How to Cook Bacon in the Oven (Easy & Perfect Every Time!)

by Michelle on May 7, 2021 (updated Jul 1, 2021)

This oven-baked bacon is the most simple and delicious way to cook bacon! It’s perfect for making the prep for any breakfast or brunch easier.

Top view of bacon slices cooked on a plate

Oven-Baked Bacon

Do you dislike frying bacon in a pan and having the fat splatter? Same! Whenever I’m trying to get breakfast on the table, I prefer to keep things as clean, simple, and low maintenance as possible. Enter, oven-baked bacon.. the superior way to cook bacon!

This oven-baked bacon will change your world! My husband agrees that it’s the absolute best, and it makes cooking perfect bacon so much easier.

What are the benefits of cooking bacon in the oven?

It’s fast and easy! Baking bacon in the oven is the set it and forget it method of cooking bacon. You don’t have to stand over the stove and babysit it!
It’s less clean up. Bacon in a skillet is notoriously messy. The oven method is far less clean up!
It’s easier to save and use the fat for later. Rather than trying to transfer the fat from a skillet, simply use the parchment paper that you used to bake the bacon as a funnel to transfer to a jar for later.

What you’ll need for cooking bacon in the oven

Bacon. Of course! This method works with any bacon, but I most often use Applegate brand bacon.
A large sheet pan. Using a sheet pan that has edges helps to keep any fat from splattering.
Parchment paper. This helps to keep the sheet pan clean.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven in three easy steps

Step one. Evenly spacing and making sure that the bacon strips are not overlapping.
Step two. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes (depending on how thick the bacon is, or how crispy you like it).
Step three. Remove the bacon from the oven when it’s cooked to your liking.

Tips and Tricks for Making Bacon in the Oven

The cook time will vary depending on how thick the bacon is and how crispy you like it. I find that it will vary between 18-22 minutes so it’s still a fairly narrow window! That’s why keeping an eye on your bacon is important to make sure it’s cooked to your liking.
Use parchment paper. Not only does it make cleaning up the sheet pan easier, but it also makes it easier to save and transfer the bacon fat so it doesn’t go to waste.
Make sure the bacon isn’t overlapping. This ensures that the bacon will cook evenly!

What temperature do you cook bacon in the oven at?

I find that 400 F works best. However, if your oven runs a bit hotter, feel free to turn it down to 375 F and cook the bacon longer.

How long do you cook thick-cut bacon in the oven?

20-22 minutes at 400 F
23-25 minutes at 375 F

How long do you cook thin-cut bacon in the oven?

18-20 minutes at 400 F
20-25 minutes at 375 F

Can you make this bacon ahead of time?

Bacon is definitely best fresh, however, you can also batch cook it and store it in the fridge to eat later!

What do you do with the leftover bacon fat?

Cook vegetables on the baking sheet immediately. I love to add vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, or green beans to the baking sheet after I remove the bacon, toss and bake immediately! This gives the vegetables an amazing flavor.
Store in a jar. If you’d rather save it for later, simply pour the bacon fat into a jar and use it to cook eggs, vegetables, or almost anything!

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