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Today, we are mastering a life skill: Baked Bacon. Cooking bacon by baking it in the oven is hands-down the best way to make crispy bacon with less mess. You’ll proudly call yourself a bacon perfectionist!

baked bacon crispy and ready to eat

Baked Bacon is the Best Bacon

The secret to perfect fried bacon is that it isn’t fried; it’s baked.

  • Even Cooking. An oven-safe rack allows the heat to circulate evenly around the bacon, a key component of bacon excellence.
  • Hands-Free. No standing at the stove to babysit your bacon. It cooks in the oven unattended.
  • Safer. Oven bacon won’t splatter you with hot grease while you fry it.
  • Restaurant-Worthy. Ever wonder how your favorite brunch, burger or BLT spot achieves those flat, thick, and magically crisp bacon slices? I’d wager my last piece that the bacon is baked. It’s the method most restaurants use.
  • Bigger Batches. Cooking for a crowd? Bake two sheet pans at once.
  • Easy Clean Up. Let the grease harden on the foil, then discard it. Simple!
  • Healthier than Fried. The grease from the bacon drips off and is collected below the rack, which means it stays off your bacon and out of your body. I also pat the bacon to remove some extra grease and keep it crisp.

Want your bacon even faster? Make Air Fryer Bacon!

bacon on a wire baking sheet to bake in oven

How to Cook Perfect Bacon in the Oven

The ONLY Ingredient

  • High-Quality Bacon. This might sound obvious, but I can’t overstate its importance: the better quality of bacon you buy, the better your final baked bacon will taste. I promise it’s worth it!
bacon on baking sheet

How Long to Bake Bacon

How long bacon should be cooked in the oven will vary based upon the thickness of your bacon and your desired crispness.

  • For Thin-Cut Bacon. Regular, thin-cut bacon will typically bake in 12 minutes at 400 degrees F. If you want it extra crispy, you can let it bake a little longer, but keep a close eye on it.
  • For Thick-Cut Bacon. Thicker bacon will take 14 to 20 minutes, depending upon your thickness and how crisp you would like it to be.

The time the bacon takes to cook will also vary by how many slices you are making at once.

If your sheet pan is very crowded, you may need to extend the baking time by a few minutes.

strips of baked bacon

Storing Oven Bacon

  • To Store. Cooked bacon will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. If it starts to smell funny or change appearance, throw it out.
  • To Reheat. Recrisp your bacon slices on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F.
  • To Freeze. Store baked bacon slices in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove and thaw slices as desired.
oven baked bacon on ap late

How to Use Baked Bacon

Now that you’ve mastered the life skill of how to make oven baked bacon, it’s time to use it!

crispy baked bacon in the oven

Tips for Perfect Baked Bacon

  • Use Good Quality Bacon! It’s literally everything. You often get the best options by purchasing it from the butcher counter at the grocery store. It’s usually only a dollar or two more than the pre-packaged stuff, but the taste is remarkably better.
  • Go for Thick Cut Bacon. It’s easier to layer onto to sandwiches, makes more of an impact when sprinkled on salads, and is extra satisfying when munched on its own.
  • Bake at 400 Degrees F. Some recipes recommend baking bacon at other temperatures or starting the bacon in a cold oven, but I found that a preheated 400 degrees F is the best temperature for baking bacon. It cooks the bacon evenly no matter its thickness and the bacon won’t splatter.
  • Use a Rack for the Ultimate Crisp. A rack elevates the bacon so air can circulate evenly and grease can drip off. Washing the rack is a bit of a pain; we think it’s worth it, but if you prefer to bake bacon without a rack, place the strips directly on the aluminum foil or on a sheet of parchment.
  • Save the Grease. Bacon drippings are gold! Collect the grease in a jar in the refrigerator, then use it to make the best ever Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Sautéed Cabbage.

Baked Bacon

4.84 from 93 votes
The secret to crispy bacon? Make baked bacon in the oven! Evenly cooked, perfectly crisp, with easy clean up. Great for breakfast, sandwiches and more!

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Servings: 1 to 100!

