01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Fry bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, cool, and chop into fine pieces. Set aside.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper to evenly distribute spices.
04 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
05 - Add pure maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, blending until homogenous after each addition.
06 - Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
07 - Gently fold chopped bacon into the dough until evenly distributed.
08 - Drop tablespoon-sized scoops of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing each portion approximately 2 inches apart.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown and centers are just set.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.