If crispy edges and melty cheese are what you crave in a burger, you’re going to love this bacon double smash burger. With caramelized onions, smoky bacon, and two juicy patties, you’ll have the ultimate homemade smash burger experience without having to unhinge your jaw to eat it! And wait until you taste the sauce!
If you’d like to go all-in and make your own buns, you may want to give these soft potato buns a try, or make my grits bread into buns. Perfect for holding all that smash burger goodness!
If you’re already a smash burger fan, you need to make my BBQ Bacon Double Cheeseburger with Lacquered Bacon! For ease of browsing, you can find all my burger recipes in one place, too. Thanks for visiting, and enjoy!
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This was really good. I loved having the grilled onions in between the burger patties. It seems to keep the burgers nice and juicy.
Elly Smisek on Pinterest
Why This Is the Best Bacon Double Smash Burger Recipe
Here’s the fine print for why you’re going to want to make and devour this burger.
✅ Easy: Beginner-friendly—anyone can make these
✅ Essential: Master caramelized onions & smash burger technique
✅ Craveable: Smash-style burger with crispy edges & juicy layers
✅ Simple: Just 10 ingredients for big burger flavor
✅ Hands-On: 20 minutes of prep (+1 hour for truly caramelized onions)
✅ Fast: 10-minute cook time for crispy perfection (2-3 minutes per 2 patties)
✅ Generous: Makes 4 double bacon smash burgers
Jump Straight to the Recipe
A Burger You Don’t Have to Unhinge Your Jaw to Eat
I like a good burger every once in awhile. I’ve made a couple of epic burgers in my time including my Got to be NC Burger, the Bloody Mary Meatloaf Burger, and even a copycat Polar Burger with Everything. But let’s be honest—epic often means impossible to eat without a knife and fork.
As tasty as these burgers were–and boy were they!–I didn’t want to eat more than one, or maybe two over the course of a few days. After that, I was fine living in my burger-limited world.
But today? Today I am bringing you a burger of such deliciousness, that I have eaten three of them in the past two days, one for breakfast this morning. Breakfast, people!
I love a burger I can actually hold in my hands, as God intended—one where the toppings stay put instead of sliding out while I try to wedge a multi-layered beast into my face.
So Much to Love About This Smash Burger!
What sets this particular bacon cheeseburger apart from the rest? I shall tell you, and then you can decide for yourself if you’d like to make this recipe.
If you’re drooling by the time you finish reading the description, a smashed burger is definitely for you!
- Caramelized onions: lend a savory sweetness and finger-licking goodness to the burger. You may also substitute onion jam for the caramelized onions
- Brioche buns toasted in a little bacon fat adds texture and smoky flavor to the bun
- Melty, melty American cheese–arguably a good burger’s best friend. 2 slices per burger!
- Perfectly cooked bacon–not too crispy, but crisp-chewy so it doesn’t shatter when you bite into your burger
- A burger sauce made to enhance and not hide the flavor of your beef
- Customizable: once you have the basics down, feel free to pile on your favorite toppings. But please try them at least once just the way the recipe is written.
Jenni Says: I know, I know—you’re tempted to just slap on some mustard and ketchup. But trust me, this burger sauce is magic. Just 3 ingredients mingle with the juices from the burger and caramelized onions to enhance—not overpower—the flavor. If you must add something extra, make it bacon jam.
Convinced yet? If so, I have a favor to ask:
When you do make this recipe, it will help me and other readers if you:
✅Rate the recipes using the stars in the recipe card
✅Leave a review when prompted in the recipe card (If it’s a positive review, and I hope it is, I’ll use it in the post as social proof)
✅Leave a comment on the post
Thank you so much!
Why Smash Burgers Are the Best (And How to Make Them Right)
Excellent recipe, they turned out amazing I’ll definitely be making these again!
Pinner Jon
Why smash your burger patty instead of keeping it thick and juicy? You need reasons? I have GOT reasons:
- Maximum flavor – Smashing the burger onto a super hot griddle triggers Maillard reactions, creating that deep, crispy, craveable, caramelized crust
- Lightning-fast cooking – Smash burgers cook in just a couple of minutes, so you get crispy-edged, juicy perfection in record time.