Ingredients
  

  • 6 slices bacon or any number of strips and thickness you like (see notes for recommendations)
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions
 

  • If making an amount of bacon that will fit on a single baking sheet without overlapping (about 6 to 8 slices, depending upon the bacon and sheet), place a rack in the center of your oven. If making a larger amount, place the racks in the upper and lower thirds. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  • Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean up (if you prefer to bake the bacon without foil, leave the foil off), then place an ovenproof baking rack on top. Spritz the baking rack lightly with nonstick spray. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the baking rack.
  • Bake until you reach your desired level of crispness. This could be as early as 12 minutes if you are using thinner bacon and like it less crisp or 20 minutes or more if you using a thicker cut and like your bacon really crispy. If baking two racks at once, rotate their positions halfway through.
  • Once cooked, immediately transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and lightly pat dry (this keeps it from getting soggy). Let cool just enough so that you don't (completely) burn your tongue. Devour immediately or use to top salads, pastas, and sandwiches, or in any of
    these recipes.
  • To clean up: Let the bacon grease cool and harden, then crumple it up inside the foil and discard. If you’d like to use the bacon grease for another purpose, let it cool for a few minutes, transfer it to a lidded container or jar, and refrigerate.

Video

Notes

  • I like and recommend thick-cut applewood smoked bacon. The applewood smoke flavor is classic, and the thick cut provides maximum bacon crunch and full flavor. I also prefer center cut bacon when possible, as it is more lean and “meaty.” If you can get the bacon from the butcher directly or from a local supplier, that’s even better. With bacon, quality really counts, and it’s worth the splurge. We are making bacon, after all.
  • TO STORE: Cooked bacon will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. If it starts to smell funny or change appearance, throw it out.
  • TO REHEAT: Rewarm gently in the microwave or use at room temperature.
  • TO FREEZE: Store baked bacon slices in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove and thaw slices as desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bacon stripCalories: 92kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 15mgPotassium: 44mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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138 Comments

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  1. The only negative I can see in using this method – who gets to clean the oven? UGH! I used to have an electric stove and the oven door was removable which made the cleaning much easier. Your pictures of the bacon make me want to immediately cook up a batch!

    1. Chris, I’ve actually never had a problem with my oven getting dirty or the bacon splattering, which is one of the reasons I love this method. One reader mentioned that she had this same problem (oven splatter), but had never tried using a rack. Maybe that is the trick?

    2. You will not believe it, but I lay a double layer of paper towel on top of the alum foil to soak up the grease. No, it does not catch on fire! I also do this with baking chicken wings ala Rachael Ray style at 450 degrees on a rack with paper towels underneath and it also eliminates the smokey disgusting oven and aroma. Good luck. Give it a try!

  2. I tried cooking bacon in the oven once a long time ago and it made a complete mess of the inside of the oven! I don’t think I used a rack. Is that the secret to it not splattering all over the oven? I’m a big bacon fan and would love a less messy way to cook more of it! Thanks :)

    1. Samantha, I’ve actually never had a problem with it splattering, and I’ve always used a rack, so maybe that is the secret? If you try it with the rack, I’d love to hear how it goes!

    2. I tried using parchment paper under the rack- that seemed to be the cleanest way to keep the grease from going everywhere. Easiest clean up too.5 stars

  3. Yes! This is how we make our bacon all the time. It’s fantastic! Our son won’t have it any other way and trust me, I’ve tried! Loved the post!5 stars

  4. Thank you for these great tips! I want to make a Cobb salad these days, similar to the one they have at Hard Rock Cafe. I was really wondering what to do with the bacon, I thought I should fry it, but yours look perfect, so I’ll try your method. :)

  5. I love to make bacon this way and for special brunches I liberally sprinkle brown sugar mixed with cayenne pepper on top of thick sliced applewood bacon before placing in the oven. I am always asked for the recipe! I have never had trouble with splattering so it must be the the racks but they do need to be soaked and cleaned right after baking or the sugar is tough to clean off of them.

  6. I have a hard time finding thick bacon without nitrates..love the butcher’s bacon but he usually doesn’t have the uncured.

    1. Good luck with the hunt, Darlene! That’s great that your butcher does sometimes have it…maybe you can convince him that he needs to have it more often? :)

  7. I have to try this! Can’t believe I’ve never done it. Thanks for the shout-out for my Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs!

