BAKING WITH BACON

5 delicious dessert recipes that pushes the salty breakfast meat to its limits.

1. Chocolate Chip Bacon Muffins

Dare Moreno

This is a recipe that was inspired by chocolate covered bacon I had at Bar Bacon in hell's kitchen New York. Great for a morning treat or dessert!

Ingredients:

2 cups original Bisquick mix

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

10 slices of bacon fried and chopped

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips

Maple butter for glaze (optional)

Recipe makes 18 servings

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

If you're not using muffin cups make sure to grease your pan.

Mix together all of the ingredients using dry ingredients first and then gradually adding the liquids. Add chocolate chips first, then the bacon. Mix together until you see the chocolate and bacon in every scoop. Fill muffin cups up half way. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

2. Salted Caramel Bacon Popcorn

justataste.com / Via justataste.com

Make this popcorn when your man is coming over for a Netflix and chill. This way his hands will be too sticky to try anything and you can watch the movie in peace. I came across this recipe on Pinterest and figured out a quicker way to make it.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup popping corn kernels

6 slices of thick cut bacon fried and chopped

1 tbsp. of bacon drippings

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

One jar of Smucker's caramel topping

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instrutions:

In a medium pot add the vegetable oil and bacon drippings over medium heat. Add the kernels and cover the pot. Once you hear the first kernel pop, remove the pot from the heat for one minute. Then place back onto flame and shake the pot until all kernels have popped.

Place popcorn in large bowl and mix together with the bacon bits.

Add the Jar of caramel to the mix and stir together until every popcorn is coated.

Cover baking sheet with wax paper and spread the popcorn mix onto the baking sheet.

Lightly salt the popcorn with the sea salt.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes and then you're ready to serve.

3. Maple Bacon Almond Krispy Treats

cookiedoughandovenmitt.com / Via cookiedoughandovenmitt.com

There are endless possibilities when it comes to Rice Krispy treats so why not just add some bacon? Recipe inspired by nature valley sweet and salty almond bar.

Ingredients:

11 pieces of bacon

1 tbsp. chopped almonds

10 oz. marshmallows

6 Tbsp. butter

½ Tbsp. maple extract

5 cups rice krispies

For the Frosting:

4 Tbs. butter, room temperature

1 tsp. maple extract

1 tsp. almond extract

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tsp. milk

Instructions:

Cook 11 pieces of bacon until crispy. Place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Make this ahead of time if possible.

Spray a 11x7 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large saucepan, add in the marshmallows and butter. Place over medium heat and let it melt together.

Chop the crispy bacon into tiny pieces. Set aside 1 Tbsp. of the crumbled bacon for garnish.

Once the marshmallows and butter are completely melted and gooey, add in the maple extract. Stir until combined.

Add in the rice krispies and the crumbled bacon that isn't reserved for garnish. Stir to cover the krispies thoroughly.

Pour the rice krispies into the prepared 11x7 pan. Using a piece of wax paper or parchment paper, press the krispies down into the pan. I don't press down super hard since I like my treats less hard and more chewy. Let cool in pan.

Now the frosting:

Frosting

In a mixing bowl, add in the butter, maple and almond extract, powdered sugar and milk. Mix on low until blended well.

Turn the mixer on high and beat an additional minute or two until light and fluffy.

Spread the frosting onto the cooled rice krispies treats. If they're the least bit warm, your frosting will become a gooey mess so be patient!

Sprinkle the tablespoon of bacon and almonds on top of the treats. Cut and serve!

4. Bacon S'mores

Patrick Cudahy / Via hormelfoodsrecipes.com

Give me s'more bacon please! This recipe puts a salty twist to the classic campfire snack.

Ingredients:

12 slices Brown Sugar Bacon

4 graham crackers, broken in half (8 squares)

1 milk chocolate bar, cut into quarters

4 marshmallows, toasted

Instructions:

Heat oven to 400°F.

Cut each slice bacon in half.

On flat surface, arrange 2 half-slices bacon side-by-side. Weave 2 half-slices bacon in opposite directions. Very carefully lift bacon lattice to large rimmed baking pan. Repeat with remaining bacon.

Bake bacon lattices 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp. Remove from baking pan; drain.

For each s’more, layer 1 square graham cracker, 1 bacon lattice, 1 quarter chocolate, 1 bacon lattice, 1 toasted marshmallow, 1 bacon lattice and 1 square graham cracker.

5. Candied Bacon

thesuburbansoapbox.com / Via thesuburbansoapbox.com

The last and easiest recipe to make: Candied Bacon! Also makes a great stirrer for a Maple bourbon cocktail.

Ingredients:

1 pound thick cut bacon

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

1 cup packed light brown sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet. Arrange the bacon on the wire rack and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Lightly pat the brown sugar on top of the bacon to create a thin layer.

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the brown sugar has melted and the bacon is crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the bacon to a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.