Prepare to fall in love with this fluffy bacon bread recipe!
This distinctive yeast bread is packed with crispy bacon making it the perfect savory treat for any occasion.
Whether you're serving it at breakfast, brunch, or as a side for dinner, this homemade bacon bread will have everyone coming back for more. It's a must-have for grilled cheese sandwiches!
Table of Contents
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Flavor. This bacon bread is incredibly flavorful, combining the smoky taste of bacon with the buttery flavor of bread. It's moist, tender, and absolutely delicious!
- Perfect sandwiches. It's perfect for your breakfast toast, or as a side dish for soups and stews. I think it makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever created.
- Sponge method. This recipe uses the sponge method, which means it has a rising time with just part of the flour added.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Herb Bacon Bread: Add a teaspoon of dried rosemary or thyme for an herbal twist.
- Spicy Bacon Bread: Mix in some diced jalapeños for a bit of heat.
- Garlic Bacon Bread: Add minced garlic to the dough for a garlic-flavored version.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Sponge method
I used a sponge method with this. All that means is that you don't add all of the flour.
You only add enough to make the dough gooey and then you let that rise in a large bowl. It is important that you not add salt or fat at this point because those ingredients will keep your bread from rising well.
Once the sponge has risen then you will stir it down and add the bacon fat, salt, more flour and other ingredients as directed in the recipe.
Knead
This time you will want to knead it until it is smooth and elastic and only a little sticky. Adding too much flour will make the bread heavy so be careful.
If you are using your stand mixer use the dough hook and knead according to manufacturer's instructions.
To knead by hand:
- Turn dough out on floured surface.
- Push dough away from you.
- Fold over and pull toward you. My YouTube video should help show you how.
First rise
Form the dough into a ball and oil it. Put it into an oiled pan and let it the dough rise (or proof) in a warm place for about an hour, or until it has doubled. Not sure if it is ready? Gently poke your finger into the dough. If the indent remains it is ready for the next step.
If not? Give it a little longer.
Shape
Punch the dough down and cut it in three equal parts. A scale will come in very handy for this. Form each part into a loaf and place it in a well greased loaf pan.
Oil the tops and cover them with a tea towel.
Second rise
Put them in a warm place to rise again.
This time you want them to come just to the top of the bread pan or a little over it. They will rise more in the oven.
Bake
Brush the bacon bread loaves with a little of the bacon grease or butter and place the bread pans in the preheated oven to bake.
Let the loaves cool out of the pans. Put a towel over the bread as it is cooling for a soft crust or cool it uncovered for a more crisp crust. Slice it when it is cool.
Try not to eat an entire loaf.
🤫 Cook's secrets -
For an extra crispy top brush with an egg wash made with egg white and 1 tablespoon water blended together. For a softer, more golden crust brush with 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water or milk blended together.
🍴 Equipment
- large mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
- spatula
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- wire rack
- stand mixer
🥫 How to store leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze loaves or individual slices for up to 3 months.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Keep in mind that the flavor of your bread will be directly related to the flavor of your bacon. Use a good, applewood or hickory smoked bacon for the best flavor.
💭 Things to know
- Be careful of the salt. Your bacon is already salted, and the saltiness of the bread will be related to the saltiness of the bacon.
- Adding too much flour will make your bread tough.
- For a soft crust cover the bread with a tea towel as it cools.
📚 Related recipes
🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
Make croutons! Cut leftover slices into cubes and bake until crispy for delicious homemade croutons. This is also delicious as French toast - trust me... smoky, maply, yumminess.
📞 The last word
Y'all, I hope you try this! It's so good and so unusual!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Bacon Bread
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 7-¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 2 ½ cups warm water
- ⅓ cup bacon drippings
- ¾ pound bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Add yeast and sugar to ½ cup of the water. Stir to dissolve and allow to bubble.
- Add the rest of the water.
- Mix 2 cups of flour into the water and blend well.
