How to Cook Bacon in the Oven (425°)

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Cooking Bacon in the Oven at 425° F has never been easier or more delicious. This simple cooking bacon in the oven technique gives you light, crispy, buttery slices of bacon without all the mess. It’s the perfect sidekick to my Protein Pancakes, or crumbled and added to a salad like my Broccoli Salad with Bacon. Everyone loves a good piece of bacon!

 

Why You’ll Love Cooking Bacon in the Oven

Cooking bacon in the oven is hands-down the easiest way to get consistent results. It cooks evenly, frees up your stovetop, and makes it easy to prepare a few slices or a full batch at once. You can bake it exactly the way you like it, from slightly chewy to extra crispy, with very little hands-on work.

The Best Way to Cook Bacon: Oven vs Stovetop

Both the oven and stovetop work well for cooking bacon, but I reach for the oven when I’m making more than a few slices. It cooks the bacon evenly, keeps most of the splatter contained, and frees me up to make the rest of breakfast while it bakes.

There are two ways to cook bacon in the oven:

On a cooling rack – Placing the bacon on a rack set inside a baking sheet lets the hot air circulate around each slice while the grease drips below. It takes a few extra minutes, but it’s the easiest way to get evenly cooked bacon with crisp edges.

Directly on the baking sheet – Arranging the bacon right on a lined baking sheet cooks it a little faster because it sits in the rendered fat. The slices are still delicious, though the texture tends to be slightly less crisp.

I usually use a cooling rack when I have one handy, but both methods work well. It really comes down to the texture you prefer and how much cleanup you’re willing to do.

What Kind of Bacon Should I Use?

The good news is that this method works with several types of bacon. A few small timing adjustments are all you need for the best results.

• Regular bacon is the best choice for this recipe and matches the cooking time listed below. It cooks evenly and gets that classic crispy texture without much adjustment.
• Thin-cut bacon will finish a little sooner, so check it a few minutes before the timer goes off.
• Thick-cut bacon is a great option if you like meatier slices, but plan to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
• Turkey bacon also works if that’s what you have on hand. Since it’s much leaner than pork bacon, it cooks faster and is best removed from the oven as soon as it’s done to keep it from drying out.

How Much Bacon Can I Cook at Once?

One of the best things about cooking bacon in the oven is that you can make a lot at once.

A standard half-sheet pan will usually hold about 10 to 12 slices of regular bacon, depending on the brand and how thick the slices are. Arrange the bacon in a single layer, with the slices close together but not overlapping.

Need to cook more? Use two baking sheets and place them on separate oven racks. Halfway through the cooking time, rotate the pans and switch their rack positions so the bacon cooks evenly.

How Long to Cook Bacon in the Oven at 425°F

Bake time depends on the thickness of the bacon, the pan you’re using, and how your oven cooks. At 425°F, bacon cooks fairly quickly, so it’s a good idea to start checking it a few minutes before you think it’s done, especially if you’re using thin-cut bacon.

Bacon Type	Time at 425°F	Notes
Thin-cut bacon	10-15 minutes	Start checking early. It can darken fast.
Regular bacon	15-20 minutes	Best fit for this recipe.
Thick-cut bacon	20-30 minutes	A rack helps it crisp evenly.
Turkey bacon	8-12 minutes	Leaner bacon dries out faster, so watch it closely.

The bacon will continue to crisp slightly as it cools, so you can remove it from the oven just before it reaches your ideal texture. After making it once or twice, you’ll know exactly how long it takes in your oven.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Here is step-by-step how to cook perfect bacon using this oven method. If you want to print out the steps, the printable recipe card is down below.

Step 1: Prep the Pan and Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, then place a cooling rack on top. Lightly coat the rack with nonstick cooking spray to make cleanup even easier.

Step 2: Lay Bacon Strips on the Rack

Next, grab your bacon of choice, open the package, and line strips of bacon onto your prepared wire rack. Regular thin-cut bacon is about the same thickness, so the cooking time should vary only slightly depending on your oven.

Step 3: Bake

Once your bacon is lined up and ready to go, pop it into a 425° F oven and bake 15-18 minutes or until it reaches your desired texture.

Every brand of bacon is different (some are super thick and some are very thin), and every oven runs differently as well. If you notice that your bacon is super thin, you may want to start checking at 10 minutes. Of course, thick-cut bacon will take longer to bake.

If you buy good-quality, thick-cut bacon (like Wright Bacon), it could take 25-30 minutes on a rack. My best advice is to KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON YOUR BACON and determine yourself how much time is needed for your bacon of choice.

