Cowboy Bacon: Spicy Candied Bacon for cooking, easy recipes

Close-up of thick-cut spicy candied bacon glazed with brown sugar and barbecue sauce, topped with jalapeño and Fresno pepper rings on a baking sheet

This cowboy bacon delivers a sticky, spicy-sweet bite that lands somewhere between crispy and chewy. It is perfect for parties and makes a bold addition to any collection of cooking, easy recipes. Thick-cut bacon gets baked, repeatedly glazed, and finished with jalapeño and Fresno pepper rings for texture and heat.

Wire cooling rack positioned over a foil-lined baking tray ready for bacon

Step 1: Gather ingredients and equipment

  • Ingredients
    • 1 lb thick-cut bacon
    • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
    • 2 Tbsp barbecue sauce (any favorite)
    • 1 tsp rice vinegar
    • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
    • 2–3 jalapeños and 2–3 Fresno chiles, sliced into rings and seeded
  • Equipment
    • Baking sheet lined with heavy-duty foil
    • Wire rack that fits the sheet (or crinkled foil as a rack)
    • Pastry brush, small whisk, scissors
Neatly arranged thick-cut bacon strips on a wire rack above a foil-lined baking sheet

Step 2: Prep and par-bake the bacon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the pan with foil and set the rack over it so rendered fat drips below. Lay one pound of thick-cut bacon across the rack (a little touching is fine). Bake in the upper center of the oven for 10 minutes, flip each strip, then bake another 10 minutes. Par-baking renders fat and improves final texture before glazing.

Brushing brown sugar and barbecue glaze onto par‑baked thick‑cut bacon on a wire rack

Step 3: Make the glaze

Whisk together the packed brown sugar, barbecue sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper, and garlic powder until smooth. The glaze is simple but sticky and flavorful. Keep a little back—this recipe calls for several light coats rather than one thick layer.

Step 4: Glaze, flip, and caramelize

  1. Trim any curling bacon ends with scissors and flatten.
  2. Brush one side generously and bake 7 minutes.
  3. Flip, brush the other side, and bake 7 minutes.
  4. Flip once more and bake 10 minutes without brushing to begin caramelization.
  5. Optionally rotate faster-cooking outer strips toward the center for even doneness, brush again, then bake another 10 minutes.
Hand placing a jalapeño ring on a glazed bacon strip on a wire rack.

Step 5: Add pepper rings and finish

One final brush acts as glue for the seeded jalapeño and Fresno rings. Arrange the rings across each strip, using different sizes to fit narrower or wider sections. Bake about 10 minutes until peppers are tender and bacon is deeply browned. Finish with a quick final glaze if any remains, then remove and cool.

Caramelized thick-cut bacon strips topped with red and green pepper rings on a wire rack

Serving and storage

  • Let bacon cool on parchment to avoid sticking, then cut in half for bite-size pieces.
  • Serve flat on a platter or stand pieces vertically in a glass for a fun presentation.
  • Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated; rewarm briefly to revive the glaze.

Expert tips and tricks

  • Use thick-cut bacon for the ideal chew-to-crisp balance.
  • Don’t overbrush. Multiple light coats give better caramelization than one heavy coat.
  • Adjust heat by swapping peppers or adding a pinch of cayenne to the glaze.
  • This recipe sits squarely in the world of reliable cooking, easy recipes—simple steps, big payoff.

With those steps, this spicy candied cowboy bacon becomes the hit snack at any gathering—bold, sticky, and utterly addictive.

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