Bacon in the Oven (Baked Bacon)
Learn the easiest method of cooking bacon (in under 20 minutes!) with this easy-to-follow guide to cooking bacon in the oven. Baked bacon has far less splatter and perfect crispness every time. It will become your new favorite way to make bacon!
This is hands-down the easiest way to cook bacon. Knowing the secret of how to cook bacon in the oven is a game-changer. All you do is lay strips down on the sheet pan (with or without a rack) and it’s hands-off from there. No standing at the stove, no dodging stray splatter and no more pressing down on those fatty ends trying to get them to crisp up!
About this recipe
There’s something to be said about the sizzle of the bacon as soon as it hits the pan, no doubt. But there’s also something to be said about cooking bacon without a ton of grease splatter on your stove, and fatty bits from uneven cooking! There’s no denying that baked bacon is the way to go for an easier clean-up and evenly crisped, perfectly cooked bacon every time!
It should come as no surprise that breakfast is kind of a big deal around here, so any kind of bacon is a must-have when hosting a breakfast or brunch or even when it’s a breakfast for dinner kind of day. Don’t you just love a salty, crispy slice of bacon on the side of eggs, crumbled on pancakes, or even candied bacon as a snack. It’s all delicious and cooking it in the oven will become your new favorite way to make it! You’ll definitely want to check out bacon jam, too.
What you need
- Bacon – You can use regular bacon or thick cut. It’s up to you. The thick-cut may need to be baked a little longer, depending on your oven, but not by much.
- A Baking Sheet – Large enough to hold about 8 slices of bacon (minimum 12×16). You can add a few more slices as needed as long as they all fit without overlapping. Make sure it has a rim all the way around to catch any grease released during cooking
- Foil – An optional way to make clean up a little easier is to line your baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Parchment Paper – Also optional, but laying a piece of parchment paper on top of the bacon as it cooks helps to avoid splatter in the oven.
How to make it
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (read on for tips if you’d like to cook it at a different temperature). If desired, line the baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier clean-up. There is a theory that starting your bacon off in a cold oven and allowing it to cook as it preheats is better, but the difference isn’t enough to make any changes to this recipe! (Sometimes I do that, sometimes I don’t – as long as you keep an eye on it, you’ll be okay!)
Lay the bacon on the sheet pan, evenly spaced, without overlapping.
If desired, cover the top with a sheet of parchment paper to reduce grease splatters. Bake for 12 minutes.
If it seems like it isn’t cooking evenly (because all ovens are different), rotate your pan and flip each slice of bacon over using a spatula or tongs and bake again for 3-5 minutes or until it reaches your desired crispiness.
Remove the bacon from the pan and set it on a plate with a paper towel to drain off the excess grease.
Let it cool to the touch before serving.
How long does bacon take to cook in the oven?
Below are guidelines that will vary based on your oven and the thickness of your bacon. Never walk too far away from bacon because it’s a thin line between crispy and burnt. It also depends on the desired level of crispness you’re after and the thickness of your bacon. No one wants to burn their bacon! It’s smelly, and very sad.
- 300ºF – At this low temperature, it could take 25-40 minutes for bacon to be cooked, give or take, depending on the crisp factor you’re after.
- 350ºF – 20-30 minutes should suffice. Keep an eye on it!
- 400ºF – 12-20 minutes. The higher the temperature, the faster it cooks (obviously).
- 425ºF – 12-15 minutes. The 25-degree difference between 400 and 425 isn’t drastic so there should only be a few minutes difference.
Favorite ways to use bacon
- Before baking the bacon, coat it with sugar and spice and enjoy homemade candied bacon!
- Use a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet for a crinkled look. Place the strips across the rack and gently press the bacon in between the spaces just a bit. It should look like waves. Picture perfect!
- Crumple the bacon into bits and use the bits to top your bacon pancakes, in breakfast crunchwraps, or this bacon, jalapeno, and cheddar sheet pan pancakes recipe. Try them in bacon cheddar savory waffles or a savory bacon Dutch baby with cheddar cheese.
- Serve on the side of corn fritters, hashbrown waffles, or roasted tomato and avocado toast.
- Present them on a breakfast board for a special occasion platter!
FAQs
All ovens are created differently. Different brands, sizes, models, and even the age of the oven matter! The times we provide in this post and recipe are guidelines, but it is always best to stay close and keep an eye on your bacon. Ideally, you want to aim to place your bacon in a preheated 400-degree oven for optimal results and cook for about 12 to 18 minutes.
The beauty of cooking baked bacon is that flipping isn’t a must. You can, if you prefer, but you don’t have to. The only time flipping is recommended is if you see that the bacon isn’t cooking evenly. Again, this is an oven variation issue. It might be more necessary with thick cut bacon.
A neat trick is to place a sheet of parchment paper right on top of the bacon! It prevents it from splattering out of the baking sheet.
Storage Suggestions
Cooked bacon can stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Reheating Tips
Use the oven at 350ºF to heat bacon through and regain some of the crispness. Otherwise, you can use the microwave at 30-second intervals to heat up. It won’t be as crispy but will still taste the way good bacon should!
More breakfast basics
- How to Scramble Eggs
- How to Make Buttermilk (perfect for our fluffy buttermilk pancakes!)
- How to Make Whipped Cream
- How to Brown Butter
- How to make the Best Mimosa
Get the Recipe: Bacon in the Oven (Baked Bacon)
Ingredients
- 8 slices regular cut bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. If desired, line 12×16 inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier clean up.
- Arrange the bacon, evenly spaced in a single layer, on a large baking pan.
- If desired, cover the top with a sheet of parchment paper to reduce grease spatters.
- Bake for 12 minutes. If it seems like the bacon isn’t cooking evenly (this depends on your oven), rotate your pan and flip each slice of bacon over using a spatula or tongs. Be careful that the bacon doesn’t rip when you lift it and bake again for 3-5 minutes or until it reaches your desired crispiness.
- Remove the bacon from the pan and set it on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain off the excess grease.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Baked bacon can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat bacon in the oven at 350ºF to regain some of the crispness. Otherwise, you can use the microwave at 30-second intervals to heat up (wrap it in paper towel to avoid a mess). It won’t be as crispy but will still taste the way good bacon should!
- Below are guidelines for different oven temperatures that will vary based on your oven and the thickness of your bacon. Keep an eye on your bacon! We recommend 400ºF for best results.
- 300ºF – 35-40 minutes
- 350ºF – 20-30 minutes
- 400ºF – 12-20 minutes
- 425ºF – 12-15 minutes
It’s not as crispy as a pan, it can be perfectly cooked but it’s like flimsy. Not my favorite.
It always gets super crispy for us! Maybe try cooking it a bit longer?
I have been cooking bacon in the oven for 50 years.
It’s a great way to make bacon!