Step 4: Cool Before Serving

Pull your bacon out of the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Maybe 2 minutes or so. Remove bacon from the wire rack. I like to use tongs, and it should come off easily.

If you placed your bacon slices directly onto the baking sheet, you’ll want to drain the bacon fat on paper towels before serving. If you used a rack for baking bacon, the paper towel trick isn’t necessary.

Pro Tip: If you want to amp up your breakfast, brunch, or this simple bacon in the oven situation, brush some maple syrup onto your bacon slices in the last two minutes of cooking. Makes for a sweet and savory treat! If you don’t have any maple syrup, you can try a light sprinkling of brown sugar as well.

A Few Tips for Easy Cleanup

Here are a few tips for making your life easier when cleaning up after baking bacon in the oven.

1. Line your baking sheets with foil.
2. Spray your baking racks with nonstick spray.
3. After your bacon is finished cooking, let everything cool completely; all the grease will solidify.
4. Transfer the baking racks to the dishwasher.
5. Remove the foil and throw it away.
6. Using paper towels, wipe any excess grease from the pan and discard the towels.
7. Wash the baking sheet with hot soapy water.

What to Do With Bacon Grease

Save your bacon grease for adding extra flavor to eggs, potatoes, roasted vegetables, green beans, and sautéed onions. Let the grease cool slightly, then strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar and store it covered in the refrigerator.

I highly recommend using a grease container for easy storage and keeping any bacon bits separated.

If you don’t want to save it, let the grease cool and solidify before throwing it away. You can also soak it up with paper towels and toss them in the trash. Never pour bacon grease down the sink drain since it can clog your pipes.

What to Serve With Bacon

Bacon makes almost any breakfast or brunch spread better. Here are a few easy recipes that pair well with crispy oven bacon.

• Belgian Waffle – Serve warm waffles with bacon for a classic breakfast combination.
• Overnight Breakfast Casserole – This make-ahead breakfast dish is a great choice for serving a crowd alongside bacon.
• Homemade Pancake – Soft, fluffy pancakes with bacon make an easy weekend breakfast
• Hash Brown Egg Cups – These individual breakfast cups are made with crispy hash brown crusts and baked eggs, making them an easy option to serve alongside oven-cooked bacon.

Storage and Reheating

If you have leftover bacon, let it cool completely before storing it. Keep it in an airtight container or resealable bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

For longer storage, freeze the bacon in a single layer first, then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container. If you’re stacking slices, place a piece of parchment paper between them so they’re easy to separate later. Frozen bacon will keep for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat the bacon in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or in a 350°F air fryer for 2 to 4 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave it between paper towels in 15 to 30 second intervals.

FAQs

Variations

This oven method works with more than just regular bacon. Try one of these simple variations to change up the flavor or texture.

• Thick-cut bacon – Use thick-cut bacon for meatier slices. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time since it takes longer to crisp.
• Peppered bacon – Sprinkle freshly cracked black pepper over the bacon before baking for a little extra flavor.
• Maple bacon – Brush the bacon with a thin layer of maple syrup during the last few minutes of baking for a sweet and savory finish.
• Candied bacon – Add a light coating of brown sugar before baking for caramelized, sweet bacon.

More Recipes with Crispy Bacon

Crispy bacon works in so many recipes, from easy breakfasts to fresh salads and hearty dinners. Here are a few more ways to use leftover bacon or make a batch just for these dishes.

Breakfast Recipes

• Bacon and Egg Cups – A simple make-ahead breakfast made with eggs and crispy bacon.
• Breakfast Burritos – A filling breakfast option that’s easy to customize with your favorite fillings.
• Eggs Benedict – A classic brunch recipe that pairs perfectly with crispy bacon.

Salad Recipes:

• Broccoli Salad with Bacon – A crunchy salad with bacon that works well for lunch, potlucks, or a side dish.
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with Bacon – Fresh strawberries, spinach, and crispy bacon come together in a simple salad.
• That Good Salad – A fresh, flavorful salad that pairs well with bacon for extra crunch.

Dinner Recipes:

• Bacon Mushroom Risotto – Creamy risotto with mushrooms and bacon for a comforting dinner option.
• Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders – Juicy mini burgers topped with bacon, cheese, and classic toppings for an easy dinner or party meal.

I hope this was helpful and you give this method a try! I think this is the absolute best way to cook bacon! The printable directions are below. Have a great day, friends!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.