I first tried Praline Bacon in New Orleans and instantly became obsessed! It’s sweet, salty, and meaty, with a subtle pecan flavor as well. It’s good stuff and only takes about a half hour to make in the oven.

roasted praline bacon pressed with brown sugar and pecans

Have you ever heard (weird) people say “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels?”

Well those people have OBVIOUSLY never had praline bacon.

I remember a few months ago I came across a fitness blog written by this lady who had all sorts of crazy ab action going on, and right on her website was that very statement. Then she wrote that all she eats is chicken and vegetables every day, with salt and pepper. EVERY. DAY. Seriously, can you imagine eating that every day? Give me the option between her chiseled body and the option to eat good food…and well…the choice is pretty obvious (there ain’t no chiseled abs ’round these parts…well, there may be, I just can’t see them if there are, hehe).

Don’t get me wrong, I do love chicken and veggies, but sometimes you want something dang good…that’s oh so bad…something you know is going to cost you some extra time at the gym.

Cue the praline bacon.

But hold on…what is praline bacon?

praline bacon roasted with brown sugar and pecans on wire rack

Until a year ago, I didn’t know what it was either. I first saw it on a menu of a New Orleans diner named Elizabeth’s Restaurant and practically screamed at the waitress when she asked what I wanted, “…PRALINE BACON!!!! What is that??? I WANT IT!!!”

It’s bacon that’s roasted with a pulverized pecan brown sugar until it has caramelized, and yes, it is reminiscent of Pecan Praline Candy…but with bacon.

In other words, it’s sweet salty smoky nutty delicious. It’s bacon at a whole new level.

close up of brown sugar caramelized praline bacon with nuts

Praline bacon is quite simple to make.

First start with some toasted pecans:

toasted pecans in measuring cup to be minced for praline bacon

Throw those pecans into a food processor with some dark brown sugar and pulse until it forms a crumb that looks like this:

pulsed pecan brown sugar in a spoon

Now it’s time to marry the brown sugar mixture with the bacon.

What Bacon to Use

This is the time and the place to use good bacon. I like Neuske’s, Niman Ranch, and pasture-raised bacons.

Though I tend to like thinner and crispier bacon overall, I actually think thick cut bacon works nicely here too. Use thick slices of bacon if you want a meatier bite, and use thinner bacon if you prefer a crispier experience.

Press the bacon slices into the brown sugar pecan crumb and lay them on a wire rack set atop a sheet pan in a single layer. You may line the sheet pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup of the bacon grease, if desired.

Brown sugar pressed bacon to be roasted

Sprinkle any remaining praline topping over the top, so none goes to waste.

Place the rimmed baking sheet into a 350F preheated oven until caramelized, and the bacon browns:

pecan bacon on a wire rack fully cooked

It’s like candied bacon, but nutty!

Let the bacon cool on the wire rack for a moment, then lay each slice of bacon on paper towels to drain, and enjoy. It is perfect with Basted Eggs and a side of Hash Browns.

Also try Bananas Foster French Toast, Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, and Carrot Cake Pancakes for more great brunch recipes. Enjoy!

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

Praline Bacon Strips on Wire Rack

Praline Bacon Recipe

Servings: 3 -4, recipe easily doubles, triples, etc
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
 I first tried Praline Bacon in New Orleans and instantly became obsessed! It’s a little sweet, salty, meaty, with a subtle pecan flavor as well.
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Ingredients

  • 6 oz center-cut bacon*
  • 1/4 cup toasted pecans
  • 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and set a wire rack above a sheet pan.
  • Pulse the pecans until they are chopped up into itty bitty pieces, but don’t pulse them so far that they turn into nut butter. Add the brown sugar and pulse a couple times to combine.
  • Press each bacon slice into the brown sugar pecan crumb, making sure to get both sides and shaking off the excess. Then place the prepped bacon slices on the wire rack.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes until the brown sugar has caramelized. Let the bacon cool slightly, about a minute, on the wire rack. Then place on paper towels to drain. Enjoy while warm.

Notes

*I strongly recommend center cut bacon because it’s less fatty than regular bacon.

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 380mg, Potassium: 170mg, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 20IU, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas