The short answer: to cook bacon in the oven, lay the strips flat on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan, slide it into a 400°F oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes for regular cut or 20 to 25 minutes for thick cut. No flipping. Drain on paper towels.
- Key numbers: 400°F · 15 to 20 minutes · 1 pound fills one half sheet pan · cooked bacon keeps 4 to 5 days · about $1.69 a serving
- Top moves: don't overlap the strips, check at 12 minutes, and pull it a shade early because it crisps as it cools
- Free and paid next step: get the free recipe book starter pages (we email it to you), or plan breakfasts with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99).
Our picks for bacon in the oven
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Meal Planner & Grocery List
Weekly meals, a grocery list sorted by aisle, and pantry and freezer inventories so you shop once and waste less.
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Family Recipe Binder
Section dividers, four recipe page layouts with room for the family story, 4x6 and 3x5 cards and a conversion chart - print it or type into the fillable version.
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Times, storage rules and prices for bacon in the oven were checked November 4, 2026. The sections below cover the method, a time and temperature chart, rack vs foil, saving the grease, cost and storage.
What you need
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bacon | 12 ounces to 1 pound, regular or thick cut |
| Rimmed sheet pan | A half sheet (18 by 13 inches) holds about 1 pound |
| Foil or parchment | Fold the edges up to hold the grease |
| Wire rack | Optional, for extra-crisp strips |
| Paper towels | For draining |
How to cook bacon in the oven
- Heat the oven. Set it to 400°F with a rack in the middle.
- Line the pan. Cover a rimmed sheet pan with foil, folding the edges up so the grease can't run under it.
- Lay it out. Arrange the strips in a single layer. They can touch, but don't overlap them.
- Bake. Cook 15 to 20 minutes for regular cut, without flipping. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven browns unevenly.
- Check early. Look at 12 minutes. Thin bacon can go from golden to burnt in 2 minutes.
- Drain. Move the strips to a paper towel-lined plate. They crisp more as they cool.
- Clean up. Let the grease cool and set, then fold up the foil and throw it away.
Oven bacon time and temperature chart
| Bacon | 375°F | 400°F | 425°F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thin or regular cut | 18 to 22 minutes | 15 to 20 minutes | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Thick cut | 25 to 30 minutes | 20 to 25 minutes | 18 to 20 minutes |
| On a wire rack | Add 2 to 5 minutes | Add 2 to 5 minutes | Add 2 to 5 minutes |
| Turkey bacon | 15 to 18 minutes | 12 to 15 minutes | 10 to 12 minutes |
Times are a guide. Crisp bacon is done bacon. USDA notes that cured bacon can stay pink even when fully cooked.
Rack, foil or parchment?
- Foil, flat on the pan: the easiest cleanup and a slightly chewy, rich strip.
- Wire rack over foil: the crispiest and flattest strips, with the most fat dripped off. The rack takes more scrubbing.
- Parchment: no sticking, but it can scorch above 400°F.
- Cold oven start: put the pan in, then turn the oven to 400°F and cook 20 to 25 minutes. The fat renders slowly and the strips shrink less.
5 ways to use a pan of oven bacon
- Breakfast sandwiches: stack it into our breakfast sandwich or wrap it in a breakfast burrito.
- Holiday brunch: bake two pans at once for a crowd. See Christmas breakfast ideas.
- Candied bacon: brush with brown sugar and a pinch of cayenne for the last 5 minutes.
- Crumbles: chop and freeze in a bag for salads, potatoes and soups.
- Quick weekday breakfasts: reheat a few strips in 30 seconds. More ideas: quick breakfast ideas.
Short on oven space? Our air fryer bacon guide does a half pound in about 10 minutes.
What oven bacon costs
The September 2026 U.S. average price for sliced bacon was $6.76 a pound in BLS average price data. That puts a 12-ounce pack at about $5.07 and a 1-pound pack at $6.76, or about $1.69 a serving for 4 (3 to 4 strips each). Bacon shrinks a lot as it renders, so thick cut doesn't always give you more to eat.
Budget tip: bacon often goes on sale in two-packs. Freeze the second pack flat, and log the sale price in a grocery price book so you know a real deal. For more ways to stretch protein, see meal prep on a budget and how to grocery shop on a budget.
Storing raw and cooked bacon
USDA's bacon and food safety guide says raw bacon keeps 7 days in the fridge, and cooked bacon keeps 4 to 5 days in the fridge or about 1 month frozen. The FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart gives raw bacon 1 week in the fridge too. Don't brown bacon partway and finish it later, because bacteria may survive. Cook it fully, then chill or freeze it.
To save the grease, strain it while warm into a jar, then refrigerate it and use it within a few weeks for eggs or potatoes.
Plan breakfasts and save your times
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. A weekly menu grid and an aisle-sorted grocery list.
- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Fillable recipe pages and cards for your oven's best time and temperature.
- Family Life Admin Bundle, $15.99 (
$23.95bought separately). Includes both printables above plus three more family organizers.
Meal Planner & Grocery List
Weekly meals, a grocery list sorted by aisle, and pantry and freezer inventories so you shop once and waste less.
$3.99 · Instant download. Print at home or fill it in on screen. Or browse the full Home & Organizing collection.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you cook bacon in the oven at 400°F? Regular-cut bacon takes 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F on a lined sheet pan. Thick-cut bacon takes 20 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 12 minutes, because ovens and slices vary.
What temperature is best for oven bacon? 400°F is the sweet spot for crisp, flat strips in under 20 minutes. Use 375°F for chewier bacon or a crowded pan, and 425°F if you want it fast and very crisp.
Do you flip bacon in the oven? You don't need to flip bacon in the oven. The oven heats both sides, so the strips cook evenly without flipping. Rotate the pan once halfway if your oven has hot spots.
Should I use foil or parchment for oven bacon? Both foil and parchment work for oven bacon. Foil with the edges folded up makes cleanup easiest because you can let the grease set and toss it. Parchment keeps the strips from sticking but can brown at 425°F.
Is bacon crispier on a rack? Bacon is crispier on a wire rack. The rack lets the fat drip away, so strips crisp evenly and come out a little leaner. Bacon cooked flat on the pan is a bit chewier and richer.
Can you cook bacon in the oven from frozen? You can cook bacon in the oven straight from frozen, and USDA says it's safe to do so. Separate the slices as soon as you can and add 5 to 10 minutes.
How long does cooked bacon last? USDA's bacon guide says cooked bacon keeps 4 to 5 days in the fridge and about 1 month in the freezer. Never partly cook bacon to finish later.
How do I plan bacon for the week's breakfasts? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. has a weekly menu grid and an aisle-sorted grocery list, so one pan of bacon covers sandwiches, salads and breakfasts.
Where can I save my oven bacon times? The Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. has fillable recipe pages, dividers and recipe cards, so your oven's exact time and temperature are written down.
Does HomeBase Paper Co. sell the meal planner and recipe binder as a set? The Family Life Admin Bundle ($15.99, $23.95 bought separately) from HomeBase Paper Co. sells the meal planner and the recipe binder as a set, plus three more household printables.
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Clean the whole house in order: get the free deep cleaning checklist
A printable room-by-room deep cleaning checklist that tells you what to do first, so nothing gets cleaned twice. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple cleaning routines and chore ideas the whole family can help with.
Sources
- USDA FSIS: Bacon and food safety fsis.usda.gov
- BLS: Average price, bacon, sliced, per lb data.bls.gov
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart foodsafety.gov