- More surface area = more umami – A smashed burger has a higher crust-to-interior ratio, meaning more crispy bits, more flavor, and more of that savory goodness.
- Still juicy (if you do it right!) – Smash once, right when the patty hits the griddle, then resist the urge to press it again after flipping. This keeps the perfect crispy-to-juicy balance.
- The ultimate umami bomb – The cheese and caramelized onions take the flavor over the top, adding extra layers of rich, savory goodness.
And now, let’s make some of these guys, shall we? If you’re ready to go, feel free to jump on down to the recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best bacon cheeseburgers you’ll ever have. And if I’m wrong, you know where to find me!
- Ground chuck – For smash burgers, 80/20 ground beef is the way to go. You need that fat for juiciness in such a thin burger. If you use 85/15, add a little oil to the pan. 90/10 or 93/7? You’ll want to mix in minced raw bacon to bring back some fat.
- Salt & pepper – Used for seasoning the patties and caramelized onions. You’ll also need black pepper for the sauce—but no salt, since Worcestershire has that covered.
- Olive oil – Or any oil, really. Since you’re caramelizing at low temps, smoke point doesn’t matter. You can even use bacon fat or butter. Want to save a few calories? Toast the buns dry in a pan, toaster oven, or under the broiler.
- Sweet onions – Vidalias are my go-to, but any onions labeled “sweet” will work. If all you have are storage onions, add a tablespoon of sugar or balsamic vinegar while cooking to bring out some sweetness.
- Mayonnaise – My preference is Duke’s (Southern loyalty!), but use your favorite unsweetened mayo. Avoid Kewpie or Miracle Whip—they’re too sweet for this sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – Brings depth and umami, mixing with the burger juices to create a simple yet magical sauce. Seriously.
- American cheese – The gold standard for meltability. Want to swap? Use your favorite sliced cheese—but let’s be honest, American cheese on a burger is The Best.
- Bacon + bacon fat – You can’t have a bacon burger without bacon. Use thick-cut bacon that stands up to two patties of beef. I call for 3 strips per burger, but I won’t send the burger police if you use more (or less). Pass on the bacon? You’ll still have a most excellent double cheeseburger.
- Brioche burger buns – I bought store-bought brioche, but if you want a leaner option, grab regular burger buns, seeded or not. Feeling DIY? Try King Arthur’s basic burger buns, oversized English muffins, or (maybe my favorite lean bun): soft potato rolls.
First time making smash burgers and they were delicious! This will definitely be a regular in our house!
Pinner Shelly
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The Right Way to Make a Bacon Double Smash Burger
My husband said these were the best burgers I’ve ever made! He even liked the mayo sauce better than ketchup.
Reader Stephanie
NOTE: The photos show a different smash burger, so you won’t see onions, and there’s only cheese on one patty. Still, the pressing and cooking technique is exactly the same!
- Caramelize the onions, low and slow, until deeply golden brown.
- Cook the bacon until crisp-chewy. You don’t want it to shatter when you bite into it.
- Toast your burger buns lightly in a bit of bacon fat.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together.
- Weigh out your ground beef into 2 oz balls.
- In a hot (NOT nonstick), dry skillet, place 2 of the “meatballs,” and press them down firmly with a large spatula or bacon press.
- Thin out the edge by pressing down a little more.
- Cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Don’t touch them so they develop their signature crispy crust.
- Using a thin metal spatula, scrape the burger off the pan and flip to cook an additional minute.
- Add cheese to both patties and some caramelized onions to one of them. (Lid the pan to ensure the cheese gets melty while the patties finish cooking.)
- Stack the two patties together with the onions in the middle. Don’t forget that magic sauce!
- Devour
Jenni Says: You’ll know when it’s time to flip the burger when the edges are crisp and you can see cooked-through spots on the surface. (See third photo in collage above)
Smash Burger Gear
To get that crispy, golden crust, you need the right surface to cook on—one that lets the burger stick just enough before naturally releasing.