  8. Made it this morning, very good! Only difference was here at 10,000 ft. It took around 15 minutes longer.5 stars

    1. Thank you for that. I’m in a high altitude location and frankly I’ve never mastered the conversions for cooking up here — I need written instructions! So thank you.

  9. This made such a big difference. Thank you! Steps are easy to follow and the bacon is crisp but not burnt.5 stars

    1. Sherry, I am so so happy to hear this method worked for you! Thanks for taking time to leave this lovely review.

  10. Using heavy duty foil or parchment paper is a must when cooking bacon inthe oven. Also, rinse off your bacon with cool water and pat dry before you put them in the pan. This helps reduce shrinkage and helps the bacon cook better IMO. Using better quality bacon also yields better results. I use Hemplers or some other no nitrate, thick cut bacon and don’t have the splatter problem.5 stars

  11. It was easy and quick. 12 minutes were perfect for think bacon that we are using for gourmet grilled cheese sandwich bar.5 stars

  12. My only concern is my sheet pans tend to buckle in the oven when heating up. I’m afraid it’ll spray grease everywhere when it does. Use good quality sheet pans

  13. Best way to make bacon!! Won’t do it any other way from now on!! No mess or splatter in oven and perfect every time!5 stars

  14.  Been fixing bacon like this for years. I take a morning and using this method fix 4 to 6 pounds of bacon at a time. My crowd eats it on everything. I put it in smaller batches in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze it. When you need some take it out the freezer put it in the fridge and it’s ready to go. And always save the grease in a jar in the fridge. Great for all the good country cooking seasoning. Thanks for sharing your great tips. 5 stars

  15. Leftover bacon?

    1. Not possible.
    2. I’m not sure I trust anyone that believes it is possible.
    3. That is a very disturbing concept.

    Cooked bacon has a shelf life of 2 minutes from cooked to in my belly.5 stars

  16. I’ve been making my bacon like this for about a year. I get thick sliced applewood bacon and usually do 2 lbs at a time. Then I put in freezer bags and put flat in freezer. Whether I want 2 slices for breakfast or 3 for a BLT, I’m set. Maybe it’s my oven, but I cook longer than 25 minutes. L
    Lining the pan with aluminum foil and spraying the rack are a MUST. Great recipe. Thanks5 stars

  17. This is my favorite way to cook bacon! I started about two years ago and have never looked back! Highly recommend!5 stars

    1. I’m so happy that it’s been successful for you, Marina! Thank you for sharing this kind review!

  18. What is this mythical “leftover cooked bacon” you speak of refrigerating and freezing? I have never seen such a thing at my house!

    1. It’s definitely a rare thing at our house too, Lynda! I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!

      1. I did try it, Erin, and it worked perfectly! I had been baking bacon on foil-lined sheet pans for years, but using a rack over the sheet pan did keep the slices nice and flat, and reduced the splatter and lingering bacon smell in the house greatly. Not that there’s anything with the snell of bacon, of course! Thanks for introducing me to this new, improved method!5 stars

  19. Yes! Over baked bacon is the only way to go! I gets so crispy and you can cook it nice and slowly as well. Always seems to be more evenly cooked too. Frying is just a pain…oven baked all the way!5 stars

  20. My son fixed bacon this way when I visited last week. I was blown away at the ease and perfection this method was. I have been cooking bacon for 50 years the hard messy way. WOW!!5 stars

  21. I love baking bacon in my convection oven. And, you are absolutely correct, it’s the best method. Here’s another tip for ease of clean up. I line my baking sheet with Kirkland’s Parchment paper, then I place my broiler rack on the paper. But here’s the tip. Take another smaller piece of either parchment paper or regular aluminum foil. (no need to waste the heavy duty stuff) Then, before laying out the strips of bacon, using a very sharp paring knife, slice the top layer along the line parallel to the grid. This allows even more of the oils/grease to seep through to the parchment paper ling the baking sheet. Once the bacon is done to your liking, simply remove it to a paper towel lined serving platter for further draining. And,, viola! No messy clean up on the grids. Simply remove that layer and toss. Wait a while for the bottom layer of drippings to cool and slightly gel before attempting to place in the trash. Happy Baking!!!5 stars

