier cleanup, it limits the circulation of air that helps the bacon cook and keeps the bacon fat from dripping away from the bacon! Frying your bacon strips in the air fryer is definitely a healthier option because the grease is directed away while the bacon crisps.
Serving Suggestions:
I recommend serving this air fried bacon with this Cinnamon Roll Casserole (Easy Breakfast Bake Recipe), my Easy Breakfast Charcuterie Board, Tator Tot Breakfast Casserole and a classic scone recipe like these Buttermilk Scones or Blueberry Scones!
If you want to make your entire breakfast in the air fryer, check out my Glazed Air Fryer Donuts (made from biscuits).
Substitutions:
- Use thick cut bacon instead of regular bacon
- Yes, you can use turkey bacon, but it will need less cooking time!
- Omit the cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes if you don’t like spicy food. But I think just a little bit of heat adds such amazing depth of flavor!
Easy Air Fryer Candied Bacon
Yes, you can make candied bacon in the air fryer! This easy recipe takes just a few ingredients and a couple of minutes to make this delicious treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 pound center cut bacon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If your bacon has a lot of moisture, pat the bacon slices dry with a paper towel.
- Add brown sugar to a plate.
- Press each piece of bacon into the brown sugar, coating it entirely. Then, sprinkle the bacon slice with black pepper and cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Add bacon in a single layer to your air fryer basket or air fryer rack.
- Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip and fry for an additional 5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy to your liking.
- You may need to air fry several batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Remove cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool before serving.
Notes
You can use thick cut bacon for this recipe but may need to add a few minutes to the cook time.
As with any air fryer recipe, I recommend to check the bacon every few minutes. Each air fryer is different and cook times vary!
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 471Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 75mgSodium 1282mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 0gSugar 30gProtein 26g
The nutrition for this recipe is calculated by an app, and may be incorrect.