This is not the time for nonstick cookware. You want the burger to adhere to the cooking surface until it’s perfectly seared and ready to flip.
And of course, a good burger smasher and scraper make all the difference. My picks come as a set, but you can also find individual options that work best for you.
I make almost all my smash burgers (and plenty of other things) in this Lodge 12" cast iron skillet.
- Heavy = even cooking + better sear
- Holds heat well so burgers crisp up beautifully
- Naturally nonstick once seasoned—so burgers stick when they should for browning but release easily for flipping.
Bonus: This is also my go-to pan for making pancakes!
This thing is No. Joke. It weighs a full pound, meaning less effort for you—the weight does most of the work.
- Smashes burgers super thin for max crispy edges
- Durable, commercial-grade construction
- Perfect for all smash burgers, including my BBQ Bacon Smash Burger
There are pricier and cheaper options out there, but this is my pick.
Helpful Tips for Success
Have those buns toasted, make the burger sauce, and have everything ready to go. These burgers cook fast, so you don’t want to be scrambling at the last second.
Smash them as thin as possible. The patties contract as they cook, so press them wider than the bun to ensure they’re the perfect size when done.
Smashed Burger Q & A
Yes. I use a 12″ cast iron skillet. Any heavy, flat surface that you can get screaming hot will work just fine.
If you bought ground beef with smash burgers in mind but plans changed, go ahead and form your beef into thin, 2 oz patties and freeze them. When you’re ready to cook, thaw them in the fridge overnight, then smash and cook as usual.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing cooked patties—homemade smash burgers are best fresh off the griddle.
If you love that soft, steamy fast-food-style burger, try this:
✔ Once assembled, wrap the burger tightly in foil
✔ Let it sit for 2-3 minutes—the heat from the patties will steam and soften the bun
This gives you that classic fast-food burger texture, where everything melds together. (And who doesn’t love that?)
More Smashed Burgers to Try
Since I made this, my first smashed burger recipe, I have made more. And more.
I kind of can’t get enough, and I love that I don’t have to mess with dimpling thick patties to prevent them from turning into hockey pucks.
Aside from my BBQ Bacon Smashed Burger I linked to at the top of the post, you may also enjoy my Smashed Reuben Burger (think crispy burger meets your favorite deli sandwich) or my latest, the ever so delicious Epic Onion Burger Recipe with onions in every element from burger to bun.
And while I love this burger exactly as written, I won’t stop you from adding a bit of homemade spicy ketchup!
Questions?
If you have any questions about this post or recipe, I am happy to help.
Simply leave a comment here and I will get back to you soon. I also invite you to ask question in my Facebook group, Fearless Kitchen Fun.
If your question is more pressing, please feel free to email me. I should be back in touch ASAP, as long as I’m not asleep.
Love This Smashed Burger? Please Rate and Review!
It will help me and other readers so much if you take a moment to rate and leave a review for this recipe.
You can use the stars to rate 1-5 (5 is best), and leave a review in the comments. It helps me make adjustments if any are needed, and comments help others decide whether the recipe is worth making.
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Thank you so much for taking the time!
Ultimate Bacon Double Smash Burger Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Caramelized Onions
- 3 large sweet onions
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed
For the Burger Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- several grindings black pepper
The Patties
- 1 pound ground chuck
For Assembly
- 4 brioche buns split with cut sides lightly toasted in a little bacon fat
- 8 slices American cheese
- 12 slices bacon cooked to your preferred crispness. I like crisp-chewy
Instructions
For the Caramelized Onions
- Slice the onions very thinly.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the onions and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Cook over medium low to low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 45 minutes. Set aside but keep warm.
For the Burger Sauce
- Stir together the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper (as much as you like). Set aside.
For the Smashed Patties
- Divide the chuck into 8 2-oz patties and lightly roll each portion into a ball.
- Heat your ungreased griddle over medium high heat until very hot, about 10 minutes.
- Place 2 of the portions (or 4 if you're fancy and your surface is big enough) onto the griddle and press them down firmly until they are flat. Use your spatula to thin out the edges even more so they get extra crispy. Season each patty with some salt and pepper, and sear for about 1 1/2 minutes or until the edges are crispy and you see pale cooked-through spots forming on top.
