Preheat the oven to 400 ℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay a metal baking rack over the foil.
Lay the bacon evenly out onto the rack, being sure to not overlap.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup with the cinnamon, paprika, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne.
Brush the maple glaze over each slice of bacon and sprinkle with nuts if using.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and reaches your desired level of crispiness.
Remove the bacon from the oven and let cool on the baking pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool fully before serving.
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Notes
Maple Syrup: Only pure maple syrup will do for this maple-glazed bacon. Imitation maple syrup will burn and taste too artificially sweet.Spices: The spice addition lends balance to the sweetness of the maple syrup, so you don't want to overlook the addition of paprika or pepper. Feel free to omit the cayenne pepper if you are sensitive to spice. Nuts: Almonds or walnuts are a perfect addition to this candied bacon recipe, but you can certainly omit the nuts if you have nut allergies.Storage: Store the cooled bacon in an airtight container separated between sheets of parchment paper in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the bacon on a sheet pan fitted with a metal rack, or a broiler pan and bake at 400 degrees F for 3-4 minutes, or until crispy and warm.