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.