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These Maple Bacon Cookies are the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and they’re honestly a good idea for any time you want a “wow” dessert without getting complicated.

This is a picture of a group of maple bacon cookies. Cookie front and center has the recipe sauce dripping down its sides toped with bacon and walnut flakes.

You get chewy maple bacon cookies made with bacon grease and dark brown sugar, then you can finish them with an optional maple glaze (or keep them simple and let the salty bacon shine).

I’m Jason, and I’ll say it plainly: My girls think everything is made better by bacon, and cookies are the ultimate test of this theory! These unique cookies prove it.

The cookie dough gets a rich flavor from that touch of bacon grease, plus the deep sweetness from brown sugar and pure maple syrup. Then the maple icing on top adds a sweet tooth moment that plays perfectly with that salty element.

The best part is how easy this is to pull off with simple steps. You mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, cream the bacon grease and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, then chill the dough.

After that, it’s scoop, bake on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, and let them cool on a wire rack or cooling rack.

I know I’m not the only one that looks forward to baking cookies with my kids. Over the years, I’ve missed out on too many opportunities to do this with my girls.

Recently I’ve taken every opportunity I can to bake with them, and cookies are high on our list of favorites!

The other day, Lizzie was scrolling through Instagram and somehow got into a stream of bacon recipes. You know how it goes on social media, haha! Click on something and suddenly it pops up everywhere.

Well, suddenly there we were, talking about bacon, and we started talking about bacon cookies. Does it sound wild at first? Yeah, it totally does.

But wait till you try this recipe we came up with. Somehow, bacon really does go with everything…

If you love savory cookies, love the taste of crispy bacon, or you just want one of those best cookies that gets people talking, this one’s for you.

Some of our other favorite cookie recipes we have on our site include: gooey butter cookies, Meltaway Lemon Cookies, and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe.

This is a picture of a group of maple bacon cookies. There is a full plate of bacon maple cookies and three to the left of the plate one with a bite out of it.

Jump to:

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
HOW TO MAKE maple bacon cookies:
FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT WILL I NEED TO COMPLETE THIS RECIPE?
CAN I MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH AHEAD OF TIME?
ANY ADDITIONS?
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
HOW TO STORE:
JASON’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
Maple Bacon Cookies: The Ultimate Dessert Idea

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Bacon grease + brown sugar get creamed together until smooth, which builds a rich, flavorful base for the cookie dough.
Chilling the dough helps it bake up with golden brown edges and a soft center instead of spreading too thin.
The optional maple glaze (butter mixture + pure maple syrup + powdered sugar) adds a sweet finish that balances the salty bacon topping for that perfect combination.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):

all-purpose flour
baking soda
bacon grease
packed dark brown sugar
large egg
pure maple syrup
pure vanilla extract
maple extract
unsalted butter
pure maple syrup
confectioners’ sugar
chopped pecans or walnuts
crumbled crispy bacon or real bacon pieces

A visual list of the ingredients
all-purpose flour

baking soda

bacon grease

packed dark brown sugar

large egg

pure maple syrup

pure vanilla extract

maple extract

unsalted butter

pure maple syrup

confectioners’ sugar

chopped pecans or walnuts

HOW TO MAKE maple bacon cookies:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream the bacon grease and brown sugar together until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl on sides and bottom. Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, and maple extract. Beat on high speed until well combined.
Add flour and baking soda mix to wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, maximum 3 days.

AFTER CHILLED:

If you have chilled the dough for longer than 2 hours, set out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before working with it.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out balls of cookie dough. Optionally, roll dough balls for more perfectly shaped cookies. Place dough balls on cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges and soft in the center.
Remove cookie sheets from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.

OPTIONAL ICING:

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and syrup together, whisking occasionally. When butter has melted, remove from heat and add confectioners’ sugar, stirring until combined and smooth. Drizzle over cookies and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour depending on your environment.

This is a picture of all stages of what the recipe should look like while making the recipe.

FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

WHAT WILL I NEED TO COMPLETE THIS RECIPE?

You’ll need a medium mixing bowl and a large bowl (a mixing bowl with a cover is helpful for chilling). An electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer) makes creaming the bacon grease and brown sugar quick and smooth.

You’ll also want a spatula, cookie sheets, parchment paper, and a cooling rack or wire rack.

A cookie scoop is optional, but it helps keep the cookies evenly sized. If you’re making the maple icing, you’ll also need a small saucepan. To store them, use an airtight container.

Yes. You can make the cookie dough, cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking. If it’s very firm when you’re ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for a bit so it’s easier to scoop, then bake as directed.

This is a picture of three maple bacon cookies stacked on top of each other. Top cookie has a bite out of it. In the background there is a plate of maple bacon cookies.

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ANY ADDITIONS?

They’re cookies! Of course you can add things. That’s really one of the best parts of a cookie recipe.

Stir in chocolate chips
Add bacon bits into the cookie dough
Sprinkle bacon crumbles on the top of the cookies
Mix in chopped pecans
Mix in chopped walnuts
Drizzle extra maple glaze after cooling
Dust with a little maple sugar
Add a pinch of flaky salt for more salty element
Top with extra crispy bacon pieces
Serve with a warm maple icing drizzle right before eating

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

I’ve got a few options here. I know everyone has different ways they like to do things. Let me know in the comments if you have any other ideas!

Use vanilla extract instead of maple extract
Swap dark brown sugar for light brown sugar
Use chopped walnuts instead of chopped pecans
Skip the nuts entirely (leave them out)
Skip the maple icing and keep them as simple chewy cookies
Use store-bought real bacon pieces instead of homemade crispy bacon crumbles

HOW TO STORE:

ROOM TEMPERATURE: Keep cookies in an airtight container with paper towels in the container to help manage moisture. Nobody wants soggy cookies! Store on the counter away from heat and sunlight.

REFRIGERATOR: If your kitchen runs warm or humid, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container. Let them come back toward room temperature before serving for the best texture.

FREEZER: Freeze cookies (glazed or unglazed) in an airtight container. If stacking, place parchment paper between layers. You can also freeze cookie dough balls and bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.

JASON’S TIPS AND TRICKS:

Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl first so the flour mixture and baking soda (your leavening agent) are evenly distributed.
Cream the bacon grease and brown sugar until smooth—this is where a hand mixer or paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer really helps.
Chill the cookie dough as written; it’s the key to cookies that don’t spread too much on the lined baking sheet.
If the dough chilled longer than 2 hours, let it sit at room temperature briefly so it’s easier to scoop.
Bake until the edges look lightly golden brown and the centers still look soft—carryover heat finishes them on the cookie sheets.
For the maple glaze, whisk until smooth and drizzle while the cookies are cool so the glaze sets nicely on top.

Final picture three cookies set up pyramid style with the first cookie having a bite out of it. In the background there is a bown of bacon bits and a blate of maple bacon cookies.

If you’re looking for a dessert that hits that sweet tooth craving and delivers a salty bacon payoff, Maple Bacon Cookies are it. Try them plain first (that’s my favorite), then go for the maple icing if you want the extra maple glaze moment.

Leave a rating and comment to tell me if you’re Team Glaze or Team Plain. Feel free to serve these with a cold glass of milk for the easiest win.

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If you’ve tried this MAPLE BACON COOKIES RECIPE, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!