How to Cook Perfectly Crispy Bacon in the Oven

Crispy strips of bacon on a white plate on top of a teal patterned towel.

5 from 4 votes

How to Cook Perfectly Crispy Bacon in the Oven

Bake bacon in the oven for perfectly crispy results every time in just 25 minutes. Less mess, bigger batches, hands-free cooking.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Breakfast, Breakfast and Brunch

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Jessica Lawson

Equipment

Ingredients

16 oz bacon

Instructions

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Lay strips of bacon onto the pan in a single layer. It's ok if they are touching, just be sure not to overlap.
Place baking sheet into the middle rack of a cold oven and turn it on to 400 degrees f.
Bake bacon for 15-20 minutes until desired level of crispness.
Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Notes

Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your bacon, how many slices you have on the pan and your unique oven. See recipe post for tips on how to tell when bacon is done.

Be sure to avoid these common mistakes:

Overcrowding the pan. Strips touching is fine, but overlapping traps steam and prevents crisping. Use two pans if needed rather than double-stacking.
Skipping the rimmed pan. A flat sheet lets hot grease run off into your oven, which is both a mess and a fire risk. Always use a rimmed baking sheet.
Not accounting for uneven cooking. Ovens can have hot spots, and bacon shrinks and curls as it renders. If a batch is cooking unevenly, use tongs to flip the pieces once, about halfway through the cook time, and rotate the pan front-to-back.
Walking away too long. Bacon can go from perfectly crisp to burnt in under two minutes once the fat is mostly rendered. Set a timer and check it in the last five minutes.
Ignoring grease splatter risk when removing the pan. Rendered bacon fat is extremely hot. Use thick oven mitts and tilt the pan carefully if you need to pour off grease.

Nutrition