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How to Cook Bacon in the Oven and Make It Extra Crispy

The easiest way to make this breakfast favorite!

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cooked sriracha maple bacon on a black serving plate
Mike Garten

Cooking bacon in the oven might just be the best way to make everyone's favorite breakfast star. Not only does it create delicious, perfectly crispy strips of bacon, but it also makes way less mess than the traditional stovetop method (no grease splatters here!). Plus, learning how to cook bacon in the oven allows you to churn out a big batch of evenly cooked strips all at once – one pound of bacon will fit across two sheet pans — with zero flipping or fuss. After the bacon's in the oven, you can set a timer and get ready to complete any other breakfast-related tasks (fluffy scrambled eggs, anyone?). Truly, this method is a win-win-win ...

While you could eat a plate full of crispy bacon as your main meal, we'd suggest serving it with another sweet or savory breakfast recipe: crumbled on breakfast tacos (bonus — these also cook in the oven!), paired with a stack of pancakes and plenty of maple syrup or tucked into a cheesy breakfast sandwich, to name a few ideas. Of course, bacon isn't just for breakfast. Use your oven bacon as a topping for some epic grilled burgers, tossed with roasted baby potatoes for a stellar side or added to a classic Cobb salad or BLT. Now, let's bring on the bacon!

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Read on for a step-by-step guide with images, but here's how to make oven bacon in three easy steps:

  1. Heat oven to 400º F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil.
  2. Arrange 1 lb bacon in a single layer on the pans and bake until crisp, 16 to 20 minutes.
  3. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain.
1

Arrange bacon in a single layer on baking sheets

raw bacon on sheet pan
Samantha MacAvoy

Heat oven to 400º F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil. Arrange 1 lb bacon in a single layer across baking sheets.

While foil isn't completely necessary, it makes cleanup much easier. After the bacon is cooked and removed from the pan, just drain off excess fat and carefully fold up the foil to discard. Your pan should be completely clean or only require a few swipes of your sponge.

Another option: place bacon on top of a wire rack set inside the foil-lined baking sheets. The wire rack allows excess fat to drain as the bacon cooks, resulting in a slightly crispier bite. If you don't own one (or don't want another dish to clean!), feel free to skip.

2

Bake at 400º F

cooked bacon on sheet pan
Samantha MacAvoy

Bake until crisp, rotating pans halfway through, 16 to 20 minutes.

Start checking for doneness at the halfway mark — thinner pieces of bacon will cook more quickly, or they might cook quickly if your oven runs hot or you use a particularly heavy-duty pan. Better to be on the safe side!

Craving even more flavor? Brush on a spicy-sweet glaze for the last few minutes of cooking, like in our Sriracha-Maple Bacon recipe.

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3

Transfer to paper towel-lined plate

cooked bacon on plate with white paper towel
Samantha MacAvoy

Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate in a single layer to drain. If stacking bacon on the same plate, layer in-between paper towels.

What to do with the leftover bacon grease?

Save it! Here's how: Strain bacon grease into a heat-safe container. Once cooled, cover and store in the fridge. Use it to sauté veggies or fry eggs for a hint of smoky flavor.

Our best bacon recipes

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Grilled Cabbage Wedges with Creamy Caraway Dressing

grilled cabbage wedges with creamy caraway dressing
Mike Garten

Think of this like a summer wedge salad, complete with lots of crispy bacon.

Get the Grilled Cabbage Wedges With Creamy Caraway Dressing recipe.

Waffles with Spicy Glazed Bacon and Pecans

waffles with spicy glazed bacon and pecans
mike garten

Maple syrup and tabasco sauce create a craveworthy glaze for these crispy strips. Each bite is sweet, spicy and savory all at once.

Get the Waffles with Spicy Glazed Bacon and Pecans recipe.

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BLT Shrimp Rolls

blt shrimp rolls
Mike Garten

Fresh shrimp salad on rolls is a summer classic — take it up a notch with bacon, lettuce and tomato.

Get the BLT Shrimp Rolls recipe.

Bacon-Roasted Potatoes

bacon roasted potatoes in a blue bowl
mike garten

Top potatoes with strips of bacon while they roast to infuse each bite with rich, smoky flavor.

Get the Bacon-Roasted Potatoes recipe.

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Gruyère, Bacon and Spinach Scrambled Eggs

gruyere bacon and spinach scrambled eggs
Mike Garten

Fancy-up your typical bacon, egg and cheese combo with nutty gruyère and a sprinkle of greens.

Get the Gruyère, Bacon and Spinach Scrambled Eggs recipe.

Brussels Sprouts with Heaps of Bacon

brussels sprouts with heaps of bacon on a white platter
Mike Garten

Trying to get the kids to eat more veggies? "Heaps of bacon" should help.

Get the Brussels Sprouts with Heaps of Bacon recipe.

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Bacon Gruyére Breakfast "Pie"

bacon gruyere breakfast pie
Danielle Daly

Pizza night just got a bacon-filled upgrade. Breakfast for dinner, anyone?

Get the Bacon Gruyére Breakfast "Pie" recipe.

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cooked sriracha maple bacon on a black serving plate
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