As a food blogger, I finally nailed how to air fry bacon so it stays perfectly crisp without the usual splatter or sogginess, and I can’t wait to show you what made the difference.
Ready to level up your bacon game? I was too, so I tore through the internet and my own experiments until I landed on a simple fix that makes bacon crispier and less greasy every time.
Using bacon and a touch of pure maple syrup for that whisper of sweetness, this Perfect Air Fryer Bacon hits the sweet spot between chewy and crackly. If you’ve been typing Bacon In Air Fryer into search bars or asking How To Air Fry Bacon, you’ll like this.
I’m not claiming perfect every cook but these tweaks surprised me, and they might surprise you too.
Ingredients
- Bacon: high in protein and fat, very salty, tasty but not healthy its a treat.
- Brown sugar: adds caramel sweetness and carbs, great for candied bacon sticky makes edges caramelized.
- Maple syrup: thin glaze, pure sugar, adds maple flavor, makes slices shiny use sparingly.
- Black pepper: tiny heat, low calories, adds spice and aroma, little antioxidants but subtle.
- Cooking spray: prevents sticking, uses minimal oil, helps crisp without heavy grease or mister.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb bacon (about 8 to 12 slices) thin or thick cut your call
- 2 tbsp brown sugar optional for candied bacon
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup optional for a glaze
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper optional
- nonstick cooking spray or oil mister optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat your air fryer to 375 F (190 C) for about 2 to 3 minutes so it’s nice and hot when the bacon goes in.
2. Lightly spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray or use an oil mister if you want, this helps prevent sticking but it’s optional.
3. Lay 1 lb bacon (8 to 12 slices) in a single layer without overlapping; do it in batches if needed so every slice gets air and crisps evenly.
4. If you want peppered bacon, sprinkle 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper over the slices now.
5. Cook depending on thickness: thin bacon 8 to 10 minutes, thick bacon 10 to 14 minutes. Flip the slices once about halfway through cooking so they brown evenly.
6. For candied or glazed bacon: when the bacon is close to done (about 1 to 3 minutes left), brush each slice with 1 tbsp pure maple syrup and/or sprinkle 2 tbsp brown sugar over them, then return to the air fryer until the sugar melts and glaze is sticky but not burned. watch closely, sugar can burn fast.
7. Use tongs to transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and crisp for a minute or two, it’ll firm up as it rests.
8. Save the bacon grease from the bottom of the air fryer in a heatproof container for cooking later, or discard when cool if you prefer.
9. If you want extra-crispy bacon, give it another 30 to 60 seconds in the air fryer after resting, but don’t walk away or it can go from perfect to burnt.
10. Let the air fryer cool then wipe the basket clean to remove any stuck sugar or grease so you don’t get smoke next time.
Equipment Needed
1. air fryer with basket
2. tongs (metal, heat resistant)
3. plate and paper towels for draining
4. silicone pastry brush or small basting brush for glaze
5. small bowl or ramekin for maple syrup/brown sugar
6. measuring spoons (1 tbsp and 1/2 tsp)
7. nonstick cooking spray or oil mister
8. heatproof container for saved bacon grease
9. oven mitts or thick kitchen towels
FAQ
Perfect Air Fryer Bacon Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Bacon: turkey bacon (leaner, cooks faster so watch it), pancetta or prosciutto (more intense pork flavor and crisps quickly), Canadian bacon/ham (meatier, less fatty), or tempeh/coconut “bacon” for a vegetarian option (marinate smoky and a little oil).
- Brown sugar: coconut sugar (1:1, less moist), muscovado or dark brown sugar (richer molasses flavor), maple sugar or granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup if you want that deep caramel note.
- Pure maple syrup: honey (similar sweetness, slightly different flavor), agave nectar (thinner, neutral), or use a light molasses-honey mix but use less cause molasses is strong.
- Nonstick cooking spray: brush a little neutral oil (canola, avocado), use an oil mister for even coverage, or line the basket with parchment or a silicone liner to stop sticking and make cleanup easy.
Pro Tips
1) Preheat properly and dont crowd the basket. A hot basket gives you crispier bacon fast, and if pieces touch they steam instead of crisping. Do it in batches if you have to, trust me it’s worth the extra 3 minutes.
2) If you’re glazing or candying, lower the temp a little and add the sugar or maple in the last 60 to 90 seconds. Sugar burns crazy fast so put the glaze on near the end, keep the temp a bit lower than your normal cook and watch it the whole time.
3) Rest on a wire rack not just paper towels, it keeps the bacon from sitting in its grease so it stays crisp. It firms up as it cools, and if you want it even crispier give it 30 to 60 more seconds back in the fryer but dont walk away.
4) Save the fat in a heatproof jar for frying eggs or veggies later, it tastes awesome. Also clean the basket after it cools, soak any sticky sugar spots in hot soapy water first or you’ll get smoke next time.
Perfect Air Fryer Bacon Recipe
As a food blogger, I finally nailed how to air fry bacon so it stays perfectly crisp without the usual splatter or sogginess, and I can’t wait to show you what made the difference.
8
servings
308
kcal
Equipment: 1. air fryer with basket
2. tongs (metal, heat resistant)
3. plate and paper towels for draining
4. silicone pastry brush or small basting brush for glaze
5. small bowl or ramekin for maple syrup/brown sugar
6. measuring spoons (1 tbsp and 1/2 tsp)
7. nonstick cooking spray or oil mister
8. heatproof container for saved bacon grease
9. oven mitts or thick kitchen towels
Ingredients
1 lb bacon (about 8 to 12 slices) thin or thick cut your call
2 tbsp brown sugar optional for candied bacon
1 tbsp pure maple syrup optional for a glaze
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper optional
nonstick cooking spray or oil mister optional
Directions
- Preheat your air fryer to 375 F (190 C) for about 2 to 3 minutes so it’s nice and hot when the bacon goes in.
- Lightly spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray or use an oil mister if you want, this helps prevent sticking but it’s optional.
- Lay 1 lb bacon (8 to 12 slices) in a single layer without overlapping; do it in batches if needed so every slice gets air and crisps evenly.
- If you want peppered bacon, sprinkle 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper over the slices now.
- Cook depending on thickness: thin bacon 8 to 10 minutes, thick bacon 10 to 14 minutes. Flip the slices once about halfway through cooking so they brown evenly.
- For candied or glazed bacon: when the bacon is close to done (about 1 to 3 minutes left), brush each slice with 1 tbsp pure maple syrup and/or sprinkle 2 tbsp brown sugar over them, then return to the air fryer until the sugar melts and glaze is sticky but not burned. watch closely, sugar can burn fast.
- Use tongs to transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and crisp for a minute or two, it’ll firm up as it rests.
- Save the bacon grease from the bottom of the air fryer in a heatproof container for cooking later, or discard when cool if you prefer.
- If you want extra-crispy bacon, give it another 30 to 60 seconds in the air fryer after resting, but don’t walk away or it can go from perfect to burnt.
- Let the air fryer cool then wipe the basket clean to remove any stuck sugar or grease so you don’t get smoke next time.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 56.8g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 308kcal
- Fat: 23.8g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.3g
- Monounsaturated: 11.4g
- Cholesterol: 62.4mg
- Sodium: 1022mg
- Potassium: 321mg
- Carbohydrates: 0.8g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Protein: 21g
- Vitamin A: 17IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 11.4mg
- Iron: 0.7mg
