I Pledge Allegiance to Pork: The Greatest Bacon Desserts in the Nation

In the 1770s, thousands of men, young and old, fought for the right to call this great land the United States of America. Centuries later, their bloody pursuit for freedom is still remembered as we complain about the government, avoid voting, and overeat. We can't really help out with the first two, but we know something about food. Especially when it involves the pork angel that is bacon. The rest of the world indulges in the savory goodness but no place does it quite like 'Murica.

In typical, American fashion, we overdo it. We put bacon on burgers, pizza, salad (pro tip: not actually healthy anymore, and croutons won't save you), and pretty much anything else that comes across our dinner tables on a plate.

But how often have you slid a slice off your bacon burger and into your ice cream? Well these chefs have and thank the stars and stripes they did. Because they gave us the 20 greatest bacon desserts across the nation. These restaurants nationwide are doing their patriotic duty to serve the good people of this great country sugary-savory dishes to finish off their super size bacon cheeseburger supreme. Crack open a beer, turn on some baseball and take a look at this list. If not for you, do it for your country.

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Restaurant: Brown Hotel
City: Louisville, Ky.
Website: brownhotel.com

We hear Greece's economy is in a little bit of trouble so we came up with the perfect bailout plan: start exporting bacon baklava by the shipload. Already sold in Louisville's Brown Hotel, these treats are a mix of sticky sweet bread flakes and savory bacon. Pretty sure they could single-handedly rescue a country.

Restaurant: Denny's
City: Limited locations nationwide
Website: dennys.com

The wheel, personal computers, the Internet—all inventions that have changed the world forever. Denny's has found its way next to the Zuckerbergs and Jobs of the world with the unleashing of Baconalia, a magical god-send that adds eight new bacon dishes to the menu. Our favorite? Caramel bacon french toast. You're going to want to remember your first bite of this treat because someday your grandkids will ask you where you were when Denny's changed history.

Restaurant: American Tap Room
City: Arlington, Va.
Website: americantaproom.com

The name is something serious but the pretzels make up for the struggle you'll go through when placing your order. Bavarian pretzels with a side of peanut butter bourbon bacon sauce. Technically it's "dipping sauce," but dunking seems appropriate with bacon involved.

Restaurant: American Tap Room
City: Arlington, Va.
Website: americantaproom.com

Caramel corn is good. Popcorn is good. Bacon is good. We're just waiting for this to come out in theaters.

Restaurant: Brookville
City: Charlottesville, Va.
Website: brookvillerestaurant.com

Experimenting with root beer floats was always limited to switching the soda or ice cream flavor that went in the glass until this Virginia restaurant changed the game. Honestly, we can't imagine it either but sometimes in life you have to take a leap of faith. And we fully believe in the power of pork.

Restaurant: Burke's Bacon Bar
City: Chicago, Ill.
Website: burkesbaconbar.com

In Chief Keef's hometown, there is a restaurant that only serves meals with bacon. Bacon salad, bacon jam, bacon brittle, and our pick, bacon chocolate chip cookies. Sounds a little crazy but in a restaurant dedicated to pork dishes, we're sure these cookies will be great. That's that sh*t we do like.

Restaurant: The Unnamed Bakery
City: Greensboro, N.C.
Website: theunnamedbakery.com

No one ever went to the South to lose weight. So we're not going to blame you when you make multiple trips to this North Carolina bakery for its maple bacon cupcakes. Second cupcake on the list, but definitely not second in our hearts.

Restaurant: Real a Gastropub
City: Honolulu, Hawaii
Website: realgastropub.com

Roscoe pretty much owns meat-topped waffles, but Real serves up a tasty remix. Waffle then bacon then ice cream and all the caramel you can dream of. It's the perfect breakfast dish for all the mornings you care a little less about your heart. Dig in.

Restaurant: Tiki's Grill
City: Honolulu, Hawaii
Website: tikisgrill.com

A fancy PB&J sandwich with bacon and taro bread pudding. Not really a dessert but neither was the family size bag of potato chips you ate last night, so stop lying to yourself. If you're still saying your diet starts tomorrow then we're counting this delicious sandwich on this list. (Your diet actually starts after you take a bite of this.)

