Easy Brown Sugar Bacon Bites

3 simple ingredients are all it takes to make this addictively crunchy, salty, sweet appetizer!

For the printable recipe click here.

3-ingredient Pig Candy

These addictive brown sugar bacon bites, almost like a bacon candy, come together with just three simple ingredients!

Let's look at each one:

The bacon: I like to buy paleo-friendly bacon with no added sugar or nitrates. There are several brands on the market these days, but the most affordable one I can find is the Never Any brand from Aldi. Whichever brand you choose should be regular thickness. The thickness of your bacon matters because thick-cut bacon can be a little more cumbersome for something like this and will take longer to cook.

The crackers: I created this recipe around Simple Mills almond flour crackers. They are paleo-friendly and make the perfect-sized base for receiving the sugar and wrapping the bacon. The crackers absorb all the goodness of melting sugar and rendering bacon and help to create the perfect soft-crunch once the bacon treats cool.

The sugar: I have tested this recipe with both the namesake brown sugar and the more-paleo coconut sugar. Both sugars work extremely well. I use organic brown sugar that is processed in a manner I feel comfortable with, but I if you prefer coconut sugar, it's really hard to tell the difference between the two in this particular recipe.

The main difference is that the coconut sugar is less sticky/clumpy, so when you place it on the crackers, it is more likely to spill out a little and possibly burn in the oven. It wasn't a very big problem for me, but just something to be aware of.

I debated what to name these treats, considering that they may or may not be made with actual brown sugar, but-- since coconut sugar is technically brown, and it shares a somewhat similar flavor profile with brown sugar-- I feel like the name "Brown Sugar Bacon Bites" works either way. I really like alliteration. Haha.

Variations

If you want to venture into spicy territory, you could add a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or chili powder to the brown sugar, or add just a drop of sriracha to each cracker to make Brown Sugar Sriracha Bacon Bites. Or increase the alliteration even more by making Black Pepper Brown Sugar Bacon Bites, adding just a little bit of black pepper. If you happen to have candied jalapenos lying around, I wouldn't kick one of those out of my bacon bite either.

How to make Brown Sugar Bacon Bites

If you're looking for bacon-wrapped appetizer ideas, this sweet and salty snack definitely makes an easy and deliciously addictive appetizer. Let's take a look at the simple steps!

Start with a large rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan), lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

​Open your package of bacon and cut the bacon strips in half. I like to do this with kitchen sheers.

Place the bacon pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Place a Simple Mills almond flour cracker on the center of each bacon slice.

Top each cracker with 1/4 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar.

Wrap each cracker in bacon by folding one side over the brown sugar and the other side over the top. At this point, you could use a wooden toothpick to secure each piece of bacon in place, but I have tested this recipe both with and without that step, and I didn't find it to be necessary. The main reason to do it, in my opinion, is just that the toothpicks make handy handles for transferring the bacon bites to a wire rack (for cooling) or serving platter. However, they can make the bites more awkward to eat.

Sprinkle just a little bit of brown sugar or coconut sugar over the top of each bacon bundle.

Bake till perfect!

Can you make these Brown Sugar Bacon Bites ahead?

My kids would definitely say YES! Monsters and Mommy agree these bacon treats are great straight of the fridge the next day.

You will just want to make sure you blot them off a little with a paper towel to remove any excess grease before storing them in the fridge, as the rendered bacon fat will solidify in the fridge. A too-thick cloak of bacon grease may be off-putting, both in appearance and mouthfeel.

I can't tell you exactly how long they'll stay good in the fridge--ours are always gone by the end of day 2.

Whether you make them ahead or serve them as soon as they cool, the salty bacon and crackers are the perfect contrast to the sweet brown sugar, creating yummy, slightly caramelized bacon for an easy sweet and salty treat! Let this recipe be the perfect addition to your holiday cocktail party or Christmas brunch!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 package bacon, regular thickness, about 9 pieces

• 18 Simple Mills almond flour crackers (or twice the number of pieces of bacon)

• 6 T organic brown sugar or coconut sugar (or 1/4 tsp per cracker, plus extra for sprinkling)

Here's what you'll do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. Cut the bacon strips in half and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Place a cracker in the center of each strip of bacon.

4. Top each cracker with 1/4 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar.

5. Fold one side of the bacon over the cracker and the other side of bacon over the top. If one side is fattier than the other, let the fattier side be on the top, as the fat sticks in place a little better than the meat.

6. Sprinkle just a tiny bit of brown sugar or coconut sugar over the tops, trying not to get too much on the baking sheet (to avoid scorching).

7. Bake the bacon bundles at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven halfway through for even baking.

8. Turn on the broiler and broil the bundles for about 1 minute to get the tops nice and crispy--do not wander off! They will go from perfect to carbonized pretty quickly.

9. Let the bundles cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the bundles to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy once cool, or blot gently with a paper towel to remove excess grease, and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

For the printable recipe click here.

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