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Candied Bacon Crackers: A Sweet, Salty, Crispy Appetizer Recipe

Candied Bacon Crackers are a simple but addictive snack made with buttery crackers, smoky bacon, brown sugar, and a little spice. They bake until the bacon becomes crisp, the sugar melts into a glossy caramel-like coating, and the crackers turn golden and crunchy. The result is the perfect mix of sweet, salty, smoky, and crispy.

This recipe is great for parties, holidays, game nights, family gatherings, or quick appetizers. It looks fancy on a serving tray, but it is very easy to make with only a few ingredients.

What Are Candied Bacon Crackers?

Candied Bacon Crackers are small bite-sized snacks where each cracker is topped with a piece of bacon and a layer of brown sugar. As they bake, the sugar melts over the bacon and cracker, creating a sticky-sweet glaze. The bacon adds smoky flavor, while the cracker gives a crisp buttery base.

They are sometimes called bacon candy crackers, bacon brown sugar crackers, or sweet bacon cracker bites. No matter the name, they are always a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

Ingredients

1 sleeve buttery crackers, such as Club crackers or Ritz-style crackers
10 to 12 slices bacon
¾ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
1 tablespoon maple syrup, optional
Chopped pecans, optional

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Tray

Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet. The rack helps the heat move around the crackers and allows the bacon to cook more evenly.

Lightly spray the rack with cooking spray so the crackers do not stick after the sugar melts.

Step 2: Arrange the Crackers

Place the crackers in a single layer on the wire rack.

Leave a little space between each cracker. This helps them bake evenly and prevents them from sticking together too much once the sugar melts.

Use firm buttery crackers because they hold the bacon and sugar better than thin crackers.

Step 3: Cut the Bacon

Cut each bacon slice into small pieces that fit on top of the crackers.

Usually, one slice of bacon can be cut into 3 or 4 pieces, depending on the size of the cracker.

The bacon should cover most of the cracker, but it does not need to be perfect. As it cooks, it will shrink slightly.

Step 4: Add the Bacon to the Crackers

Place one piece of bacon on top of each cracker.

Try to lay the bacon flat so it cooks evenly. If the bacon is folded too much, some parts may stay soft while other parts become too crisp.

Thin-cut bacon works best for this recipe because it cooks at the same time as the crackers. Thick-cut bacon may need extra baking time and can make the crackers too greasy.

Step 5: Make the Sweet Seasoning

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.

The brown sugar gives sweetness and caramel flavor. The black pepper adds warmth. Cayenne pepper gives a light spicy kick, and smoked paprika adds deeper smoky flavor.

For a richer taste, you can stir in a little maple syrup. This makes the topping slightly stickier and gives the crackers a sweet maple-bacon flavor.