Sweet & Spicy Candied Bacon Crackers
This post might have affiliate links. For full details please see my disclosure policy.
I’m already a sucker for candied bacon. But wrap it around crackers? I’m so in. These spicy candied bacon crackers have brown sugar, BBQ rub, and jalapeños for a super crowd-pleasing (but super easy) party appetizer. They’re amazing on their own or alongside cheeses, olives, and nuts on a charcuterie board!
There’s so much molasses-y, cozy, pumpkin-spiced everything around the holidays that I think the appetizers get overshadowed a bit. And personally? I really need something salty. And preferably spicy. With a bit of crunch.
What we have here is the amalgamation of all of these things wrapped up in a brown sugar bacon package. We used to make candied bacon for salads and appetizers all the time when I was in culinary school. But once I saw this cracker variation, I knew I had to try it. Who doesn’t love a club cracker?
Like my homemade boursin cheese or these 3 ingredient BBQ grape jelly meatballs, you can file this recipe under the “almost too easy” category. It takes about 15 minutes to prep everything and all you need is 5 ingredients. I like making them for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but they will also definitely be making an appearance at my Super Bowl party this year!
Thin-cut bacon
I never thought I’d say this, but make sure you get thin-cut bacon for this recipe. I know, I’m a thick-cut bacon girl myself. But if it’s too thick, you’ll end up with half-cooked bacon and burnt crackers.
For the crackers, you just need something buttery like Club crackers. But feel free to use Ritz if you like! In terms of seasonings, grab some brown sugar, everything BBQ rub, and jalapeños if you like a little spice.
Bake in the oven
Make sure to bake the crackers on a wire rack! The bacon will crisp up more evenly thanks to the extra airflow.
Reheat leftovers
You need to store the crackers in the fridge, which can make them a little soggy. To revive leftovers, place them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10-15 minutes, until they’re crispy. If they start to brown too much, tent the crackers with foil!
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
5 Ingredient Candied Bacon Crackers with Jalapeños
Ingredients
- 16 slices of thin-cut bacon (1 pound/454 grams)
- 48 butter crackers, like Club or Ritz
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (100 grams)
- 3 Tablespoons everything BBQ rub or store-bought (20 grams)
- 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced – optional
- Red pepper flakes and black pepper, for garnish – optional
Equipment
- Wire rack
- sheet pan
- Tin foil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a sheet pan with tin foil. Then, grease a wire rack very well with neutral oil or cooking spray. Place the greased wire rack on the prepared sheet pan. Set aside.
- Cut the bacon slices into thirds. Working one cracker at a time, wrap the bacon around the crackers. (I wrap them horizontally, but you can also wrap them vertically.) Place the crackers seam-side down on the prepared wire rack.
- Mix the brown sugar and BBQ rub in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bacon, reserving about 1-2 Tablespoons. Top each cracker with 1-2 slices of jalapeños. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar-rub mixture over the jalapeños to help them caramelize a bit.
- Bake the crackers for 45-50 minutes, flipping the pan halfway through, until the bacon is crisp and the brown sugar is bubbling. Keep a close eye so the brown sugar doesn't burn! If you want to caramelize the bacon more, broil the crackers on HIGH for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking.
- Garnish the crackers with red pepper flakes and black pepper, if using. Then, let the crackers cool on the wire rack for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
