How to pack, store, and gift chocolate bacon

Chocolate bacon makes a great homemade gift, as long as you treat it like cooked meat: keep it cold, pack it in layers with parchment, and get it to the recipient within a day or two of making it. Hand delivery is the easiest option. Shipping works only with cold packs and fast delivery.

Here's how to plan it so the bacon arrives crisp, the chocolate stays glossy, and nobody gets sick.

How far ahead can you make chocolate bacon?

Make it no more than a day or two before you give it. Chocolate-covered bacon keeps in the refrigerator for a few days in an airtight container, but it's crispest on the first day, and the recipient needs time to eat it too.

If you need to work further ahead, make the chocolate dip and toppings plan in advance, and cook the bacon close to the day. Thick-cut bacon cooked until fully crisp holds up best. Our chocolate-covered bacon recipe uses the oven method, which gives flat, even strips that stack well in a box.

Which bacon and chocolate travel best?

Candied bacon has a firm sugar glaze that stays crunchier than plain bacon, so it's a good choice for gifts. Start with our brown sugar candied bacon, cool it completely, then dip.

Dark chocolate holds up better than milk or white chocolate because it softens less at room temperature. Tempered chocolate stays glossier and is less likely to smudge or bloom in transit, but it's optional if the bacon will stay refrigerated. Our guide to choosing chocolate for bacon compares the options.

How to pack it

Pack chocolate bacon so the strips don't touch each other or rub against the lid.

1. Let the chocolate set completely, ideally in the refrigerator, before packing.
2. Line a rigid box or tin with parchment or wax paper.
3. Lay the strips flat in a single layer, with a little space between them.
4. Put a sheet of parchment between each layer. Two or three layers is plenty.
5. Close the box and refrigerate it until you leave.

For a bouquet-style gift, stand dipped strips upright in a jar or cup lined with parchment and wrap the top in a cellophane bag. Bouquets look great but are harder to keep cold, so save them for gifts you're handing over in person and the recipient will refrigerate right away.

Keep it cold on the way

Bacon is cooked meat, so the USDA's rule for perishable food applies: don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if it's above 90°F. That includes time in a car, on a party table, or sitting on a porch.

For hand delivery, carry the box in a cooler or insulated bag with an ice pack. Put a layer of parchment or a towel between the ice pack and the box so condensation doesn't drip onto the chocolate.

Can you ship chocolate bacon?

You can, but treat it like any mail-order perishable food. The USDA advises that perishable food be shipped cold, with cold packs or dry ice, in an insulated container, by overnight delivery. That means:

• Use an insulated shipper inside a sturdy outer box.
• Add frozen gel packs, or dry ice if your carrier allows it and you follow the carrier's rules for labeling.
• Ship early in the week so the package doesn't sit in a warehouse over a weekend.
• Mark the box "Perishable, keep refrigerated."
• Tell the recipient it's coming so they can refrigerate it as soon as it arrives.

Avoid shipping in hot weather if you can. Chocolate melts long before the bacon becomes the problem, and a melted box is a sad gift.

What to tell the recipient

Add a small card with the basics: what it is, that it needs to stay in the refrigerator, and to eat it within a few days. Mention any allergens in your toppings, such as nuts or dairy. Suggest letting it sit out for a few minutes before eating, since cold chocolate tastes muted and the bacon softens slightly.

Gift ideas built around chocolate bacon

• A bacon-and-coffee box with a bag of good coffee beans.
• A brunch board kit with candied bacon, chocolate bacon, and maple syrup.
• A dessert sampler with chocolate bacon bark and bacon brittle from our bacon dessert ideas.
• A game-day jar of chocolate bacon strips for the host.

Father's Day, birthdays, and holiday cookie exchanges are natural fits.

Can you sell homemade chocolate bacon?

Check your state's rules before you sell any. Many states have cottage food laws that let people sell some homemade foods, but those laws often exclude foods that need refrigeration, including meat. Selling chocolate bacon may require a licensed kitchen. Your state's department of agriculture or health department can tell you what applies where you live.