Oven Baked Bacon
Cooking bacon in the oven is tidy, steady, and easy to scale for breakfast or brunch. The slices bake flat on a sheet pan, with less splatter than the stovetop method.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 8 servings, about 2 slices each
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 5mCook 20mAmericanBreakfast
Oven baked bacon is a simple hands-off way to cook a full package at once. It is especially helpful when you are feeding a family, making breakfast sandwiches, or prepping bacon for salads and baked potatoes.
The method is straightforward: line a sheet pan, arrange the bacon in a single layer, and bake until it reaches your preferred crispness. A wire rack is optional. It lets more fat drip away, but the bacon also cooks well directly on parchment or foil.
Because bacon thickness varies, the cook time is a range. Start checking early, then pull the pan when the slices are just shy of perfect. Bacon crisps a little more as it cools.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
4 items · 8 servings, about 2 slices each
- 1 pound regular-cut sliced bacon, about 16 slices
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning before baking palate-friendly peppered bacon on the go
- Optional: 1 tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar, for a lightly sweet finish if you like sweet-salty bacon; note that a
- Optional toppings are not included in the nutrition estimate
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Heat the oven
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F. This temperature cooks the bacon evenly without needing to flip every slice.
2. Line the pan
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. A rimmed pan has raised edges, which help keep hot bacon fat from spilling.
3. Arrange the bacon
Lay the bacon slices in a single layer on the pan. The slices can sit close together, but try not to overlap them. Overlapped bacon cooks unevenly and can stay soft where the pieces touch.
4. Add optional seasoning
If using black pepper, sprinkle it lightly over the bacon now. If using a sweet topping, brush or sprinkle it on during the last 5 minutes of baking so it does not burn.
5. Bake until browned
Bake regular-cut bacon for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness and how crisp you like it. Start checking at 12 minutes if your bacon is very thin. Thick-cut bacon may need 22 to 28 minutes.
6. Drain the bacon
Use tongs to move the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. The slices will firm up as they cool, so remove them when they are slightly less crisp than you want.
7. Handle the grease safely
Let the bacon fat cool on the pan until it is warm but not smoking hot. Pour it into a heat-safe jar if you want to save it, or let it solidify and discard it in the trash. Do not pour bacon fat down the sink.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Bake the bacon up to 4 days ahead. Cool it completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container with parchment or paper towels between layers.
- Reheating: Warm cooked bacon on a sheet pan in a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or microwave it in short bursts between paper towels.
- For crispier bacon: Use a wire rack set inside the baking sheet. The rack lifts the bacon so rendered fat can drip below it. Spray the rack lightly or oil it to reduce sticking.
- For chewy bacon: Bake directly on parchment and pull the pan a few minutes earlier, when the edges are browned but the centers still bend easily.
- Swap the cut: Thick-cut bacon works well, but it needs more time. Turkey bacon can also be baked, usually in 10 to 15 minutes at 400°F, but it will be leaner and less shattery-crisp.
- Watch sweet toppings: Maple syrup, honey, and brown sugar can scorch. Add them near the end of baking, not at the start.
Cook's note
The nutrition estimate is based on 1 pound of regular pork bacon yielding about 16 cooked slices, with 2 cooked slices per serving. Optional pepper or sweet toppings are not included.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Do I need to flip bacon in the oven?
No. Regular-cut bacon usually cooks evenly without flipping. If your oven has hot spots or your slices are very thick, you can rotate the pan once halfway through.
Should I bake bacon on parchment, foil, or a rack?
Parchment makes cleanup easy and helps prevent sticking. Foil also works and can be shaped slightly at the corners to hold grease. A wire rack gives the crispest texture, but it adds one more item to wash.
How do I know when oven bacon is done?
Look for browned edges, bubbling fat, and slices that have shrunk slightly. Pull the bacon just before it looks fully crisp because it continues to firm as it cools.
Can I cook a whole pound of bacon at once?
Yes, if the slices fit in one layer on a large rimmed sheet pan. If they do not fit, use two pans and rotate them from top to bottom halfway through baking.
Can I save bacon grease?
Yes. Let the fat cool slightly, then strain it into a clean heat-safe jar. Refrigerate and use small amounts for cooking eggs, greens, potatoes, or beans. Discard it if it smells sour or looks moldy.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
8 servings, about 2 slices each
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat7 g
- 9%
- Saturated Fat2.2 g
- 11%
- Cholesterol18 mg
- 6%
- Sodium275 mg
- 12%
- Total Carbohydrate0 g
- 0%
- Dietary Fiber0 g
- 0%
- Total Sugars0 g
- Protein6 g
- 12%
- Vitamin D0.1 mcg
- 1%
- Calcium2 mg
- 0%
- Iron0.2 mg
- 1%
- Potassium86 mg
- 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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