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close-up of a skillet with homemade maple bourbon molasses baked beans

Maple Molasses Baked Beans with Bacon

Homemade Maple Bourbon Molasses Baked Beans with Bacon - the best easy recipe for baked beans in a thick sweet and smoky sauce made from scratch in one skillet. 

Course side
Cuisine American, Canadian, usa
Keyword baked beans with bacon, maple baked beans, molasses baked beans recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 450 kcal
Author Kiki Johnson

Ingredients

  • 1 cup bacon 250 g, diced
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot cut into cubes or sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 cans white navy beans 15 oz cans
  • 1 scant cup rum or bourbon
  • 1 cup ketchup or bbq sauce 250 ml
  • 4 tpsps maple syrup
  • 4 tbsps molasses
  • 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
  • 1,5 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and heat your cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add the bacon and let it fry for about 5 minutes. No need to add any fat to the skillet. 

  2. After 5 minutes, add chopped onions, carrots and bell pepper and fry for another 4 minutes. Toss in the minced garlic and fry for a minute.

    Drain and rise one of the cans of beans and add to the skillet along with the entire content (beans and soaking liquid) of the second can

  3. Add all other ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

  4. Bring your baked beans to a boil, put on the lid and pop the skillet into the oven for 45 minutes. Stir once after about 25 minutes. Once the baking time is up, remove the lid and bake for another 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened nicely.

Recipe Notes

  • If you don’t have molasses you can substitute more maple syrup and add 2 tbsp of dark brown sugar.
  • The finished baked beans will not taste like alcohol and the baking time is long enough to cook out most of the alcohol. 
  • If you don't want to use bourbon, use broth instead. It won't be the same though.
  • Swap the ketchup for bbq sauce for a deeper flavor.
  • For a meatless version, skip the bacon and start by caramelizing the onions in plenty of ghee or avocado oil.