Chocolate Covered Bacon

Dark, white, milk, or full of bits and pieces, whatever your favorite chocolate is, it will taste even better as a sweet coating to perfectly cooked salty bacon. Making chocolate covered bacon is easier than you imagine, and completely addictive. 

Even in a normal year, getting decadent and indulgent fair food usually only happens once – when the state fairs open and salty, fried foods and gooey sweets are for sale every few feet. I have a secret, it can definitely happen at home too!

All you need is chocolate and bacon and you can make a fair food inspired treat yourself. Chocolate dipped bacon may have started at the state fairs but at home with the right chocolate, it becomes something downright gourmet and incredibly addictive. 

You only need 2 things…

To make chocolate covered bacon you only need bacon and chocolate. Here are two of my best tips for choosing them…

• Thick sliced bacon is the way to go. If you’re ever going to spring for the thick, expensive bacon now is the time. It holds up against the weight of the chocolate best. 
• Choose a chocolate you like. You can pick whatever chocolate you like to eat! Milk, white and dark all work great. Top it with nuts or coarse salt, or use a candy bar that already has bits and pieces in it!

Pro Tip: Most chocolate bars work great – unless they’re filled. Nougat, mousse, caramel fillings, or cookie centers just don’t melt right! Instead, use a pure chocolate bar for coating and chop up your favorite candy bar to sprinkle on top as the chocolate sets.

The Best Chocolate for Chocolate Bacon

We have fun making this kind of thing in my house, I usually choose a chocolate or two and so does my husband. Then we make a few of each and have a sampling of chocolate covered bacon with a glass of red wine as a fun dessert on date night! The best part is that it’s easy for me to make during the day and pop in the fridge for later.

A few of our favorite chocolates are:

• Lindt Milk chocolate
• Any 60 to 70% dark chocolate
• Hershey’s Cookies and Cream
• Sea Salt Almond Dark Chocolate
• Pretzel or Toffee Crunch dark chocolate

A few of our favorite toppings are: 

• Crushed or chopped cookies
• Chopped M&M’s
• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Chopped roasted salted nuts
• Chopped pretzels
• Crushed toffee or brittle
• Coarse flaky salt (Make sure your chocolate has cooled or it may melt!)

Now I may have heard this referred to as ‘man candy’ in the past (something about meat and chocolate I’m guessing), but let me tell you that a perfectly cooked slice of bacon coated with creamy chocolate and salted almonds is far more than just a man’s candy. Women, children, grandma’s, grandpa’s…this is an everybody candy!

How to Make Chocolate Covered Bacon

When it comes to the actual process of making your chocolate bacon, it’s very easy! I have a few essential tips for how to make it perfectly every time. 

Tips for making chocolate dipped bacon: 

1. Roast your bacon on an oven safe cooling rack set over a foil or parchment lined baking sheet for easy clean up and even cooking. 
2. The time your bacon takes to cook depends on the thickness of your bacon, thinner takes from 12 to 20 minutes, the thick slices I used took 25 in a 400°F oven. Flip slices once about halfway through baking. 
3. Dab off any excess grease once bacon is cooling to allow the chocolate to coat and set as nicely as possible. 
4. Use about ½ ounce of chocolate per slice of bacon you’re coating. 
5. Lightly chop or break up the chocolate and melt the chocolate in the microwave for fastest results. 
6. Different chocolate melts differently. White melts fastest while dark the slowest. Start with 10 second intervals in the microwave, stirring in between to avoid burning your chocolate. 
7. Use a spoon and drizzle the chocolate over the bacon for easiest coating without bending the bacon (no broken strips!)
8. Lay flat on wax paper to chill in the fridge for the quickest set up and to avoid the chocolate bacon from sticking to the cooling surface. 
9. Keep it stored in the fridge for up to four days. It keeps best laid flat in a plastic, lidded bowl. Keep chocolate separated between wax paper layers if needed. 

And as one final tip, as if this wasn’t decadent enough, if you really want to amp it up and make this a foodie’s dream snack, I highly recommend using homemade candied bacon to make this chocolate treat.

Questions about making Chocolate Covered Bacon

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! It’s obviously at its best within an hour or two of being made, but we have enjoyed it well into several days after with no issues. 

Can I cook the bacon on the stovetop?

I like the baking method because it cooks the bacon flat and allows the bacon to cook without becoming too crisp, which can lead to shattered bacon when coating. You can cook your bacon in whichever method you prefer, simply be careful when coating to avoid breaking your strips and make sure your bacon isn’t too greasy.

Can I store this on the counter?

Bacon is not food safe at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, so please refrigerate when you’re not consuming it.

If you like this recipe, you may also like these recipes:

• Microwave Peanut Brittle
• Deep Fried Cheesecake Bites
• Oven S’mores Dip
• 20 Homemade Easter Treats
• Types of Chocolate: A guide to cooking and baking with chocolate