Cooking bacon in an air fryer is already a breakthrough in the world of cooking: not only do you get the extra-crisping powers of the air fryer, but you also avoid all of the splattery, grease mess!
If you love a good old-fashioned fried bacon, you’ll love the air fryer candied bacon even more!
It’s a crispy, savory treat with a layer of rich-in-flavor sweetness that makes for an irresistible bite.
This cheat day special is worth every single calorie, we promise.
Table of Contents
Candied Bacon Air Fryer Recipe Ingredients
✦ You can find the exact measurements of the recipe ingredients and customize the serving size in the recipe card after the detailed step-by-step instructions section.
You only need these 3 ingredients to make the air fryer candy bacon.
- Bacon
- Brown sugar
- Maple syrup
Optional
- Chili lime seasoning (Tajin)
- Cayenne pepper
- Cajun seasoning
If you want your candy bacon to have a spicy kick, you can add any of those spicy seasonings after air frying.
Recipe Video
How to Cook Candied Bacon in an Air Fryer?
The process of making candied bacon is easy and contains all the mess to the inside of the air fryer. If you can pop the whole air fryer basket into the dishwasher after, then you’re really winning!
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F or 193°C.
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 380°F or 193°C and then let it cook for 5 minutes.
You may also skip this step by adding 2-4 minutes to your cooking. Do it gradually to prevent burning the candy bacon air fryer recipe.
Step 2: Prepare the candied bacon seasoning.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and maple syrup until you have a smooth mixture. Have a silicone or other food-safe brush ready.
Step 3: Air fry the bacon for 8-10 minutes.
When the air fryer is fully preheated, add your bacon slices in a single layer, being careful not to overlap if possible. Brush the bacon with the brown sugar and maple mixture until all the pieces are coated (on the top sides only). Air fry for 4-5 minutes or until the edges start to crisp.
With tongs, flip the bacon and coat the other side with the brown sugar maple mixture. Continue to air fry until the bacon is crisp and dark around the edges, 4-5 minutes.
✦ I used a 6-quart air fryer to test this recipe. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the number of servings you are making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Step 4: Let the air fried candy bacon cool down for 5 minutes.
Using tongs, carefully transfer the bacon to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.
✦ The bacon won’t seem totally crunchy when you first remove it from the air fryer; it’ll get crunchier as it cools. But, I won’t blame you if you get tempted to eat it right away.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy!
Now that’s how to make air fryer candy bacon in five easy steps.
Nothing is stopping you from making more!
It would be perfect in any situation where you’d eat regular bacon: on a BLT, on the side of scrambled eggs, on a chicken or turkey club, anything!
Spicy Candied Bacon
A fun variation on this recipe would be to mix in ¼ tsp of crushed red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper to the brown sugar mixture to add a subtle kick of spice to complement the sweetness.
Freezing & Storage
Freezing: Freezing candied bacon is simple, and will allow the bacon to easily last for up to 3 months. Layer the cooled candied bacon between layers of wax paper (to prevent sticking) and store in an airtight container. To reheat from frozen, simply allow the bacon to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Fridge: Candied bacon can be stored between layers of wax paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Reheating: To reheat/recrisp the bacon, air fry in a 380°F or 193°C air fryer for 4 minutes or until heated through. Let the bacon cool slightly to re-crunchify before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make candied bacon in the air fryer, first you have to prepare sugar and maple syrup mixture. Then air fry the bacon at 380°F (193°C), baste the bacon with the mixture while cooking. Check full recipe for a more detailed instructions.
It will take 8-10 minutes to cook candied bacon in the air fryer at 380°F (193°C). Check full instructions here.
This ingredients checklist is interactive; you can use it as your grocery list.
Ingredients
- 5 bacon strips
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Optional
- 1 tsp chili lime seasoning (tajin)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper/cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 380°F or 193°C.
- Prepare the candied bacon mixture by combining the brown sugar and maple syrup.
- Air fry the candy bacon at 380°F or 193°C for 8-10 minutes. Lay the bacon strips flat in the air fryer basket then brush it with the candy bacon flavoring. Flip halfway, then brush the other side with the remaining mixture.
- Allow it to cool down for 5 minutes allowing it to solidify or acquire a texture more similar to candy.
- Serve your air fryer maple candied bacon and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat mode, you can set the temperature to 380°F (193°C) and then let it cook for 5 minutes.
- You can also skip preheating by adding 2-4 minutes to your cooking time. Increment gradually, to prevent burning the candied bacon.
- It’s essential to allow the candy bacon to cool down. It will take a few minutes to solidify.
- I used a 6-quart (air fryer) to test the Air Fryer Candied Bacon recipe. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the number of servings you are making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Nutrition
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