Restaurant: JM Curley
City: Boston, Mass.
Website: jmcurleyboston.com

Boston restaurant JM Curley combines all of your favorite drugstore candies, mixes in pretzels and ice cream, and then tosses in bacon. And named the combination after everyone's favorite ironic T-shirt-clad, Williamsburg-residing, 20-somethings. Can't say we have a problem with these hipsters, though.

Restaurant: Sweet Rose Creamery
City: Los Angeles, Calif.
Website: sweetrosecreamery.com

Someone on Yelp comes to this restaurant "everyday" and we ain't even mad at her. This mix of thick cut bacon and ice cream looks like the greatest thing since bacon and anything else. Who doesn't want ice cream with a side of pork?

Restaurant: Nickel Diner
City: Los Angeles, Calif.
Website: nickeldiner.com

Oh sweet, crispy irony. A glazed donut rolled in crunchy pieces of pig. We can guess what branch of public servant frequents this L.A. diner. But this breakfast treat (or lunch, dinner, midnight snack; do you) is definitely availble to you whether you're a cop or not.

Restaurant: Robicelli
City: New York, N.Y.
Website: robicellis.tumblr.com

Elvis died of a heart attack and there is a good chance you could too if you eat these on the reg. Brooklyn bakery Robicelli sells a delicious bacon cupcake named after the King. The dessert namesake is made of banana cake, peanut butter, and butter cream. And a bacon topping—a brown sugar candied bacon topping—in case your arteries weren't struggling enough.

Restaurant: Roni-Sue
City: New York, N.Y.
Website: roni-sue.com

Aaron Carter had it right. Simple enough, it's bacon dipped into the chocolate of your choice, and if you're looking to give your heart a little bit more trouble, the restaurant offers bacon popcorn, bacon peanuts, and more.

Restaurant: Salt Kitchen and Bar
City: Honolulu, Hawaii
Website: salthonolulu.com

By the time you read this, Bacon Apple Cobbler may no longer be on the menu, but for those that caught it when it was, congrats, the nation is proud. The marriage between a Sunday dinner staple and bacon is a delicate one and Salt Kitchen, for a limited time, got it right. For the rest of us poor suckers, we can just drool over the picture.

Restaurant: Burger King
City: Limited locations nationwide
Website: bk.com

You can have it your way, right? Well, here is the dessert you never knew you wanted. Like dipping french fries in milkshakes but oh so much better. Bacon, ice cream, caramel, and chocolate fudge, all swirled together in what Burger King describes as "a cool collision of salty and sweet." Long live the King.

Restaurant: Chef Geoff's
City: Washington, D.C.
Website: chefgeoff.com

Another American classic with a bacon twist comes straight out of the nation's capital. And there is a chance you could run into Obama while chowing down on this sweet bacon goodness! (OK, not at all, but we can dream.)

Restaurant: Animal
City: Los Angeles, Calif.
Website: animalrestaurant.com

Remember when you swore to only eat dark chocolate cause it was better for you? It just got worse. One of Animal Restaurant's signature desserts involves dark chocolate, hazelnut, and more dark chocolate mousse all topped with bacon. So basically a chocolate-bacon lasagna. Garfield don't know nothing 'bout this.

Restaurant: Baconery Cafe
City: New York City
Website: baconery.com

This entire cafe is dedicated to the pursuit of bacon. And what's more American than that? Bacon bars, bacon cookies, and, of course, the bacon brownie. Sweet meets salty meets pork meets your stomach.

Restaurant: Magnolia Grill
City: Durham, N.C.

Death is a tragic part of life, but no matter how aware we are of the Grim Reaper's constant presence some passings still hit us hard, like the closing of the North Carolina's Magnolia Grill. In May 2012, Award-winning chefs Ben and Karen Barker closed this former home to bacon and peanut butter stuffed truffles so they could spend more time with their family. Their gain, our loss. Please take a moment of silence for all the sweet pork that will never fill your stomach.