- Allow this sponge to rise for 30 minutes.
- Mix 2 more cups of flour, bacon grease, bacon, and salt into the sponge and beat on slow speed.
- Add the rest of the flour, a little at a time to make a soft dough.
- Turn out on a floured kneading board and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
- Oil the ball of dough and put it into an oiled bowl to rise for one hour or until doubled. (I used bacon grease)
- Punch the dough down and divide into 3 parts.
- Form each part into loaves and place in greased pans.
- Allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Brush the tops of the loaves with bacon grease.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until loaves sound hollow.
- Remove from pans and cool before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
✍🏻 A note from Marye...
I know y'all don't always like the stories bloggers tell so when I have one I try to put it at the very bottom so you can read or skip as you like.
Mention bacon and I will start salivating. Bacon is the stuff that dreams are made of - an aroma and flavor that tempts even the most dedicated vegetarian.
I should know, I was once a dedicated vegetarian. I will agree with anyone that says bacon is good with almost anything - except Jack. Jack-in-the-Box came out with a bacon shake that Ethan and I had to try.
Try it we did and at first sip I found my mouth filled with scorched vanilla. There wasn't much bacon (if any) but they had added a glug of artificial smoke flavoring to a vanilla shake. Imagine drinking a vanilla shake as you were leaving a burning building.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. However...candied bacon in cookies and breads, crisp bacon in side dishes, bacon on the plate? I heart it all.
While I was on my very-much-needed vacation I was planning on making bread.
The house was still basking in the aroma of the bacon I had cooked for breakfast and I had the drippings left in the pan - I hadn't put them in a container yet. (You do save bacon drippings, right?)
The plan was to make bread for toasted cheese sandwiches and and all of a sudden I wondered what it would be like to use bacon and bacon grease in the bread.
I will tell you what it was like - it was AWESOME.
The bread is fluffy and delicious; all of the flavor and texture of good homemade white bread.
The bacon flavor is delicate at first, intensifying as you eat. And, with this bread, the flavor is stronger when it is cool than when it is warm.
Keep in mind that the flavor of your bread will be directly related to the flavor of your bacon. Use a good, applewood or hickory smoked bacon for the best flavor.
It was amazing as part of the grilled cheese. It was amazing toasted and buttered the next day.
Imagine this as the base of bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches or topped with caramelized onion.
So good.
First published March 7, 2012. Last updated June 21, 2024 for updated editorial details and new images.
J says
Is the yeast in tablespoons? For one loaf it says .67 active dry yeast, what exactly does that mean?
Marye says
Did you cut the serving sizes? Sometimes that will give you a weird measurement. Use 1 package active dry yeast for 1 loaf.
Gene Hilgreen says
I am retired and live alone, so I'm looking for one loaf and/or 4 to 6 kaiser roll recipes. I have tried making bread several times and they don't rise right or are too heavy. Because most of the recipes are for several loaves and I try to break it down to one loaf. About 35 years ago, a friend invited me for dinner. Bacon bread was served with the meal. I'm a bacon freak and would love a one loaf bacon recipe.
Marye says
Gene, if you hover over the serving size you can adjust the number of loaves.
Elena says
Can you use a bread machine for the bacon bread? Do you have to change anything if you can use the bread machine? Thanks
Marye Audet says
I've never used a bread machine so honestly I'm not sure. I'd guess you can.
Tracy says
Can the dough be made ahead of time. And refrigerated or frozen for a few days ?
Marye Audet says
Yes - I'd add a little extra yeast to the recipe though.
Mia says
Adding bacon and black olives makes a great pizzabread!'
Marye Audet says
yum! What a great idea
Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen) says
1. You had me a "bacon". 2. I keep a jar of bacon grease in my fridge for recipes like this one. Such a great, smoky addition to just about anything. 3. I admit, I've never made bread (I'm always worried I'll screw it up somehow!), but this looks so simple you may have gotten me on board with giving it a try. 'Cause, like I said, BACON.