  22. Fun article, thanks. Several years ago I purchased a nothing fancy Gourmia air fryer from Costco. I am a serious cook but not prone to a kitchen full of gizmos but I have found one of the chores the af shines at is bacon. About 7-10 mins, hands off for perfect bacon each time. I love the repeatability and one step process. It turns out I use the device fairly often for all sorts of stuff. Does great with a lot of things. One thing I have fun playing with is what I call hybrid cooking, where I use the microwave and the AF. Lots of super on frozen items like burritos, breaded shrimp, etc. Thaw and/cook as required in the microwave, then finish in the air fryer for a nice crispy finish. Great cooking site, thanks. I enjoy your style.5 stars

  23. Absolutely Perfect.I’m about to go to a roadside stand and pick up some tomatoes from a farmer that sells great produce on the roadside. Club sandwiches or B.L.T’s just cant decide yet.

    Thank you!5 stars

  24. There isn’t a person in my family that doesn’t like Bacon, so doing them this way was AWESOME!
    Baking made them crispy and chewy and they were devoured very quickly! I did have to bake them about 5 minutes longer as I baked the whole pound! I’m gonna have to cook more next time, as there were 6 of us and we each got only 3 slices! Thank you for being so thorough in your explanation of the recipe!5 stars

  25. This is a great method for big families. Like you said, I can cook-up all of the bacon in the oven and free-up stovetop space for everything else, and then it’s all hot at once 👍5 stars

  26. I’ve never made bacon in the oven. I want to try it, as it looks so much easier! I have one hesitation though. Does the grease spatter at all in the oven?

    1. Hi Colleen, yes, you will have some grease spatter. Using center cut bacon will cut down on this! Hope you enjoy it!

  27. This recipe was absolutely perfect for my BLT. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. This is how I’m going to cook my bacon from now on. I’ll never fry bacon as long as I live.5 stars

  28. Some awesome tips here! I’ve been using cookie cooling racks but never sprayed them yet, the cleanup of the racks is a pain so I’m hoping the spray will help!

  29. Yes I did, and I am looking forward to further recipes from you as I signed up for your delicious recipes that I am looking forward to. Thank you very much, Papa Mark5 stars

  30. This way to cook bacon is bland. Give me a cast iron skillet cooking on 4 to start turning down to 3. It may take a little longer, cooking the bacon slow, but there is no splatter and taste so much better.1 star

    1. ’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Dave. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it, so I truly wish it would have been a hit for you.

    1. I’m so sorry that you had trouble with this recipe. I (and other readers) have had success with the time listed, but every oven can be different. I hope it goes better next time.

  31. Loved that I had to scroll through pages and pages of nonsense and ads to find the temperature and cook time.

    1. Hi Antonio. You actually didn’t have to do that at all. All you needed to do was hit the “jump to recipe” at the top of the screen to get to the recipe faster. The post contains lots of tips and information for those who like it, so I think the “jump to recipe” button would be great for you.

  32. How did I not know about this method years ago? It’s so much easier!! I crowd my baking sheets full of bacon, and then rotate them, flip the bacon if it’s on a rack or use parchment directly on the pan, with bacon on top. It takes closer to 45 minutes for my oven to cook the bacon crispy but I’m sure it’s because my whole oven is packed full.5 stars

  33. Hi Erin,

    How do you think this would work with subbing out the baking sheet for a cast iron skillet? With or without rack?

    Here is my thinking: When I pan fry bacon, my kitchen fills with smoke (and I have no hood. *sad trombone*). I would hope that baking would either eliminate this or keep most of the smoke in the oven and slowly seep out instead of walking around in a smoke cloud for an hour.

    Also, if I don’t save the bacon grease for another dish… free seasoning of my skillet!

    I kind of also wonder if the bacon may cook faster or more even with that hot, hot skillet cooking the bottom side of the bacon.

    Regardless, I am almost certain to try it tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Hi Todd! I haven’t tested this out with a cast iron skillet but it would likely work. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!

