Jalapeno Bacon
Jalapeno Bacon is a super easy, four ingredient way to jazz up breakfast time! This sweet and spicy bacon is perfect for brunch is also the perfect addition to game day. It can be prepped in advance and served warm or at room temperature!
When I say my family loves bacon, I mean they LOVE bacon. Lars can easily eat 4 pieces at a time and we polish off one package without a problem. I wanted to switch up our weekend bacon game a little and came up with this Jalapeño Bacon recipe. I was worried it would be too spicy for my kids but that wasn't not the case at all! I used grocery store jalapeños, which I've found have become pretty tame, especially if I get rid of all of the seeds.
If you're wanting jalapeños that are definitely spicy, use jalapeños that are fresh from the garden or look for jalapeños that have fine lines, as they have aged and tend to be spicier. Not only is this spicy jalapeño bacon perfect for breakfast or brunch, it's also a delicious and easy appetizer recipe! It's perfect for game day, football season, tailgating, or any sort of get together.
Looking for other bacon breakfast recipes? Check out my Bacon Cheese Turnovers and Bacon Green Chile Breakfast Tacos!
Ingredients in Jalapeno Bacon Recipe
Thick Sliced Bacon - this recipe uses one pound of bacon, but you can definitely double (or triple!) this recipe very easily for larger crowds. I would count on two strips of bacon per person. Be sure to use thick sliced bacon for best results - thick cut bacon holds up to the glaze much better than thinner bacon!
Jalapeños - fresh spicy jalapeños are used in this recipe.
Brown Sugar - brown sugar gives the bacon a sweet flavor and makes it a little crispy after it's been baked. It creates a sort of candied bacon that is so delicious and complements the spiciness from the jalapeño!
Olive Oil - this is for cooking the jalapeños and making the sweet and spicy glaze for the bacon!
How to Make Jalapeno Bacon
This jalapeño bacon recipe really is so simple! It creates perfectly crispy bacon that is sweet from the brown sugar, and a little heat from the jalapeños! Refer to the recipe card for complete recipe instructions.
Prepare. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and (if you want) line it with aluminum foil. This will make cleanup easier! Also, place a wire rack on top of the cookie sheet.
Make the jalapeño brown sugar glaze. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced jalapeños and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Once softened, add the brown sugar, stirring to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes. The brown sugar should be melted. Remove from heat.
Prep the bacon. Place the bacon in a single layer on the wire rack. Spread the jalapeño brown sugar glaze on each slice of bacon.
Bake. Cook the bacon in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and cook another 5-10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on the bacon for the last 5 minutes, as you don't want it to burn!
Cool and Serve. Let the bacon cool for a few minutes and then serve. This bacon can be served warm or at room temperature.
Prep Ahead. If you'd like to prep this in advance, you certainly can! You can either cook the bacon and store in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Or you can prep the glaze, coat the bacon with the glaze, and cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap, refrigeration until you're ready to cook it.
Jalapeno Bacon Tips and Variations
Thick vs regular bacon - I recommend using thick strips of bacon in this recipe, as they hold up to the brown sugar glaze really well. If you can only find regular or thinner bacon, that will still work. Simply reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes and keep an eye on it.
Spicy Peppers - To find the spiciest jalapeño peppers, look for fine lines on the jalapeños. This means they are older and likely spicier.
Omit the spice. Looking for a milder candied bacon recipe? You can follow this recipe, just omitting the peppers! Simply melt the brown sugar in the olive oil and spread over the bacon slices.
Looking for other brunch recipes? Check these out, too!
Ham Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Blueberry Croissant Breakfast Casserole
Jalapeno Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 lb thick cut bacon
- 2 jalapenos finely diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet.
- Add the diced jalapeño and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar, and stir well to combine with the jalapeños, cooking for 1-2 minutes more until the brown sugar is melted. Remove from heat.
- Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and lay out the bacon.
- Brush the brown sugar/jalapeno mixture over the bacon.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and cook another 5-10 minutes, watching carefully.
- Let cool and enjoy!
