Cook bacon on parchment paper or foil

Crispy, crunchy with a smokey, slightly salty flavor, yeah…I’m talking about bacon. It’ SO GOOD on it’s own and the star of many breakfast dishes. Then of course, there’s the famous BLT sandwich which is on my top 5 ways to eat bacon. The thing is, bacon can be a pain to cook and a mess to clean up. That’s why we are breaking old habits and starting new ones by cooking bacon in the oven!

I’ve been cooking bacon in the oven for several years now. Once I figured out how to do it, it was almost a life changing experience! I’d always hated “babysitting” the pan of bacon so that I could get just the right amount of crispness without burning it. It was also frustrating that I could only cook a few slices at a time since my panwas round and hello, bacon is not. Probably the biggest headache for me and other folks is the clean-up. Nobody likes the splatters of grease on your stove top and the energy it takes to scrub a skillet.

Thankfully, a sheet panand parchment paper are all that’s needed to make a beautiful batch of bacon. This simple method works perfectly every time and let’s you decide just how done you’d like your strips of bacon. I cook mine for about 16-17 minutes for just the right amount of crunch. During the holidays or when we’re entertaining, I cook 2 batches at a time since all I need to do is increase the cooking time. 

Once you’ve mastered this method, which is going to take you about 16 to 17 minutes, you’ll never go back to the old ways again! A couple of tips to ensure success – place the bacon on paper towels to drain after cooking and remove the parchment paper with grease drippings to the trash asap.

Now that you know how to cook bacon in the oven, you might just enjoy a bit of the “divine swine” a little more often. Oink!

5 from 1 vote

How To Cook Bacon In The Oven

Course: Breakfast, Extras

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 21 minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Donya Mullins

The BEST way to cook bacon that is crispy and turns out perfect every time with almost zero cleanup is in the oven!

Ingredients

• ▢1 pound bacon
• ▢*black pepper if desired

Instructions

• ▢

  Heat oven to 400 degrees.

• ▢

  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay ½ pound of bacon strips on parchment. Place in oven to cook. Check at 10 minute mark. Continue to cook for 6 to 7 additional minutes or until desired crispness.

  The BEST (and only) WAY to make your bacon! So simple, I show you exactly how to bake bacon in the oven for a mess free, extra crispy, have it your way bacon perfection. Quick, easy and you’ll never go back to frying on the stovetop again.

   

  

  Bacon in the Oven

  “OMG….she’s baking the bacon in the oven!!!” Those were the words I heard from across the kitchen many, many years ago. Seriously, I was stunned that not everyone was actually cooking their bacon in the oven already and still….I shock people everywhere when I say I only make bacon in the oven. EVER.

  And, honestly, it’s out of sheer laziness that this even started as the normal way to cook bacon in my house.  I hate the grease spatter….in fact, I hate frying things on the stovetop so much I even make my fried chicken in the oven. I mean, really, do you want to be cleaning bacon grease off all surfaces within a tend foot radius of your oven for all eternity?

  

  And don’t you want the most perfectly crisp bacon ever made….but not too crisp….still with bits of chewiness…but not too floppy (that’s a technical term we use here.) All without having to hose down your kitchen after you’re done cooking? Then, oven baked bacon is totally for you.

  Cooking bacon in the oven isn’t rocket science and I certainly didn’t invent the technique but I do have a few tricks that will lead you to absolute bacon nirvana…..and a very clean kitchen that only smells like bacon laced heaven.

  

  How do you bake bacon in the oven?

  Cooking bacon in the oven is so easy to do….here are a few easy steps to get you started:

  1. Line a baking sheet (I used a rimmed half sheet pan) with parchment, or my personal favorite, aluminum foil. I, actually, like to cover the entire baking sheet with foil (sometimes multiple layers) for easy clean up.  Meaning, I take the foil off and toss it into the trash….baking pan is totally clean. I told you….lazy.
  2. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  3. Arrange bacon strips in a single layer directly on the foil or parchment being sure they are not overlapping. If the bacon is touching while it cooks, it is harder to pull apart when it’s finished cooking.
  4. Transfer the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until your desired degree of doneness.  Sometimes, I flip the bacon for even cooking and to satisfy picky bacon eaters.
  5. Line a plate with paper towels and transfer the bacon to the plate. The bacon will crisp up a bit more while it cools.
  6. Transfer the bacon to a platter and serve.
  

  Why should you bake bacon in the oven?

