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Home / Holidays and Events / Christmas / Appetizers

Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies

4.86
/5
40 minutes minutes
191 Comments
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 01/20/2020

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Classic cocktail smokies are wrapped in smoky bacon, coated with a spicy brown sugar rub, and baked until crispy and oh so addicting!

Party food recipes like these bacon wrapped little smokies are great for game days, holidays, and pretty much any gathering.  Party guests love finger foods and dips!  We LOVE easy, family-favorite recipes like my Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball and this Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket.  This is one of my Appetizer recipes you’ll definitely want in your collection!

Classic cocktail smokies are wrapped in smoky bacon, coated with a spicy brown sugar rub, and baked until crispy and oh so addicting!  Perfect for game day, tailgating, a party, or a fun night at home! #partyfood #appetizer #gameday #lilsmokies #cocktailsmokies #cocktailweiners #bacon

LITTLE SMOKIES RECIPE

No party would be complete without the deliciousness of bacon-wrapped little smokies… but I’ve taken that one step further with a spiced brown sugar rub that renders them absolutely mouthwatering!  Bake them for game day, a cocktail party, or just a casual night in!  Just 5 ingredients!

Game day foods are just the best aren’t they?  They’re so comforting and fun!  It’s really hard for me to pick a favorite, but one that ranks pretty high on the list are these little smokies!

Most people have had little smokies at some point in their lives.. whether they’ve been wrapped in bacon or simmered in bbq sauce in the slow cooker.

I decided that my love of all things sweet/spicy needed to extend to these!  And of course, everything is better with bacon right?!

HOW TO MAKE LITTLE SMOKIES

  1. Prepare baking sheet by lining with 2 sheets of aluminum foil or 1 layer of heavy duty foil.
  2. Pat the smokies dry, then wrap in a piece of bacon.  Secure with a toothpick.
  3. Add sugar and spices to a large plastic bag, then add smokies in batches, shaking gently to coat.  Repeat with all smokies.
  4. Bake 30-35 minutes, and if desired, broil for extra crispness.

Picking up a bacon wrapped little smokies

COOKING TIPS FOR COCKTAIL SMOKIES

  • FOIL – make sure you line the baking sheet with 2 layers of regular foil (or one layer of heavy duty foil).  When sugars caramelize, they can be a giant pain to clean off a baking sheet.  Save yourself the time and trouble!
  • SAUSAGE VARIETY – I like to use Hillshire Farms brand, but even within that brand, there are several types.  Little Smokies, Beef Little Smokies, Turkey Little Smokies, Little Weiners, Cheddar Little Weiners, etc.  My preferred type is the original little smokies, but feel free to try other varieties if you’d like.
  • BACON VARIETY – I like to use center cut bacon for this recipe, so you get more “meat” and less fat, but go with whichever brand and type of bacon you like best.  We’re using simple ingredients here, so you want to use the best.

VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE

  • BBQ – bake as directed, then baste with your favorite bbq sauce and broil for several minutes, until smokies are sticky and caramelized.
  • SPICIER – feel free to use more cayenne pepper if you prefer.  You could also slather the bacon wrapped smokies in sriracha or a spicy bbq sauce before coating them in the brown sugar mixture.  A pickled jalapeno slice wrapped with the sausage would be amazing as well.
  • MILDER – omit the cayenne and black pepper all together.

BBQ baked little smokies

MAKING LIL SMOKIES AHEAD OF TIME

I like to assemble these smokies a day ahead of time (just drying the sausage, wrapping in bacon, and securing with toothpick), then keep them covered in the refrigerator.  I also mix up the sugar and spices mixture in a bag, and keep it sealed on the counter.

When I want to serve them, I just coat them and bake!

** You can assemble these completely ahead of time (coating them in sugar and everything), keeping them covered and refrigerated, a day ahead of time.  Several readers noticed that when using this method, the brown sugar had mixed with the natural juices of the sausage and bacon and looked “melted”.  They bake up just fine, but if this bothers you, use the make ahead method I’ve detailed above.

STORAGE

Leftovers should be kept refrigerated and consumed within 3-4 days.

