Bacon Jam
Published October 18, 2021 • Updated February 24, 2026
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Smoky, sweet, salty, and spreadable on everything. I make this keto bacon jam with sugar free maple syrup and smoked paprika, and it turns a pound of bacon into the best condiment in your fridge.
Onion bacon jam recipe
Bacon is one of those ingredients I always have on hand, and turning it into a thick, spreadable condiment was one of my better kitchen experiments. I know the name sounds strange the first time you hear it. But once you taste that smoky, sweet, salty combination on a smash burger or a warm keto grilled cheese, you’ll get it.
The process is simple. Cook the bacon until it’s crispy, soften onions and garlic in the rendered fat, add your seasonings, then pulse everything in a food processor until it looks like a chunky relish. I usually let the onions go a full 5 minutes until they’re soft and just starting to brown at the edges. That caramelization is where the depth comes from.
Most store bought versions are packed with brown sugar, and I tried a few before I just made my own. Sugar free maple syrup is the move here, way better than plain sweetener because it brings that rounded sweetness without any aftertaste. Combined with smoked paprika and black pepper, you get this low carb condiment that honestly tastes richer than the sugary versions I used to buy.
I make a batch almost every other week. It takes about an hour start to finish, but most of that is hands-off simmering while the mixture thickens. One batch gives me 8 servings, and I go through it fast. On keto hamburger buns with a burger is the obvious move, but I’ve been putting it on keto breakfast sandwiches with eggs and it’s become a morning staple.
It’s also great on a keto charcuterie board. I jar it up in small mason jars and set it out with crackers and cheese. People always ask what it is, and then they want the recipe. I’ve started bringing a jar as a hostess gift because it’s that good and it keeps for weeks in the fridge.
If you’ve never made a homemade condiment before, this is the one to start with. You probably already have everything in your kitchen. And once you try it on a grilled keto burger or spread on warm keto rolls, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make it sooner.
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Ingredients
14 slices bacon, diced -
1 white onion, thinly sliced
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
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1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup
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1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Cook the bacon
Over medium – high heat, cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove cooked bacon from skillet using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined dish to set aside. Leave remaining bacon grease in the skillet.
Caramelize onions and garlic
Lower heat to medium and add onion and garlic to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook until onion is translucent (about 5 minutes).
Add flavor
Add the crispy bacon back to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Add apple cider vinegar, sugar free maple syrup, smoked paprika and black pepper. Lower heat to low. Cook for another 30-60 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
Puree
Once mixture has thickened, remove from the skillet and transfer bacon mixture and bacon fat to a food processor or blender. Pulse or blend until a thick jam texture forms.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular maple syrup instead of sugar-free?
You can, but it adds a lot of sugar and carbs. I've only ever made this with sugar free maple syrup and the flavor is rich enough that nobody in my house has noticed a difference. For keto, I'd stick with the sugar free version.
How long does this keep in the fridge?
I store mine in mason jars and it lasts 2-4 weeks easily. I've pushed it to 3 weeks with no change in flavor. Just make sure you let it cool completely before you seal the jar.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
I've done it both ways. For the slow cooker, I crisp the bacon in a skillet first (you need that rendered fat), then toss everything into the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours. It works great if you want to set it and forget it. I still prefer the skillet method because I like watching the onions caramelize, but the slow cooker version tastes just as good.
Can I freeze bacon jam?
Yes, and I do this regularly. I freeze it in small mason jars with about half an inch of headspace. It keeps for up to 3 months. I thaw mine overnight in the fridge and it tastes the same as fresh. This is my go-to strategy when I make a double batch.
What's the best bacon to use?
I use thick-cut bacon because it holds up better during the long cook and gives you meatier pieces in the final texture. Thin bacon works but I find it disappears into the onions too much. I've also used oven-baked bacon and it cuts down on the stovetop splatter.
Can I use turkey bacon for a lighter version?
I tested this once with turkey bacon and honestly it was pretty flat. The pork fat is what makes the whole thing work. It renders out during cooking and becomes the base for caramelizing the onions. Without it, you'd need to add butter or oil, and at that point you've lost the richness that makes this worth making.
What can I substitute for apple cider vinegar?
I've used white wine vinegar and it works fine. Balsamic gives it a slightly sweeter, deeper flavor that I actually really like. My usual pick is apple cider vinegar because the tang balances out the sweetness from the syrup, but I've made this with all three and they all turned out well.
What dishes pair best with this besides burgers?
My favorites are eggs in the morning, keto grilled cheese, and charcuterie boards. I also spread it on keto breakfast sandwiches and it's incredible with steak. One of my readers told me she puts it on cream cheese stuffed chicken and I've been meaning to try that.