  Seriously, why shouldn’t you bake bacon in the oven….right? Well, if that wasn’t a good enough answer then this is exactly why you should always cook bacon in the oven:

  • Mess free!!!  Did you see that? MESS FREE!!!!
  • You can cook a whole pound of bacon at one time….no batch cooking….no bacon vanishing into thin air while you cook more. One pound of bacon in minutes.
  • No grease spatters all over every surface of the kitchen.
  • No grease spatters on your face.
  • No grease spatters on your clothes.
  • No grease spatters on your dog.
  • The bacon cooks up perfectly flat every time!
  • You can actually, like, do other stuff while your bacon is baking…..like make pancakes or this AHHHMAZING French Toast
  • Oh….and did I mention that it’s MESS FREE!!!  Oh yeah.
  

  How long do you cook bacon in the oven?

  The amount of time it takes to cook bacon really depends on a few factors, every oven is different so you may need to experiment a few times to find what works for your oven. Also, the thickness and fat content of your bacon will also affect cooking times. Following this guide on how long to bake bacon in the oven will help you achieve perfect bacon:

  For oven temperature of 425 degrees:

  • Bake your bacon for 10-15 minutes checking every 2 minutes after the 10 minute mark

  For oven temperature of 400 degrees:

  • Bake the bacon for 12-17 minutes checking every 2 minutes after the 12 minute mark.

  For oven temperature of 375 degrees:

  • Bake the bacon for 15-20 minutes checking every 2 minutes after the 15 minute mark.

  Feel free to experiment when baking your bacon, I LOVE this easy Sweet and Spicy Candied Bacon which is, in my opinion, the BEST way to cook bacon.

  

  How do you cook bacon in the oven without making a mess?

  Ok, so I told you how I love to make this bacon in the oven to eliminate the kitchen mess but if you’re concerned about the inside of your oven taking the brunt of the bacon grease then you can simply tent a large piece of foil over the bacon being sure it’s not actually touching the surface of the bacon to contain some of the grease.

  You will have to remove it near the end of the cooking time to crisp up the surface a bit on your bacon.

  This Oven Baked Bacon recipe is my gift to you….the gift of a clean kitchen….and perfect bacon, perfectly crispy bacon that will knock your socks off.

  

  More Easy Bacon Recipes

  • This Bacon Cheeseburger Soup is fantastic topped with extra bacon!
  • Loaded Baked Potato Soup NEEDS bacon…or it’s not really loaded.
  • My favorite Loaded Iceberg Wedge Salad
  • Pulled Pork Sweet Potatoes are just better with bacon.

  Want more tasty treats? Follow us over on Instagram!

  

  Get the Recipe: How to Bake Bacon in the Oven

  Yield: 4

  Prep Time: 5 mins

  Cook Time: 15 mins

  Total Time: 20 mins

  The BEST way to cook bacon is in the oven. This Oven Baked Bacon recipe is fantastic for breakfast, brunch and holidays!

  4.89 from 9 votes

  Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

  Ingredients

  • ▢1 pound bacon

  Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

  • Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the baking sheet being sure not to overlap the edges.

  • Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the desired degree of doneness.

  • Line a plate or platter with paper towels and transfer the bacon the plate to drain. Bacon will crisp a little more as it cools.

  • Transfer to a clean platter and serve immediately or use in your favorite recipe.

  Video

  https://youtu.be/yRSUwzr5kzQVideo can't be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: How to Bake Bacon in the Oven (https://youtu.be/yRSUwzr5kzQ)

  Notes

  Be sure to save the bacon grease for cooking popcorn, eggs, or any other cooking method that requires fat.

  Can I use foil instead of parchment paper for bacon in the oven?

  Cooking bacon in the oven is so easy to do…. here are a few easy steps to get you started: Line a baking sheet (I used a rimmed half sheet pan) with parchment, or my personal favorite, aluminum foil. I, actually, like to cover the entire baking sheet with foil (sometimes multiple layers) for easy clean up.

  Can you cook bacon on aluminum foil?

  Cooking bacon on a grill with aluminum foil is an easy way to cook bacon. There is almost no cleanup involved and the kitchen is bacon splatter and smell free. A skillet or frying pan works too but by using aluminum foil you can simply wait for the grease to cool down and throw away the foil.

  Do you have to use parchment paper to cook bacon in the oven?

  Keep it simple – baking the bacon on foil or parchment paper isn't necessary. Keep things simple and put your bacon straight on the sheet pan. Bacon is inherently non-stick and the cleanup is super easy without the added step of lining with parchment paper/foil!

  What is the best way to cook bacon in oven?

  How to Cook Bacon in the Oven.

  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit..

  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper..

  Lay the bacon slices on the baking sheet..

  Cook the bacon for 18-20 minutes or until it's as crispy as you'd like..

  Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate..