Cinnamon Candied Bacon is the ultimate snack for meat lovers at Christmas. Get the recipe below.
Christmas recipes
I use it as a bit of an excuse, but one of my favourite things about food blogging is that I get to think about Christmas even earlier than most. Did you see my recipe for a Festive Baked Camembert a fortnight ago? I did wonder whether it was a teeny bit early to post Christmas recipes but if I'm thinking about Christmas I figured you would be too!
Right now my focus is on recipes that make good appetisers or party food. The kind of things you can serve up to guests along with a glass of mulled wine or a cranberry gin and tonic while "All I want for Christmas" by Maria Carey is blaring in the background. This recipe for Cinnamon Candied Bacon is perfect for that. The crisp shards of bacon can easily be held, and nibbled on, with just one hand. (The other hand being kept free for your cranberry G&T of course).
American influence
It's probably no secret (or surprise) that the first recipes for candied bacon came from the US. Americans are famous for taking perfectly good foods and covering them in chocolate, sugar, sprinkles and other unnecessarily sweet flavours for seemingly no good reason. With that in mind I was a little apprehensive about making candied bacon and I wondered if it was one of those American food fads that just wouldn't take off over here.
But you know what? I was pleasantly surprised!
If you've ever had an American style breakfast involving pancakes, eggs, bacon and maple syrup (and enjoyed it) then you will LOVE cinnamon candied bacon. It takes all the best things about that breakfast and turns them into a fun snack! To make this recipe even more festive, I've added cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the brown sugar mix along with a little black pepper to spice things up a bit. I don't know about you but cinnamon instantly makes me think of Christmas!
How to make Cinnamon Candied Bacon
So how do you make candied bacon? And what's the science behind it?
- First you take streaky bacon (not normal back bacon like we'd usually buy in the UK) and you dip it in a mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper.
- Once it's well coated you lay it on a grilling rack in your oven (with a sheet of tinfoil on the rack below to catch any drips - I forgot this step the first time I made it and boy do I regret it now.)
- You then bake it in the oven low and slow. The sugar and spices will melt together and caramelise as the bacon cooks.
- After letting the bacon cool you are left with a crisp sweet yet salty snack!
I told you it was easy!
The recipe
Cinnamon Candied Bacon
Ingredients
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg ground
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup golden syrup would also work
- 12 rashers bacon
Instructions
- Mix the light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper and place on a plate.
- Take a slice of streaky bacon and brush with a little maple syrup.
- Place the rasher of bacon in the sugar mix and press down so that lots of sugar sticks! (Do this on both sides of the bacon.)
- Lay the bacon on a grilling rack which has been placed over a tray covered in tin foil.
- Repeat this process for each bacon slice.
- Cook the bacon at 150C for 25 minutes or until the sugar has caramelised and the bacon cooked through.
- Leave the bacon to cool and harden on the grilling rack.
- Serve cold.
Nutrition
If we manage to get the house straight in time we are planning on having a few people over for a glass or two of mulled wine at some point in the run up to Christmas. As well as serving festive blinis and marzipan mince pies I'll definitely be serving this cinnamon candied bacon! The sweet and salty combination is incredibly moreish. Who knew sweet meat could be so tasty!
Are you having any Christmas get-together-s this year? Do you usually put on just a few small appetisers or do a full on festive buffet?
More festive sweet treats
Looking for more sweet and spicy recipes for Christmas? Why no try one of these tasty recipes.
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
Oh that sounds so good. I could easily crunch my way through a batch with a drink before dinner!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Helen. It certainly is dangerously moreish!!!
Kavey says
I loooove candied bacon, and this one has such lovely flavours in the mix! Your santa pot is cute!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Kavey 🙂 I think the cinnamon and cracked black pepper really helps to round it all off balancing the sweet and savoury. The adorable santa pot just tops it all off nicely 😀
Diana says
Love the idea of candied bacon with cinnamon, sounds like something I would really enjoy snacking on!