Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set wire rack on the lined baking sheet. Lightly spray the wire rack with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange bacon in a single layer on the wire rack. Brush 1 tablespoon of maple syrup evenly over the slices. Cook the bacon for 10 minutes in the oven, then flip the slices, and brush the other side evenly with 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Continue to cook the bacon until crisp and dark in spots (about 10 – 15 minutes more). Let the bacon cool completely, then chop into small bits.

Combine flour, baking soda and sea salt in a medium bowl, whisking to combine. Set aside. Add butter and sugar to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (2 – 3 minutes). You can also use a hand mixer here. Add the egg, vanilla extract and maple extract, mixing until incorporated. Add the maple syrup, and mix until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) to the wet ingredients (butter-egg mixture) in 3 additions, beating at a lower speed until each addition is just incorporated. Fold in the reserved, chopped candied bacon. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap, and let chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat an oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough, and, using your hands, roll into a ball. Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the cookies turn lightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.