To Build Your Burger Stacks
- Use your scraper to scrape up each burger and flip each patty. Immediately top each one with a slice of American cheese. Top half of the patties with caramelized onions, using about ¼ of the total onions for each burger, or to taste.
- Let the burgers cook about 45 seconds to 1 minute, Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute, then stack a cheese-topped patty over a cheese-and-onion-topped patty. Place each stack in a 200F oven or toaster oven to keep warm just until you've cooked the rest. These burgers hold their best texture for only a short time, so work quickly.
- Finish cooking all patties in the same way. When you’re done, you’ll have 4 stacks of two cheese-topped patties with a layer of caramelized onions in between.
To Assemble
- Spread 1 Tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture on both sides of each bun. Place 3 slices of bacon on each bottom bun and top with a “burger stack” and the top bun.
- (Optional) Optional: Wrap each burger in foil and rest for 2-3 minutes. This traps heat, softening the bun for that classic, melty smash burger texture.
- Serve immediately. You can add extra toppings of your choosing if you like, but wow, is this combo fantastic all by itself!
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, y’all! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and hopefully also learned a thing or two.
If you like my style, I invite you to sign up for my occasional newsletter, The Inbox Pastry Chef.
Expect updates on new and tasty recipes as well as a bit of behind-the-scenes action. I hope to see you there!
And if you end up eating one of these for breakfast, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Thanks for spending some time with me today, friends. Enjoy the best bacon cheeseburger(s) you may ever have the pleasure of eating.
Take care, y’all.
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You had me at double bacon cheeseburger!!! made these for dinner with fries on the side. (I’ll start my diet tomorrow) lol. Delicious and I actually had every thing on the cooking list in the house and the utensils too. I used a scale to measure out each ball but I made them 2.5 oz each. I saved some bacon grease from previously cooking bacon. I’m glad I got to use it. I had no idea why I was saving it other than my southern girlfriend said to save it…lol
Will definitely be making these again!
These were absolutely f**king delicious! Sorry for the swearing, but they were THAT good. 🙂
This is my new favorite comment ever! So glad you effing loved them!
2 oz. is way too small for these. They’re like half dollar size! I was cracking up when I cooked them. Next time I will use a pound and half or 2 pounds of beef.
Sorry it wasn’t enough beef for you, but I hope you enjoyed the whole set anyway. Sounds like you are going to make them again, sometimes, so yay for that! When I say samsh, I really mean Smash. I think my guys ended up super flat and about 3-3 1/2″ in diameter after cooking. But hey, sometimes more beef is a good thing!
I would rather have this than a burger on the grill any day of the week. These are addictively delish and I am not surprised you had these for breakfast. I always want two of these! I skip the sauce but sprinkle my burgers with Worcestershire, and grill seasoning. Then we like serving with ketchup, mustard, mayo, raw onions and dill pickles. Husband adds a raw mustard leaf for more “mustard” flavah!
Oooh, yes to the grill seasoning! No wrong way to enjoy a smashed burger! So glad you and your husband love ’em!
My husband said these were the best burgers I’ve ever made! He even liked the mayo sauce better than ketchup. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions. Yum!
Oh, Stephanie, this makes me so happy! And tell your husband I know what he means. I love me some good ketchup, but there is something about the way the mayo sauce mixes with the burger juices that make me tell ketchup (sometimes) to just sit this one out! 🙂
These are exactly how I make mine. Once I learned the ‘smashing’ method I was hooked! I love how you put the burgers in a low oven before assembling. That is always my problem with serving these. I feel like a short order cook and can’t sit and eat with everyone, so thanks for the tip! Love your site by the way.
Right, Donna?! So much flavor! And happy to help you not feel like a short order cook. We should all be able to eat together as a family. 🙂 I appreciate the comment and I’m glad you like my site! Hope to see you around!
Thank you for sharing. Im going to try and make some this weekend!
Thanks for letting me know! Enjoy!