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These ultimate oven-baked beans with bacon and brown sugar taste just like they came from scratch—but they’re made with my favorite kitchen shortcut: a simple can of baked beans. This recipe transforms pantry staples into a sweet, smoky, and savory side that’s perfect for any cookout or family gathering. It’s a foolproof dish that brings big homemade flavor with none of the fuss—and it always disappears first at the party!
You know those recipes that just never let you down? This is one of them. It’s stood the test of time in our family, straight from my mamma’s kitchen. She made these baked beans for years, and like most great Southern recipes, it all started with a trusty can. Now, before you wrinkle your nose, hear me out. This isn’t your average “open a can and dump” dish. With just a few flavorful tweaks, you can transform humble canned beans into a from-scratch-tasting side that’ll have everyone begging for the recipe.
What makes this version special? First, I stick with Bush’s Original Baked Beans—they already bring a solid foundation of flavor. Then, I layer in rich molasses for depth, a kiss of brown sugar for sweetness, and just the right spices to balance it all out. But the real showstopper? The bacon. Instead of just stirring it in or laying whole strips on top, I cut it into bite-sized pieces and spread them all across the top in an even layer. That way, every inch gets that golden, crisp, and absolutely irresistible finish. It’s like the cherry on top, only savory!
This is a dish made easy for busy days, and perfected with love (and bacon). Whether it’s a backyard grill-out, a church potluck, or a simple family dinner, these baked beans are a guaranteed hit every single time.
Bacon Baked Beans Ingredients
How to Make Baked Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Prep and preheat
Get ready for this goodness by preheating the oven to 350°F and lightly spraying a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Then, pour the canned baked beans into the baking dish.
Step 2 | Combine the bean mixture
Next, add all the remaining ingredients except for the bacon. Add the onion, green pepper, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, yellow mustard, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to the dish and stir until combined. Be sure there are no clumps of brown sugar, and everything is mixed well into the beans.
Step 3 | Add bacon
Then, cut the bacon with kitchen scissors into bite-sized pieces or about 1 to 1 ½ inches. Line the bacon pieces on top of the beans in rows, covering the entire top and not overlapping the bacon too much. This will make it nice and crispy.
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Step 4 | Bake
Now, place the beans in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until they’re bubbly and the strips of bacon are crispy. If you want crisper bacon, broil the sweet beans for 2-3 minutes until the top is as crisp as you’d like!
Step 5 | Rest and serve!
Finally, let the easy baked beans recipe rest for 10 minutes, then enjoy!
Tips for Oven Baked Beans with Bacon
- Recipe Prep– Have all the simple ingredients chopped and ready to go for the recipe to run smoothly. This is a great make-ahead dish. Make a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Remove 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Then, bake per instructions.
- Thick Baked Beans– Increase the cooking time until the desired thickness is achieved. You can also bump up the temperature to 375℉ to get that thickness in a shorter cook time. Take a look at about 1 hour, and then cook until the desired thickness is acheived.
Easy Baked Beans with Bacon Variations
- Vegetarian Baked Beans: For a delicious vegetarian recipe, omit the bacon and use regular beans instead of a can of pork and beans.
- Turn Up The Heat!: Add a kick by stirring in diced jalapenos or adding more cayenne pepper.
- Smoky Baked Beans: Pick applewood or cherrywood smoked bacon! Some like a little liquid smoke in them, but I usually stay away, and just a dab goes a long way. I prefer an authentic smokiness to my beans. See FAQs for smoking instructions.
- Optional Ingredients: Other delicious baked beans recipes use Worcestershire sauce, green onions, apple cider vinegar, and tomato sauce. Feel free to adjust and add until they’re just how you like them!
What to Serve with Bacon Baked Beans
Make your favorite family dinner by serving these sweet and savory beans with my quick and easy Honey Chipotle BBQ Wings, done in 30 minutes. Or take your time with Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with a rich homemade BBQ sauce. Then, don’t forget to complete your plate with cheesy Baked Macaroni And Cheese.
Storing Baked Beans with Bacon
Refrigerate: Save your leftover baked beans in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freeze for Long-term Storage: Once the beans cool completely, store them in a freezer-safe container or bag and enjoy them within three months.
Reheat: To reheat the beans, let them thaw in the fridge first, then bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle the bacon on top. Cover the beans and cook on low for four hours or on high for two to three hours.
It completely depends on the recipe. Because we bake this brown sugar beans recipe for at least an hour, the bacon slices will fully cook. If you use another recipe instructing you to bake the dish for less time, you may need to partially cook the bacon before adding it.
I don’t bother rinsing the beans for my recipe because the liquid does not disrupt the texture and adds a bit more flavor. However, you can drain and rinse the beans if you want to reduce the sodium of the dish.
Fire up your favorite smoker and allow it to fully preheat to 250 degrees F. Any hardwood will do just fine for this recipe, pick your favorite! I like to place the beans in a cast iron pan or a disposable tray. Then place the pan in the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 3 hours.
More Easy and Irresistible Bean Recipes
- Instant Pot & Stove Top Charro Beans
- Homemade Easy Refried Black Beans Recipe
- Hot Dog And Hamburger Cowboy Beans
- Southern Style Baby Lima Beans
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Easy Baked Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 4 -16 ounce cans Bush's Baked Beans – Original, (or pork and beans)
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion
- ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ lb thick-cut bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces (I use kitchen scissors)
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasis, optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9 X 13 casserole dish.
- Pour baked beans into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Add onion, green pepper, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, yellow mustard, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to the dish and stir until combined (making sure that there are no clumps of brown sugar and everything is mixed well into the beans).
- Cut bacon with kitchen scissors into bite-sized pieces (1 to 1 ½ inches). Line bacon pieces on top of the bean mixture in rows, covering the entire top (making sure to not overlap the bacon too much, so that it gets crispy).
- Place in preheated oven and bake uncovered for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until bubbly and bacon is crispy. If crisper bacon is desired, with beans on middle rack, broil for 2-3 minutes until desired crispness is reached. Note: You can cook longer until the desired thickness is achieved.
- Allow the beans to rest for 10 minutes and serve warm.
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Notes
- Recipe Prep– Have all the simple ingredients chopped and ready to go for the recipe to run smoothly. This is a great make-ahead dish. Make a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Remove 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Then, bake per instructions.
- Thick Baked Beans– Increase the cooking time until the desired thickness is achieved. You can also bump up the temperature to 375℉ to get that thickness in a shorter cook time. Take a look at about 1 hour, and then cook until the desired thickness is acheived.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
Love this recipe. The onions and green pepper add to the flavor along with all of the spices. Then topping it with bacon is perfect. This is a delicious win for everyone!
Thank you! I think all the layers of flavors are what makes it so delicious!