Just about everyone loves bacon. In fact, one survey found that more than one in five Americans would eat it every single day for the rest of their lives if they had a choice. It actually wouldn’t be that hard to do as it’s not just for breakfast. That salty, crunchy taste goes well with almost anything from a BLT sandwich to grilled chicken wrapped in bacon.

People have been doing all sorts of things with bacon forever, like crumbling it up in pancake batter and dipping it in maple syrup, but odds are, you haven’t tried these five unique foods, and if you love bacon, you’ll definitely want to try these options.

Bacon Jam

As unusual as it might sound, bacon jam is absolutely amazing. It’s typically made with an applewood smoked bacon that’s simmered down slowly with apple cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, and onions (although other ingredients can be added like chili peppers for a spicy flavor). Once it’s rich and dark, it’s put through a food processor until achieving a relish-like texture. It’s heavenly as a dip, swirled into whipped cream cheese, slathered onto a BLT or a burger, drizzled onto roasted veggies, or combined with oil and vinegar to make a salty, savory, and tangy dressing.

Bacon Doughnuts

One bite of a bacon doughnut, and you’ll be hooked. This combo has long been popular at the famous Voodoo Doughnut chain, which makes an amazing raised yeast doughnut with maple frosting and bacon on top. Voodoo may have invented it – the 18th anniversary of the birth of its original Bacon Maple Bar was recently celebrated on May 30, 2021. If there isn’t one near you, you can always get some light and fluffy frosted doughnuts and sprinkle them with bacon.

Bacon Almond Joy

Bacon and chocolate are a delicious combination, providing the perfect sweet and salty mix. Try melting down a few Almond Joy bars and then add cooked, crumbled bacon or bacon bits. Put it in the fridge until it hardens up again, and then slice it up for a tasty dessert.

Bacon Ice Cream

With so many unusual ice cream flavors, it may not be all that surprising that there’s a bacon ice cream, but if you haven’t tried it, you definitely need to. One of the most popular flavors at Udder Delight on the boardwalk in Rehoboth, Delaware, it uses Bac-O-Bits to bring out the most intense flavor. But the shop also offers chocolate-dipped bacon strips that burst out of vanilla ice cream. A little too far from Rehoboth to get there easily? Try making your own using a no-churn recipe published by The Spruce Eats. Found here, it includes candied bacon, real maple syrup, and a touch of vanilla. There’s no need for an ice cream maker, you can use a hand mixer or whisk.

Cheesy Bacon Popcorn

What may be the ultimate munchie for bacon lovers, cheesy bacon popcorn is incredibly easy to make. All you need is 10 to 12 cups of popcorn (popped), a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, a half-cup of chopped cooked bacon, and some salt and pepper to taste. Place the popcorn on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then sprinkle it with the cheese, bacon, salt, and pepper. Broil it in the oven for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted, and serve. You can give it even more bacon flavor by popping the popcorn in bacon grease on your stovetop.

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

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