Plate of bacon wrapped little smokies (cocktail sausages)

KEEPING WARM FOR A PARTY

Whenever I make these, they’re gone within the first 20 minutes of a party, but if you want them to stay warm for longer, several readers have mentioned they put the baked smokies in the crockpot on warm and it’s worked out well.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE

  • Half Sheet Pan – this is my most used sheet pan, it holds up so well!
  • Toothpicks – if you get lucky, the bacon can stick to itself and seal, but to be safe… I always use these.

LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT GAME DAY FOODS?

  • Cheesy Bacon Jalapeno Popper Dip
  • Bacon Cheeseburger Dip
  • Beer Cheese Sauce
  • Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels
  • Baked Italian Beef Sliders

BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERS’ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.

AND DON’T FORGET, IF YOU’VE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Spicy Brown Sugar Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies | Mouthwatering, and incredibly simple to make, these little smokies are loaded with sweet, savory and spicy flavors!  Perfect for game day, tailgating, a party, or a fun night at home! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #party #appetizer #gameday #lilsmokies #bacon

Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies

4.86 from 83 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Calories: 421
Servings: 8 servings
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Classic cocktail smokies are wrapped in smoky bacon, coated with a spicy brown sugar rub, and baked until crispy and oh so addicting!  

Ingredients

  • 16 oz package of little smokies (or small cooked sausages) I use Hillshire Farm brand
  • 15 slices bacon, each cut into 3 smaller sections
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper more or less, according to your tastes
  • pinch of black pepper (optional)

Instructions

  • Prepare a jelly roll pan (or large baking sheet with a rim), with a layer of aluminum foil, lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
  • Pat sausages dry with a paper towel and wrap each individual sausage with a piece of the cut bacon.  Secure with a toothpick.
  • Add brown sugar, cayenne and black pepper to a large resealable plastic bag.  Use a spoon to combine the sugar with seasonings.  Add several bacon wrapped sausages, seal bag and shake gently to coat.  Repeat with all remaining sausages.
  • Line sugar rubbed sausages on prepared baking sheet and bake 30 -35 minutes, until bacon is browned.  For some extra crispness, broil for a couple of minutes after baking.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

For a bbq version, bake as directed, then baste with bbq sauce and broil on high until sausages are sticky, approximately 3-4 minutes.

Video

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Classic cocktail smokies are wrapped in smoky bacon, coated with a spicy brown sugar rub, and baked until crispy and oh so addicting!  Perfect for game day, tailgating, a party, or a fun night at home! #partyfood #appetizer #gameday #lilsmokies #cocktailsmokies #cocktailweiners #bacon

 

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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4.86 from 83 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Kathleen says

    Posted on 10/19 at 1:18 pm

    I made these just as shown and what a hit, everyone loved them. Just a little kick wit the cayenne but not too much. I already have requests to make more.

    Reply
  2. Connie Brown says

    Posted on 2/14 at 12:53 pm

    For a little change have you tried chipotle chili powder instead of cayenne, different kind of heat with a hint of smoke.

    Reply
  3. BRUCE W says

    Posted on 2/1 at 9:40 pm

    I just put them in the oven and realized I. Forgot to spray the foil with none stick spray hopefully the bacon grease will coat the pan enough results are coming wish me luck. 

    Reply
    • Bob says

      Posted on 2/10 at 1:41 am

      You’re holding out on us Bruce…

      Reply
  4. Cathy Wynkoop says

    Posted on 1/31 at 3:40 pm

    Thank you so much!!❤️❤️❤️

    Reply
  5. Cathy Wynkoop says

    Posted on 1/31 at 9:47 am

    What temperature do I set the oven on? If it’s in the article I must have missed it.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/31 at 10:08 am

      In step 1 it mentions to preheat the oven to 350 F degrees 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kim Roach says

    Posted on 1/30 at 8:37 pm

    These look AMAZING! These were always one of my favorites growing up. Thanks so much for the simple recipe. Putting these on the list for my next gathering!

