Nothing cures a savory-sweet party craving quite like Bacon Wrapped Smokies with a brown sugar glaze.
A smoky mix of spices and a splash of apple cider vinegar take the glaze to new heights of yummy, guaranteeing you (and your guests) will find this rendition down-right addictive. We love this appetizer for game days, holiday parties, BBQs and everything in between!
This Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies recipe is both make-ahead and easy to make, making it the perfect game day or holiday appetizer alongside our Mini Pigs in a Blanket! Need more yummy starters to add to the line-up? Add this quick, simple (and budget-friendly) Meat and Cheese Tray to the menu!
Table of Contents
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Smokies
- Wrap the Little Smokies - Cut bacon strips into thirds and wrap each section tightly around each Little Smokie, and place it seam-side down in a greased casserole dish.
- Make the Glaze - Add butter, brown sugar, vinegar, and spices to a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the mixture simmers, remove it from the heat and pour it over the bacon-wrapped sausages.
- Bake - Transfer to the oven and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Then, baste or spoon over the tops of the Bacon Wrapped Smokies with the glaze, and continue cooking for 15 minutes. After a total of 35 minutes, the bacon will be perfectly cooked!
Ingredients for Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
Bacon | For this recipe, we used center-cut bacon, which is just bacon with the fatty ends cut off. This is particularly beneficial for Bacon-Wrapped Smokies recipes because the extra fat from the ends is completely unnecessary and would just create unwanted grease in the brown sugar glaze. If you don't have center-cut bacon, just trim away the fatty ends before you do any wrapping.
Little Smokies | Little Smokies are miniature smoked sausages and they are ideal for party appetizers! You can easily find them located near the bacon and other cured pork products at the grocery store. You can use either Beef or Turkey Lit'l Smokies to make these bacon wrapped Smokies.
Brown Sugar Glaze | For the brown sugar glaze, you will also need butter, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and spices. Chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt add smoky, savory vibes to this sweet and sticky sauce!
More Bacon Wrapped Recipes to Love
It's safe to assume if you're reading this post, you are Team Bacon, and friend -- rest assured -- you're in good company. We love the savory, porky goodness this simple ingredient adds to all kinds of foods. Check out a few of our bacon-wrapped favorites below and save them for next time!
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips for Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Make-Ahead | You can get the bacon-wrapped Little Smokies prep work out of the way up to 48 hours in advance, but it is best to make the sauce and add it just before transferring to the oven. Once you have your Bacon-Wrapped Smokies assembled, transfer them to the baking dish you plan to use and cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container to store in the refrigerator. Make sure you either place them seam-side down or secure the bacon wrapping with a toothpick.
Reheat | If you've already baked your bacon wrapped Smokies, and you're looking to reheat them, you can place a single serving quickly in the microwave. It will take about 30 seconds to 1 minute to heat through depending on how many you are cooking. You can also reheat in the oven at 350°F and bake for 10-15 minutes, just until warmed through. Remember, sugar gets very hot and can cause bad burns so do not touch before cooling!
Store | You can keep bacon wrapped Little Smokies refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Are you looking for more Finger Food Recipes to serve at your next gathering? Check these crowd favorites out!
5 More Party Appetizers You'll Love
Bacon-Wrapped Smokies With Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) package center-cut bacon
- 1 (14-ounce) package Little Smokies
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and have ready a greased 9x13" casserole dish.
- Cut each piece of bacon into thirds. Then, wrap each Little Smokie tightly with a third of a bacon strip and place seam-side down in the dish. Make sure there is a little bit of space between each one.
- Add the butter, brown sugar, vinegar, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, and stop the cooking as soon as the mixture has completely liquified.
- Pour the mixture evenly across the Little Smokies and bake for 20 minutes. Baste and bake for 15 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven. Note, the sugar will be very hot. Do not touch. Baste the Little Smokies once more, and set aside to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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