In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, syrup and water. Set aside.
1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 325º. Place a baking rack (or cooling rack) on a large baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. I recommend spraying the pan with cooking spray and then adding two sheets of parchment. I also sprayed the rack lightly to ensure nonstick.
Take each slice of bacon and dredge it through the glaze mixture 2-3 times. Place each slice on baking rack.
8 slices bacon
Place bacon in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pan and cook for another 10-15 minutes - be sure to not to overcook.
When bacon is cooked to desired crispiness, set aside until ready to serve.
Notes
You could make probably 12 slices bacon with this amount of slurry. You would need two pans and it may take a few more minutes.