      1. It turned out great. The one on a rack turned out better and noticeably less salty than the one directly in cast iron. There was zero smoke to speak of. I was able to knock out the rest of breakfast and leave the bacon unattended, which was a nice surprise. After seasoning the two skillets, I still had 2 oz of grease left, which was also neat.

        Having experimented, I will most likely go with your baking sheet method instead… I could really only get about 4 slices of bacon per skillet, which is usually enough. But, the baking sheet sounds a lot less fussy.5 stars

  34. Cleanup of the rack is the main chore of this method, so I cook 2 lbs at a time…and freeze the rest.

    I use this method because cooking is more uniform…and has minimal spatter.5 stars

  35. Usually just “bake” it just in tinfoil which is really no different then frying due to all the grease it is still sitting in. I actually found a baking rack I forgot I had at my house and much better baking taste and experience!!5 stars

  36. This works well. Followed many times. For convenience, I cook 2 lbs in 3 batches over a rack and a pan lined with parchment paper. I keep the bacon fat for roasted potatoes and fried eggs. And freeze most of the bacon for sandwiches, eggs, and salads.5 stars

  37. Yes, this is the ONLY way that I cook bacon. No mes and the bacon always is perfectly done – looks good, too.

  38. Fun fact “Air Fryers” are just counter top convection OVENS. So it’s literally the same as cooking it in the oven

    1. Correct Bill! But you would have to have a convection oven in order for it to be the same. This gives people the option to cook in the oven if they don’t have a convection oven. Enjoy!

  39. I love to cook the whole package of thick sliced bacon this way. I also press a sheet of parchment paper on top of the bacon as it keeps my oven cleaner and doesn’t interfere with crisping.5 stars

  40. Just cooked extra thick, non cured bacon in the oven at 325 degrees for 25 min on a two piece baking pan. Flipped after 15 min. Pieces were perfectly straight and absolutely melted in your mouth.5 stars

  41. This is by far the easiest, cleanest way to cook bacon and I love it. You can cook to the desired texture too. I have also prepared some this way for my elderly mother and she does not have to cook bacon on her own which gives me peace of mind.5 stars

  42. Cooking the entire package of thick-cut bacon using this method is my favorite way to prepare it. I also place a sheet of parchment paper over the bacon to keep the oven cleaner without hindering the crisping process.5 stars

  43. Cooking in batches is convenient, so I cook 3 pounds of bacon in 4 batches on a rack over a parchment-lined pan. I save the bacon grease for roasted potatoes and some popcorn.5 stars

  44. I actually purchased a thick Applewood Bacon. I baked it longer than indicated. Just saying you have to stand in front of the oven with the light on. I also save every precious drop of bacon grease, for future recipes or frying.5 stars

    1. Hi Catherine, you could try using a center cut bacon. It has less fat and will produce a little less grease. Enjoy!

  45. I make bacon every school day for my Grandson, and have been slashed and burned so many times, and made such a mess. The oven method is sooooo easy, and the bacon comes out perfect. Thank you for sharing this.5 stars

  46. Made this today for my daughter’s birthday breakfast. Alongside with some scrambled eggs, hash brown patties, & maple sausage. I used the bacon grease for the scrambled eggs. It was so delicious! The bacon was just perfect. Don’t think I’m going back to the pan method any time soon!5 stars

  47. This is a no fuss way to cook a pound of bacon, but it does take a little longer than frying. If you are busy, this is definitely worth making.5 stars

  48. It was in many ways so much easier than the old cook top method. Easy to clean up after…And the bacon turns out terrific. If the recipe calls for cut up bacon it still works just fine. Thank you very much!5 stars

  49. So much easier than frying. Works great every time. Nice and crispy. I like to keep it in the freezer so it’s handy for BLTs especially when we’re camping.5 stars

  50. I cook bacon this way and usually use parchment paper. After cooling on paper towels, I put the bacon into a freezer zip lock bag to freeze. Any number of pieces can be retrieved later and microwaved for 1 min. My husband sometimes likes to re crisp in the air fryer. Both ways are good and convenient.5 stars

  51. This is my new favorite way of cooking bacon, and it frees up time to multitask more efficiently. Tried it for the first time today. Even the smallest difference in thickness of the slices can mean minutes of difference in baking. Check it often as it bakes.5 stars