Okay I made this with red onion instead of white because that's what I had, and I did NOT expect it to make such a difference. It's slightly sweeter and the color when it all cooked down was this deep burgundy that just looked so good. I also threw in a tiny pinch of cayenne with the smoked paprika because I wanted a little heat, and it balances the sugar free maple syrup without being actually spicy. If you're new to this: let it cool all the way down before you blend it. I tried to rush mine and it splattered everywhere and that was a whole situation. Have been putting this on eggs every single morning this week. Did not think I was going to become a bacon jam person but here we are.
If you're using regular-cut bacon, pull it from the pan earlier than feels right (it keeps cooking in the fat when the onions go in and will crumble fast if you leave it). Also bumped the smoked paprika to a full teaspoon and the depth it adds is freaking unreal, that almost campfire-smoky thing just takes over. Found myself putting it on scrambled eggs this morning and then on a burger at lunch. Double batch is happening this weekend.
The carryover hits fast. I switched to thick-cut partly for that reason, gives you a little more cushion before it crosses into crumble territory. Double batch is smart, mine never lasts past day two.
Went heavier on the smoked paprika, closer to a full teaspoon, and the smokiness is so much more pronounced. Worth it. Also figured out that if you let the onions go longer than you think you need to (I pushed mine to about 25 minutes on low) the jam thickens up way better and gets almost glossy. Double batch this weekend because one jar is not enough.
25 minutes on the onions is right. I go until it hits that glossy set. One jar barely lasts a week.
Made a double batch on Sunday and I've been putting it on everything (eggs, burgers, lettuce wraps) all week. The smoked paprika deepens as it sits, so by day three it's somehow better than the day you made it.
Day three is legitimately a different product. I end up eating it straight off the spoon before it even gets to the eggs.
Every other bacon jam recipe I've tried is just sweet bacon mush, and then this one comes along with smoked paprika doing actual work and I'm annoyed it took me this long to find it.
The smoked paprika was the last thing I locked in. First two versions were the exact sweet mush you're describing.
I've made this four times and the thing that keeps pulling me back is what happens when the onions go in with the bacon grease. Everything just deepens into this smoky sweetness I didn't expect the first time. The smoked paprika especially, it cuts through all that saltiness. Didn't see that coming. Doubled it on batch three and haven't gone back. Started spreading it on eggs in the morning, which was a weird idea that turned out to be right. At 1.8 net carbs a serving I've basically stopped buying any other condiment. Does it freeze well? I want to make a big batch.
Freezes well. Small mason jars, half an inch of headspace, 3 months easy. Thaw overnight in the fridge. The eggs thing is a good call.
Added way more smoked paprika than the recipe calls for (grabbed the jar wrong the first time) and it hit so differently that I've been doing it on purpose ever since. The extra smokiness does something to the sweetness that I can't quite explain but I'm not going back.
Brought a jar to a spring get-together and my friend kept flipping it over looking for a label. She did not believe me when I said I made it. The smoked paprika is what sells it.
Ha, the smoked paprika is what does it. Cooks down into something that doesn't taste homemade, in the best way. My sister-in-law asked me the brand once.
This stuff is SO good spread on everything. The smoked paprika is what got me, I was skeptical you'd even notice it but it comes through in every single bite. My only note: the sweetness ran a little high for me with the full maple syrup amount, so I scaled back to 3 tablespoons on batch two and it clicked. Not slowing down on this one.
Three tablespoons is smart. The onions caramelize so much by the end that they bring a ton of their own sweetness, so the full quarter cup can tip over.
Didn't put that together about the caramelization. Good to know for batch three.
Made this Sunday to go with some burgers and my daughter, who normally pushes condiments to the side of her plate, was eating it straight from the jar with a spoon before the food was even done. Just sitting there. The way the onions cook down with the smoked paprika, it stops tasting like a condiment and starts tasting like the whole meal. Four stars only because I made one jar and that was clearly not enough.
Ha, one jar is never enough. I keep a backup in the freezer now, small mason jars with a little headspace, they go 3 months easy.
Wasn't sure the sugar free maple syrup would work but after simmering it down with the smoked paprika it thickened right up.
The paprika does something to it right? Once it simmers down it gets almost jammy. That's when you know it's done.
I once had a bacon jam burger at Cracker Barrel it was divine to say the least. Do you think I could use brown sugar Swerve as a substitute for the sugar-free maple syrup?
Yes, that would work as a substitution!
This is my first time with bacon jam and it is a treat!
First jar goes fast. Try it spread on eggs the next morning, that's usually when I finish off whatever's left at the bottom.
Hi, just wondering how many grams of bacon as slices could be different sizes.
It's about 120 grams of bacon