How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Learn how to cook bacon in the oven so it turns out crisp, evenly cooked, and less messy than stovetop bacon. There’s no need to flip the bacon or use a wire rack—just arrange it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until it’s done to your liking. This is my favorite hands-off method for cooking a whole pack of bacon for breakfast, brunch, meal prep, or a crowd.

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Oven-Baked Bacon Video

Bacon is always a favorite at our house, and it disappears fast with all the “sampling” before breakfast hits the table. Baking bacon is my favorite hands-off way to cook a big batch.

How Long to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Bake bacon at 400°F on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet until it reaches your desired crispness. Start checking a few minutes early since bacon thickness and brand can affect the timing.

• Regular-cut bacon: 15-20 minutes
• Thick-cut bacon: 20-30 minutes
• Extra-crispy bacon: add a few minutes and watch closely at the end.

What Kind of Bacon Should I Use?

Any sliced bacon will work for this oven method, but the type you buy will affect the flavor, texture, and bake time. Here’s what to look for:

• Regular-cut bacon: Cooks faster and gets crisp more quickly.
• Thick-cut bacon: Takes longer but has a meatier bite and is great for breakfast plates.
• Center-cut bacon: Usually has less fatty ends and can cook a little more evenly.
• Look at the slices: look for a good balance of meat and fat for even browning.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Use a heavy-duty baking sheet that won’t warp in the oven so the rendered bacon fat stays safely contained.
2. Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer. They can be touching but not overlapping, or they will stick together and cook unevenly.
3. Bake the bacon until it reaches your desired crispness (see the timing chart below). Start checking a few minutes early since bacon can quickly go from crisp to overdone.
4. Drain and Serve. Transfer bacon from the baking sheet to a paper-towel-lined plate. It will crisp up slightly as it cools.

Can I use a rack?

Yes, but you don’t need one. We prefer baking bacon directly on parchment because it cooks in its own rendered fat and crisps beautifully. Bacon can also stick to a rack, which makes cleanup harder.

Do I need to flip bacon in the oven?

No. The bacon cooks evenly without flipping, which is one of the best reasons to bake it.

How much bacon fits on a baking sheet?

A half sheet pan usually fits about 12 ounces of regular-cut bacon or 16 ounces of thick-cut bacon. Arrange slices in a single layer, touching but not overlapping. If you’re doubling the recipe, bake on 2 separate baking sheets.

Small Batch Tip

For just a few slices, I love making Air Fryer Bacon because it cooks quickly and gets crisp. For a whole pack of bacon, the oven is easier.

Oven-baked bacon is our favorite way to cook a big batch for breakfast. Serve it with Scrambled Eggs, avocado, pancakes, or tuck it into your favorite sandwiches and salads.

Ways to Use Bacon

Once you know how to bake bacon in the oven, you’ll want to use it in everything. Try it in these favorite recipes:

• BLT Sandwich
• Eggs Benedict
• Deviled Eggs with Bacon
• Cheese Ball with Bacon
• BLT Pasta Salad
• Avocado Chicken Salad
• Zuppa Toscana
• Baked Potatoes
• Greek Cobb Salad