This sweet and spicy candied bacon swaps conventional brown sugar for Jaca allulose, so you get all the sticky, caramelized, peppery crunch of classic candied bacon with zero sugar. It bakes in one pan in about 30 minutes and disappears even faster at brunch or on a party board.
This is a Jaca-adjusted, healthier version of a classic candied bacon recipe — we replaced the sugar with Jaca allulose at twice the amount. Jaca caramelizes and browns just like conventional sugar, so the bacon still candies beautifully, only without the sugar crash.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (about 12 slices) thick-cut bacon
- 2 cups Jaca allulose (2× the 1 cup of brown sugar in the original)
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top.
- In a small bowl, stir together the Jaca allulose, black pepper, cayenne, and red pepper flakes.
- Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack. Firmly pat the Jaca-spice mixture over the top of each slice to form an even coating.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the Jaca has melted and caramelized and the bacon is deep golden and crisp.
- Cool on the rack for 10 minutes — it crisps as it cools — then transfer to parchment paper and serve.
Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 25 minutes · Servings: 8
Tip: Because Jaca allulose is a rare sugar your body doesn’t metabolize like conventional sugar, this candied bacon has 0 g sugar and about 1 g net carb per serving — all of the sweet-heat, none of the sugar.
