Get Yourself a Husband Bacon

If you’ve ever been to First Watch, you may have seen Million Dollar Bacon on the menu. This recipe is inspired by that recipe but with a twist! This Candied Bacon recipe is sweet and salty, with a kick of heat. Crispy, thick-cut bacon caramelized with a little bit of spice is a perfect pairing for brunch, a Bloody Mary skewer, or even as a holiday food gift!

My friend, Rhiannon  and I recently hosted a Sunday Fun Day brunch. I knew this bacon had to be included on the menu especially on a skewer at our Bloody Mary bar. As soon as Rhiannon tasted it, she said this will definitely get you a husband and so the name was born!

This is a baked bacon recipe, so you’ll be using your oven. It’s the best way to cook bacon, and it’s very easy to do!

After you bake it, you’ll let it cool on a rack to allow the sugar to caramelize and harden for that perfect, crispy, candied texture.

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Ingredients

• 10 pieces thick cut bacon
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon garlic pepper
• 2 Tbsp honey

Instructions

Place the oven rack on the center rack. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine brown sugar, and seasonings in a bowl. Set aside.

Place foil on a 13×9 baking sheet. 

Add bacon in a single layer.

Cover both sides of pieces of bacon with the brown sugar mixture.

Drizzle honey over top. 

Bake in a preheated oven on the center rack for 20 minutes, 

Remove bacon from oven and place on cooling rack to dry.

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Pecan Maple Bacon Cookies

My brother, Robert and I have this little tradition where we like to uniquely wrap each other’s Christmas and Birthday presents. He loves to use TONS, and I mean TONS of tape but not just scotch tape, he uses packing tape! So as I got older, I thought it’s pay back time! I knew I needed to start to come with unique ways to wrap his presents. The first year, I placed a gift card in a bowl of water and froze it. He had to wait for it to melt to get his present. Each year, I try to get more and more clever! Opening presents on Christmas and birthdays at our house is definitely an adventure! 

Robert loves bacon so for his birthday, I made all things bacon… Maple Bacon cake, Candied bacon and these cookies… Maple Pecan Bacon Cookies! 

That year, I slid his gift card in the bacon cake so when he sliced into it, there was his gift card. I’ll share that recipe, another time. 

If you are a sweet and salty fan and love bacon, this recipe is for you! The smokiness of the bacon, combined with the brown sugar, the chocolate chips and the maple flavor . . . . It just doesn’t get any better!

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 5 ounces cooked bacon, chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, kosher
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (1 stick) melted
• 3/4 cup sugar, packed light-brown
• 1/2 cup sugar, granulated
• 1 egg, large
• 1 teaspoon maple extract- if you can’t find, just use maple syrup 
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips

For the maple glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

Place bacon in a cold pan. Turn heat to medium and cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Once cooked, remove to a bowl to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt.

Combine melted butter, bacon and any bacon drippings in the bowl of a stand mixer. 

Add brown and granulated sugar and mix. 

Once combined, add egg, then add maple extract. 

Using a large kitchen spoon or ¼ cup measure, slowly add the dry mixture to the mixer. 

Once combined, add the chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Mix, then divide dough in half. 

Place one piece of dough on a large sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and roll up into a 10-inch long tube. Repeat with remaining dough.

Refrigerate dough to chill for at least an hour. 

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. 

Slice cookie dough into ½-inch-thick slices and place them onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until they start to become brown around the edges.

For the glaze, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, cream and salt. 

Dip the tops of each cookie into the glaze and sprinkle with chopped nuts. 

Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.