The 10 Most Unique Bacon Recipes You’ll Ever Try

Forget science, money, or anything else that supposedly makes the world go ‘round. Do you know what really makes the world go ‘round?

Bacon.

Yes, bacon. Everyone loves bacon. It brings peace and love to the world (well, except when there’s one piece of bacon left on the table). In this day and age, bacon ain’t just for breakfast no more. With the whole world growing increasingly fervid about bacon, innovative bacon recipes are popping up left and right. Some are stranger than others (yet just as delicious – come on, it’s bacon!)

Let’s take a gander at 10 of the most unique bacon recipes you’ll ever try:

Bacon Brownies

Recipe source

• 4 oz bacon (thin rashers, finely chopped)
• 2 teaspoons golden syrup or corn syrup
• 10 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cups soft light brown sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 large eggs. beaten
• 6 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate (or dark chocolate chips/morsels)

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375ºF and line a 25cm/10 inch square tin or a throwaway foil baking tray measuring 30cm x 20cm x 15cm / 12 x 8 x 6 inches.

Heat a heavy based (preferably non-stick) frying pan, and when warm, add the bacon bits and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to crisp. Add the syrup, stir again to mix and transfer the sticky bacon bits to a cold surface, either on some foil or a plate. The syrupy bacon juices left behind are just delicious when mopped up with some bread: a cook’s treat!

Melt the butter over a gentle heat in a medium sized saucepan and when it’s melted, add the sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Now take the pan off the heat and stir in the cocoa, flour, and baking soda. Next, add the beaten eggs and then stir again to mix.

Add the chocolate and the bacon bits, breaking them up with your hands if necessary. Fold together then pour and scrape into the tin.

Place in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes; you want a little gooeyness inside still.

Transfer the tin to a wire rack and sit until cooled a little (but not to the point of coldness). Cut into 16 squares.

Maple Buttercream Cupcakes with Bacon Sprinkles

Recipe source

For the cupcakes:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch of salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ⅔ cup soft light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup plain yogurt
• ⅓ cup maple syrup

For the maple buttercream:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 7 tablespoons maple syrup

For the bacon sprinkles:

• 6 slices thin-cut streaky rindless bacon
• 1 teaspoon oil

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF and line a 12-cup tin with paper cases.

Next, fry the bacon rashers in 1 teaspoon of oil until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to cool. Once cool, crumble them to resemble sprinkles. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cream together the butter and sugar, and then beat in one egg, followed by half the dry ingredients, mixing well before adding the second egg and the remaining dry ingredients. Again, mix well, and then add the yogurt and maple syrup, beating and folding to give a smooth batter.

Divide the mixture among the cupcake cases and bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until a case tester comes out clean.

Turn the cupcakes out on to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

To make the buttercream icing, blitz the confectioners' sugar in a food processor to remove any lumps. Then add the butter, blitz again and then add the maple syrup down the funnel with the motor running, till you have a smooth buttercream. If you sieve the confectioners' sugar, obviously all this can be done by hand, too.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, top with the buttercream, using the back of a spoon to make a spikey effect, and adorn with your bacon sprinkles.

Serve immediately.

Woven Bacon Taco Shells

Recipe source

(Makes 2 taco shells)

• 1.5 pounds bacon
• 2 kabob sticks
• 4 oven safe cups

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make 2 square bacon weaves. Bake for 15 minutes. Lay both weaves on a flat surface, and then cut in a circle (you can use an upside-down bowl). Put the four oven safe cups on a baking sheet and use them to support the kabob sticks. Hang one circle bacon weave over each kabob stick. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Sushi

Recipe source

For the bacon sushi:

• 1 kg bacon, good quality
• Blanched asparagus
• Cream cheese
• Crabsticks
• Cucumber strips
• Enoki mushrooms, washed
• Roasted tamago strips (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On a foiled tray, arrange bacon strips side by side forming a paper of bacon strips. Top with another foil and secure bacon by putting another tray on. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until browned but still bendable – soft enough to roll. Cool and use for sushi making.

For the roasted tamago:

• 2 whole eggs
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp mirin
• 2 tsp light soy sauce

Whisk all ingredients together. Heat a non-stick pan and put a teaspoon of oil. Cook egg like an omelet without filling, toast one side and then flip. Cool and slice into strips.

For the sushi rice:

• 2 cups Japanese rice grains
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup Del Monte vinegar (or Japanese Vinegar)
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Measure rice and water in rice cooker. Leave rice grains in water for 20 minutes. Cook until done. While waiting for the rice, boil together vinegar, sugar, mirin and salt until melted. Mix vinegar mixture into cooked rice while still warm. Set aside to cool.

To assemble:

On one side of bacon sheet, push in a cup of sushi rice. Arrange asparagus and cream cheese, roll firmly. Slice. On one side of bacon sheet, push in a cup of sushi rice. Arrange crab sticks and cucumber strips, roll firmly. Slice. On one side of bacon sheet, push in a cup of sushi rice. Arrange enoki and tamago strips, roll firmly. Slice. Top off with Japanese mayonnaise, if desired.

