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Learn how to bake bacon in the oven in this easy tutorial. Make delicious, perfectly crispy bacon each and every time with this simple kitchen hack.
This method for how to cook bacon in the oven is perfect for cooking for a crowd, or when you just want to prep a lot of cooked bacon for quick meals.
And because cooked bacon is so easy to reheat, anyone in your family can make their own breakfast. And that makes you a genius.
How to Bake Bacon in the Oven:
*You’ll find a printable recipe card with all these details at the bottom of the post.
You’re going to need a rimmed baking sheet and some foil.
- You’ll completely cover the baking sheet with foil and then place bacon slices on the baking sheet. Try not to overlap slices.
- I cook mine at 400˚F for 15-20 minutes and then cook in 5-minute increments until it is almost exactly how I want it. It will continue to crisp up a bit after you take it out of the oven. Every oven is different, so use your eyes and your nose as your best judgment during the baking process.
- Remove the bacon from the baking sheet and place it on a plate lined with paper towels or newspaper.
How Long to Cook Bacon in the Oven
I prefer to cook ours at 400˚F, and it takes about 20-30(ish) minutes. Our oven has many hot spots, so I start checking on it at 15 minutes and I also rotate the pan.
Please note, each brand of bacon will be different and cooking time will vary depending on the cut. Thick-cut bacon can take up to 30 minutes, while thinner cuts may only take 15.
If you need to cook just a few slices at a time, try Air Fryer Bacon or Air Fryer Turkey Bacon for another fast and mess-free method.
How to Make Your Bacon Extra Crispy
Extra crispy bacon is the best! To make your bacon extra crispy, cook it for 2-3 minutes after it looks completely baked. If the ends of the bacon are cooking faster than the middle, you can reduce the temperature to 375˚F.
You’ll also have the best results with bacon that is marked as thin-cut or thin-sliced.
To take bacon from crispy to CRISPY, you can actually dredge it in all-purpose flour before it is cooked in the oven. Dredge the bacon slices individually through the flour and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. You’ll need to refrigerate the bacon uncovered, overnight before baking.
Pro Tips
- Need to get rid of the smell from baking bacon in your house? Simmer a saucepan of water on the stove with ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and a splash of almond extract if you have it.
- Reheat the bacon in the microwave for 30 seconds for a fast breakfast or for making the perfect BLT in a flash. You can also reheat it in the air fryer at 340˚F for 1 minute.
How to Bake Bacon
Equipment
- Foil
- Tongs
- paper towels
Ingredients
Instructions
- Completely cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil.Bacon
- Place bacon slices on the baking sheet. Try not to overlap slices.
- Cook at 400˚F degrees for 15-20 minutes, and (if necessary) continue to cook in 5-minute increments until it is almost exactly how you want it.
- Using tongs, remove the crispy bacon from the pan and place it on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Layer bacon and paper towels on the plate until all the bacon is covered.
Notes
- Please note, each brand of bacon will be different and cooking time will vary depending on the cut. Thick-cut bacon can take up to 30 minutes, while thinner cuts may only take 15.
- Cooked bacon will continue to crisp up a bit on the tray after you take it out of the oven.
- This method also works great with turkey bacon, but I reduce that initial cook time to 10 minutes before checking on it.
- Store cooked bacon in the freezer for up to 3 months or 1 week in the fridge.
- Reheat baked bacon in the microwave for 30 seconds for a fast breakfast
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is such a great reference to have in your back pocket. I’ve used this twice in the past month and it’s great to look back at, rather than play fast and loose with something as tasty as bacon. I do always put my bacon on an oven safe rack that fits nicely in my pans to help keep it less greasy too.
It’s so much better than babysitting a pan on the stove, Allison. So I’m so happy this one is a favorite of yours!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
This is such a better way to cook bacon! Seriously, I stink at it in the stovetop, so I’ve always avoided this. This way, the bacon comes out yummier and I don’t set off every fire detector in my house! Thanks!!!
I love oven bacon. You should try a switch to a 9x13x2 (or similar sized) glass casserole dish. The higher sides mean you don’t need any foil at all and no worry about spilling hot grease.
Thanks for the tip!