Enjoy the ultimate taste experience with these Bacon-Wrapped Smokies infused with a perfect mix of sweet brown sugar, savory bacon, and a touch of smoky goodness.
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Just like my pigs in a blanket and baked cheesy jalapeno dip, this is ideal as a game day snack, party appetizer or just when you need a super quick and easy meal you know the whole family will love.
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Why You'll Love These Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
- Perfect flavor and texture combination. Crispy bacon and sweet sticky brown sugar make these the best finger food.
- Only a handful of ingredients. You only need to pick up a few items at the grocery store to make this easy appetizer.
- Just minutes of prep. This recipe comes together in just a few minutes.
- Make ahead option. This easy appetizer is perfect to make ahead and get off your to-do list.
- Versatile. These little smokies wrapped bacon make a great appetizer for your next party, are the perfect game day appetizer especially for a super bowl party, a great option for your next holiday gathering, and even a weeknight dinner.
🛒Ingredients
- Smokies - also known as cocktail wieners, mini hot dogs, smokies, or mini smokies. Or a small sausage would also work. When you buy little smokies, they come pre-cooked. In this recipe, all you need to do is reheat the sausages in the oven and ensure the bacon cooks thoroughly.
- Bacon - I like to use thin bacon strips work better than thick-cut bacon. I used pork bacon. You can easily find various flavors like hardwood smoked, hickory smoked, applewood smoked, and peppered bacon in grocery stores. Any of these flavors will suit this recipe perfectly.
- Smoked paprika - smoked paprika has a unique smoky flavor, don’t substitute it for regular paprika.
- Salt and ground black pepper - add salt and pepper to taste.
- Brown sugar - brown sugar sweetens up these little smokies, don’t use white granulated sugar, you won’t get the same flavor.
- Butter - melted, salted, or unsalted butter to drizzle over the smokies.
For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
🥘 How To Make Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Prep the baking sheet. Line a baking tray or baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleaning. Set it aside.
Get the oven going. Preheat the oven to 400F.
Wrap the smokies. Wrap each of the smokies with pieces of bacon. Use a toothpick to secure it well so that it hugs the smokie closely.
Combine your spices. Mix smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl.
Brush the smokies. Use a kitchen brush to coat each smokie with the butter brown sugar mixture.
Basting generously with this brown sugar glaze will enhance the smokies' taste and help the bacon become beautifully crispy.
Place the lil smokies on the lined baking sheet. Arrange coated smokies in a single layer on the prepared baking tray.
Bake the smokies. Let the smokies bake for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned on top.
These smokies turn out with a crispy, sweet, and salty exterior and a soft and chewy interior.
How To Reheat Bacon Wrapped Smokies?
To reheat bacon-wrapped smokies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the smokies on a baking sheet and bake them for 10-15 minutes, or until the bacon becomes crispy and the sausages are thoroughly heated.
📋Tips
- Since oven temperatures vary it's important to keep an eye on the baking time. Check on them around the 10-15-minute mark to see if the bacon slices have reached your desired level of crispiness and browning.
- When wrapping the smokies with bacon, use toothpicks to secure the bacon. This will prevent them from unraveling during baking and ensure the bacon adheres well to the smokies.
- Use a slow cooker or crockpot to keep the little smokies sausages warm after you take them out of the oven.
- For more flavor or spice add a touch of garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, or red pepper flakes to the butter mixture. Or serve with a side of bbq sauce for dipping.
- If you have leftover cocktail sausage, make one of those easy appetizers.
✅ For fun flavor variations try: Mexican style lil smokies (add 1 -2 teaspoons of chili powder), Cajun style (add 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning), or BBQ style (add 1 teaspoons of BBQ rub to the existing mix).
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Store bacon wrapped smokies in an airtight container, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in a freezer bag, and place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead. These smokies will keep well once they are baked for up to 3 days in the fridge so go ahead and make them a few days before you want to serve them. Reheat in the oven.
- 🥶Freezing. The smokies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the baked smokies on a cookie sheet to freeze up and then once they are frozen transfer them to the freezer bag or airtight container.
👪Serving Suggestions
- Appetizer or snack. These bacon wrapped smokies make the perfect party appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even your next fancy dinner party. They are also great as game day or after school snack.
- Side dish. Serve these smokies alongside your favorite meal. They pair well with pretty much anything. We love crock pot mac and cheese!
- Main meal. You can serve these as a quick and easy weeknight meal with this Green Goddess Salad and some Buttery Lemon Garlic Green Beans on the side.
- Explore more side dishes that pair well with little smokies.
🥘 Make Next: Fried Cabbage With Bacon, Garlic and Onion
🤷Common Recipe Questions
In this recipe, I have used regular bacon but you can use turkey bacon if you wish. Any flavor of bacon will work whether it be hardwood smoked or applewood smoked. Just make sure the slices are thin.
These are called pigs in a blanket though in the US, pigs in a blanket refers to mini hot dogs wrapped in pastry dough.
Yes, most smoked sausages or little smokies are already cooked when you buy them.
Use a slow cooker to keep the little smokies sausages warm after you take them out of the oven.
📖Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Smokies With Brown Sugar and Butter
Ingredients
- 8 oz smokies
- 8 oz bacon strips
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon butter, melted
- 16 toothpicks
Instructions
- Prep the baking sheet. Line a baking tray or baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleaning. Set it aside.
- Get the oven going. Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Wrap the smokies. Wrap each of the smokies with pieces of bacon. Use a toothpick to secure it well so that it hugs the smokie closely.
- Combine your spices. Mix smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl.
- Brush the smokies. Use a kitchen brush to coat each smokie with the butter brown sugar mixture. Basting generously with this brown sugar glaze will enhance the smokies' taste and help the bacon become beautifully crispy.
- Place the lil smokies on the lined baking sheet. Arrange coated smokies in a single layer on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake the smokies. Let the smokies bake for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned on top.
- These smokies turn out with a crispy, sweet, and salty exterior and a soft and chewy interior.
Notes
- This recipe makes 16 smokies which is about 4 servings.
- How to reheat? To reheat bacon-wrapped smokies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the smokies on a baking sheet and bake them for 10-15 minutes, or until the bacon becomes crispy and the sausages are thoroughly heated.
- To Store. Store bacon wrapped smokies in an airtight container, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in a freezer bag, and place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead. These smokies will keep well once they are baked for up to 3 days in the fridge so go ahead and make them a few days before you want to serve them.
- Freezing. The smokies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the baked smokies on a cookie sheet to freeze up and then once they are frozen transfer them to the freezer bag or airtight container.
No need for butter bacon fat is enough