Sweet And Spicy Bacon Burger Recipe

These sweet and spicy bacon burgers are loaded with hot cherry peppers, maple candied bacon, jammy caramelized onions, and a surprising maple mayo. The flavors blend together in one giant umami bomb that is too good to stop eating.

The ground beef patties are homemade, which makes all the difference. You will gently add chopped bacon, garlic, and cherry peppers to the meat before you form the patties. This gives the burgers superior flavor, a nice kick of heat, and juicy goodness courtesy of the bacon. The candied bacon is the perfect, caramelized crunch that you didn't know you needed, and the maple mayo has a hint of garlic that ties the whole burger together. 

Serve these burgers alongside some crispy french fries or seasoned tater tots. Make sure to keep a little extra maple mayo on the side for dipping those fries — it's just too good.  Your favorite chips will also work in a pinch. A nice green salad also pairs well with the overall decadence of this meal. 

For these sweet and spicy bacon burgers, you will first need garlic, cherry peppers, and bacon. You will add these ingredients to ground beef before forming them into patties. It's best to use a slightly leaner ground beef (around 90% fat). The bacon will provide the extra fat for the ultimate burger. 

Then, you'll need maple syrup, mayonnaise, and grated garlic to create the maple mayo. Cut the bacon in half to make more manageable strips, and then spread them with maple syrup and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Don't skimp on the maple syrup — make sure it's the real deal! If you don't have access to maple syrup, you can substitute in an equal amount of brown sugar. Saute sweet onions (although yellow or Spanish onions work, too!) in a generous amount of salted butter to form your caramelized onions. Add more of that salted butter to your brioche buns before toasting.

Mince one of the garlic cloves, the cherry peppers, and 2 slices of bacon.

Add the minced ingredients to the ground beef in a large bowl and combine thoroughly.

Divide the beef into 4 equal sized balls.

Smash the balls into 4 inch patties between two sheets of parchment paper and place in the refrigerator.

Whisk together the mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and grate in the remaining clove of garlic. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay the remaining bacon strips out flat on the baking sheet.

Brush with the remaining maple syrup and sprinkle with the crushed red pepper flakes.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until the bacon is caramelized and the fat has rendered.

Slice the onions into half moon slices.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan.

Add the onions to the pan and saute on medium-low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized. Set aside.

Heat a griddle or grill on high heat.

Add as many of the patties as you can comfortably fit and cook for 3 minutes without disturbing.

Flip and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 F and both sides are caramelized. Repeat with the remaining burgers, if necessary.

Butter the brioche buns.

Toast the buns face-down on the griddle until golden brown.

Layer the beef patty, bacon, caramelized onions, and maple mayo on the buns.

Serve with your favorite fries, and enjoy.

These sweet and spicy bacon burgers are loaded with toppings, and they all work so well together! But, there are a few things that you could add that would take this burger to the extreme. A gooey slice of melty cheese would add another layer of creamy deliciousness to this already over-the-top burger. We'd go for a white American cheese or a mild Munster. A nice white cheddar could also work, but we'd stay away from the sharper variety. The flavors will clash too much with the subtleties of the burger.

Another delicious topping would be a cherry pepper relish. You can make your own homemade cherry pepper relish or buy one in the store. It will complement the cherry peppers in the burger patty meat by providing another hint of sweetness while also cutting through the flavors of the burger with a nice, tangy zip from the vinegar.

Many of the components of this killer burger can be prepared ahead of time. Prepping these ingredients in advance will save you time and energy on the day you choose to grill. Then, you can get right to eating and skip the waiting. Make the caramelized onions up to 3 days in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Prepare the maple mayo up to 1 week in advance and store it in a jar in the refrigerator. Just make sure no one's sneaking tastes — that stuff goes quickly!

The patties themselves can also be assembled up to three days in advance. This also gives the ground beef a chance to absorb the flavors from the cherry peppers, bacon, and garlic. Store them in the refrigerator right between the sheets of parchment paper after they've been smashed.