ALL the Bacon Recipes (Well, A Lot of Them)

If there is one thing we can all collectively get crazy excited about, it’s bacon. Oh, bacon. You’ve withstood the test of time, haven’t you? Something about your salty, crunchy-but-perfectly-chewy, maple-y essence brings all the bacon-lovers to the yard  kitchen. Out of all the food trends, the bacon phenomena has ruled supreme and everlasting. Bacon on burgers, bacon on pizza, bacon on cupcakes, bacon on donuts, bacon on ice-cream, bacon in chocolate—it’s spiraled out of control, and we LOVE IT. To belatedly celebrate International Bacon Day (yup, it’s a thing and it was Saturday), we’ve corralled some of the best, bacon-licious recipes the Internet has to offer:

1. Pancake-wrapped bacon dippers

Recipe from: Recipe By Photo

Bacon is an important part of a complete breakfast. But so are pancakes, so why not combine the two?

2. BLT grilled cheese sandwich

Recipe from: The Stir

A grilled cheese by itself is incredible, so think about how much more grandiose, tantalizing, and irresistible a grilled cheese with thick slabs of bacon would be?

3. Avocado-bacon egg rolls

Recipe from: Home Cooking Memories

I can’t say no to a good egg roll (there’s no such thing as a bad egg roll, there just isn’t). This super-easy recipe involves avocado and bacon, one of the best foodie marriages, ever.

4. Caramel popcorn with bacon

Recipe from: Just a Taste

We love popcorn. And we love bacon. So why not shuffle the two? This recipe is JUST the thing when you’re hosting a dinner party and need a yummy but laid-back appetizer.

5. French toast and bacon cupcakes

Recipe from: Yumm

Make some cupcakes from scratch using this recipe and try not eat them all yourself (you might fail, but that’s okay).

6. Peanut-butter-bacon Rice Krispies

Recipe from: Foodologie 

Making Rice Krispies treats reminds me of my grandma. Every other Sunday, we would spend the morning making the best Rice Krispies (her secret was margarine—not the healthiest choice out there, but hey), and I could hardly wait until they cooled down. Shake up your go-to recipe with some bacon bits!

7. Paleo maple-bacon donuts

Recipe from: Paleo Newbie

Who said bacon had to be bad for you? (Okay, it still is, but whatever.) This Paleo recipe uses almond and coconut flour, raw maple syrup, and bacon bacon bacon. Try these donuts out with your morning cup of coffee and see how your day goes (see: FANTASTIC).

8. Bourbon bacon jam

Recipe from: Cravings of a Lunatic

This eccentric sweet and savory spread goes with just about anything and everything, oddly enough. Try it with some pork chops or a breakfast sandwich.

9. Grilled stuffed jalapeño peppers with brown sugar bacon

Recipe from: Call Me PMC

Football season is creeping up on us, and I can’t think of a better snack than this cheesy, creamy, spicy, and smoky batch of yes please.

10. BBQ-glazed pineapple bacon shrimp

Recipe from: The Domestic Beast

This shrimp appetizer gets its inspirations from tangy, sweet and sour Hawaiian cuisine, and it’s amazing.

11. Candied bacon

Recipe from: Recipe Girl

Back to basics! This step-by-step, three-ingredient recipe teaches you how to make the best candied bacon in all the baconland.

12. Slow-cooker cheesy bacon Chex Mix

Recipe from: Betty Crocker

Make your own snack mix with your Crockpot! The slow heat really helps those Cheez-its, Chex, and pretzels really absorb the bacon, cheese, and smoky flavors.

13. Candied bacon chocolate chip cookies

Recipe from: Tablespoon

Make some bacon bits and cookie dough from scratch and put two and two together to create the perfect dessert.

14. Pepperjack bacon mac’n cheese

Recipe from: Creme de la Crumb

No disrespect to Kraft, but why settle when you can make mac ‘n cheese way more zesty and waaaay more cheesy? This southwestern mac is exactly what you need to pull you out of that box mac ‘n cheese rut.

15. Maple bacon dip

Recipe from: Dip Recipe Creations

Looking for something to spice up your waffle routine? Search no further, my lost waffle wanderer.

16. Paleo bacon carbanara pasta (gluten & dairy free!)

Recipe from: Brittany Angell

If you use heavy coconut milk instead of heavy whipping cream, you’ve got yourself a dairy-free pasta carbonara recipe, and for lactose-sensitive gals like me, that’s just amazing news. Creamy, decadent, and tossed with bacon, this may be my new favorite dinner.

17. Smoked bacon wrapped onion rings with Sriracha dipping sauce

Recipe from: Grilling 24×7

Onion rings are already the darling of the greasy-but-so-good appetizer world. While I love a big plate of fried onion rings with my burger, I think wrapping mine with strips of bacon may just trump that love.

18. Strawberry bacon salad

Recipe from: Lilluna

Did you know that strawberries and bacon pair very, very nicely? Now you do. Pick up a carton from the farmer’s market and enjoy a fresh salad with some crunchy bacon bits.

19. Buffalo-chicken-bacon cheese fries

Recipe from: Katie’s Cucina

Although when I do eat at Denny’s, it’s at 2am, I always always always order their cheesy fries. They’ve changed their recipe over the years (don’t think I didn’t notice, Denny’s!), but you still get a humongous plate of fries smothered in cheesy sauce and bacon bits. Make your own (but even better) with this spiced-up recipe.

20. Apple pie with bacon lattice

Recipe from: Babble

Since fall is on its way, I thought I would end on a seasonal fave: apple pie! Instead of its standard doughy lattice topping, this recipe calls for a criss-cross of sweet, sweet bacon. And I’m totally on board with that.