    Reply
  7. Laurel Ransom says

    Posted on 1/30 at 3:01 pm

    Hi these look amazing! My local store has really nice pepper bacon – do you think the pepper taste would be too strong? I would only put the cayenne and brown sugar in the mix and eliminate the ground pepper.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/30 at 8:48 pm

      If you like the taste of pepper bacon, I say go for it! Sounds delicious 🙂

      Reply
  8. Amanda says

    Posted on 1/23 at 10:52 am

    I made these so many times during the football season! Everyone loves them!

    Reply
  9. Sara Welch says

    Posted on 1/22 at 4:25 pm

    These look divine! Will be perfect on my Super Bowl menu! Delish!

    Reply
  10. Jacque Hastert says

    Posted on 1/22 at 1:03 pm

    Holy smokes (no pun intended) This is one delicious appetizer that will be going down on Super Bowl Sunday! I can’t wait to start wrapping these in bacon.

    Reply
  11. Cathy says

    Posted on 1/22 at 12:18 pm

    These have the BEST flavor!!

    Reply
  12. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    Posted on 1/22 at 2:54 am

    These bacon wrapped little smokies would disappear in our house!

    Reply
  13. K Zorner says

    Posted on 12/15 at 3:21 pm

    I pre-cook the bacon before wrapping. I put the smokies on a cooling rack with a jelly roll pan underneath then bake. The smokies don’t burn😃

    Reply
  14. Jessica Smith says

    Posted on 5/11 at 12:22 pm

    Amanda, your Spicy Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Smokies will be perfect for BBQ’s this weekend or tailgating all through the season. Thanks so much! 🙂 Pinning

    Reply
  15. Angela says

    Posted on 3/18 at 5:33 pm

    Family loved this recipe! Only problem the kids has was I did not make enough! Followed recipe exact. 

    Reply
  16. Glenn says

    Posted on 1/20 at 4:14 pm

    I’ll start off just saying these are great and not too spicy as set up in the recipe. Would be kid friendly as is. This was for the people who don’t want to read too much. Make em, you’ll love em!
    Now I made these for my COWBOYS vs Seahawks post season wildcard game. I’m pretty sure that between this and me wearing my lucky COWBOYS shirt, this is the reason they won. The proof being that I did not make these or my shirt for the round 1 playoff game and my Cowboys lost.
    I’m making them again today for some folks coming over to watch the Chiefs spank the patriots. As a displaced Cowboys fan living in Kansas City, I’m a pseudo fan of the Chiefs. I’m pretty sure that this will get them to their next superbowl!
    Seriously tasty snack that everyone will love.
    I broke my batch up into three types. Well two parts for little smokies. I made half just as describes. I made the other half as described but added a slice of pickled jalapeno beneath the wrap of bacon. For the other third, I substituted the smokies with a hunk of chicken tender that I had chopped up. In all cases I used a stroke of BBQ sauce as described because…well because Texas and Kansas City, BBQ is a given.
    Enjoy, you will love this.

    Reply
  17. Diana Fairchild says

    Posted on 12/26 at 8:40 am

    A friend gave this recipe can’t wait till New Year’s Eve to try it

    Reply
  18. Dalton Walker says

    Posted on 12/5 at 11:58 pm

    Can I make them without the spicy part? Just regular paper

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 12/6 at 9:28 am

      Yes you can absolutely do that 🙂

      Reply
  19. Dalton says

    Posted on 12/5 at 11:56 pm

    There in the oven now can’t whit to try them they look amazing

    Reply
    • Nichole says

      Posted on 2/22 at 6:02 pm

      I am making these now. I never thought ti add spice. The sugar mix was yum yum. I decided to grease some oven racks over foiled baking sheet. Hoping prevents the burning on bottom. Will follow up o. Results. Very excited to try them.. in oven now

      Reply
  20. Sherry Deal says

    Posted on 11/24 at 12:58 pm

    Too avoid the brown sugar burning, could you add the brown sugar half way through the cooking process?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/24 at 10:07 pm

      I haven’t tested the recipe this way, so I can’t say for certain if that would taste the same or not.

      Reply
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