Apple Pie Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Whoa, ‘Murica, right? Recipe source

• 1 package of Orville’s Apple Pie Bacon
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 6 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 big pieces of Sourdough Bread (you can use whichever bread you’d like)
• Butter

Line a baking sheet with foil, and then lay out the bacon on the sheet. Place in the oven and then heat the oven to 400 degrees. Set the timer for 17-20 minutes. Once your bacon is cooked, pat the excess grease off with some paper towels. Be careful because this yummy bacon can be a little sticky!
Lay out your pieces of bread and butter each piece.
Cover each piece of bread with the cheese slices. Feel free to use more or less if you’d like.
Core your apple then slice it into thin pieces. Layer your apple slices on one side of the bread for each sandwich.
On top of the apples, layer your bacon! The bacon strips will fit better on the bread if you cut them in half. Use as much bacon as you would like. I used 5-6 half slices for each sandwich. This bacon is cut very thick, so it doesn’t take many slices. Place the other piece of bread and cheese on top of the bacon.
At this point you can eat your sandwich as is, or grill it on a griddle or skillet pan.
Heat up your griddle (or skillet) on medium heat. Butter the top of your sandwich liberally with butter. Be sure to cover the whole piece of bread!
Once your griddle is warm, place the sandwich’s butter side down onto it. Lower your heat to medium low and cover it with a lid if you have one large enough. Cooking it on low heat and covering the sandwiches while they are cooking will allow the cheese to melt all the way without burning the bread.
After a few minutes, go ahead and flip the sandwich. Cover again and grill for a few more minutes.
Once your sandwich is grilled to your liking, you’re ready to eat it!

Maple Bacon Cookie Dough Truffles

Recipe source

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup candied bacon, chopped
• 1 lb dark dipping chocolate

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment or wax paper. Using a large standing mixer, cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the condensed milk and maple syrup and beat until well-mixed, then add the flour and salt and beat on low until combined. Stir in bacon. Using a small scoop or a teaspoon, scoop up small round balls of the dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for one hour. Remove from fridge and roll into balls. Place back in fridge for another hour.

Melt chocolate in double boiler, in the microwave, or a crock pot on low. Dip balls one at a time and coat evenly. Remove them with a fork and tap against the side of the pot to remove any excess chocolate. Place back on baking sheet and top with a piece of candied bacon, if desired.

Put truffles back in fridge until firm. Store in fridge. Enjoy!

Bacon Jam

Recipe source

• 1 and 1/2 lb applewood smoked bacon
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of cloves
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 2/3 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1/3 cup raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 shot bourbon
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Render bacon in a large, heavy skillet on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 2 Tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add butter to skillet. Melt while scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Add onion, and sugar. Stir and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add garlic, dark corn syrup and all spices. Cook for 5 more minutes, watching carefully and stirring so the mixture doesn’t burn. Add coffee, vinegar, bourbon, maple syrup, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Stir until evenly combined. Add bacon back to skillet. Cook on low heat, uncovered for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool for 20 minutes. Pour into a food processor and pulse until consistently chunky. Cool and skim off the fat. Spoon into a one pint canning jar, and cover tightly. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. You may need to let the portion of bacon jam that you’d like to use for your recipe set out at room temperature for 15 minutes before using to make it more spreadable.

Chocolate Almond Bacon Clusters

Recipe source

• 5 pieces of bacon, chopped and cooked until very crispy
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup almonds

Cook the bacon. Drain the fat and let cool.

Melt the chocolate chips (use more if you wish). You can use the double boiler method, on the stove. Stir until melted and smooth. Break apart the little bacon chunks and add, with the almonds, to the chocolate. Stir. Spoon 2 inch clusters onto waxed paper and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Chocolate-Dipped Bacon Candy With Sea Salt

Recipe source

• 1 pound thick bacon
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• Coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bacon until crisp. Drain well and pat dry. Let cool. Melt the dark chocolate chips in a bowl. Dip the bacon in the chocolate and top with sea salt. Set aside until the chocolate sets. Enjoy!

Bacon Rice Crispy Treats

Recipe source

• 1 lb. Vanilla Bourbon or Cinnamon Sugar Bacon
• 6 cups rice crispy cereal
• 1 bag of large marshmallows
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 bag of milk chocolate melting candies (optional)
• 1 bag of white chocolate melting candies (optional)

Cook your bacon: Line a baking pan with foil. Lay your bacon strips on the pan and place in oven. Turn oven on to 400° and cook for 17-20 minutes. Drain grease from bacon. You don’t need to use all of the bacon, but chop at least 3 or 4 strips and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine butter and marshmallows. If you want extra bacon flavor, use your left over bacon grease instead of butter. Cook in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes until the marshmallows puff up.

Stir chopped bacon into the marshmallow mixture. Gently stir the cereal into marshmallow bacon mixture a little bit at a time. At this point, you can eat them right out of the bowl if you want.

Pour mixture into a buttered baking pan. You’ll want to scrape down the sides of the bowl as to not leave any tasty bits in the bowl! Use parchment or wax paper to press down the crispies so they are flat and even in the pan. Cut crispies into squares.

These last steps are optional if you want to add another layer of tasty flavor to your treats. Melt chocolates in a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water. Once melted, dip each square into the chocolate and smooth over with a spoon or spatula. If you have leftover chopped bacon, you can sprinkle some bits onto the melted chocolate. Place squares in the refrigerator to harden.

For extra decoration, drizzle melted white chocolate over the squares.