These little smokies wrapped in bacon are coated in brown sugar, wrapped in bacon, and more than just a little addictive!
This classic finger food is perfect for game days, parties, and get-togethers. Best of all, they’re super easy to make with just 3 ingredients.
It’s my go-to appetizer when I need something super simple to feed a crowd. They take just a few minutes to prep and are ALWAYS a hit!
What are Little Smokies?
Little smokies wrapped in bacon are the perfect poppable appetizer with a tender inside and a juicy meaty center.
Brown, crisp, and fatty bacon envelops a moist, juicy, and drool-worthy sausage.
But it doesn’t end there! This irresistible duo is then glazed in a sweet and sticky brown sugar rub and baked to perfection.
I am not exaggerating when I say it is the holy grail of appetizers. Bring it to your next potluck, and I guarantee it will be the talk of the party!
Ingredients
What’s great about little smokies wrapped in bacon is that the ingredient list is short and sweet. The hardest part is waiting for them to bake to perfection.
- Little smokie sausage. For the best flavor, opt for Hillshire Farms Little Smokies sausages. They deliver the perfect kiss of smokey flavors and are the ideal poppable size.
- Bacon. Always opt for thinly sliced bacon for this recipe, and not thick-cut. Thick-cut bacon takes longer to cook and overpowers the flavor of the sausage.
- Brown sugar. A simple garnish of brown sugar takes the flavor over the top. And you can easily adjust the sweetness by adding less if you prefer a more savory appetizer.
How to Make Little Smokies Wrapped in Bacon
Little smokies are a super easy appetizer that’s hard to mess up. Rolling those smokies in bacon is a little tedious, but well worth the effort!
Check out how quick and easy this recipe comes together.
1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice bacon strips into thirds and set aside.
2. Wrap the little smokies. Roll individual little smokies around a cut strip of bacon. Then, place wrapped sausages on a skewer to hold the sausage in place.
3. Bake. Place skewered sausages on a baking sheet, and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melts, or around 30 minutes.
When they’re hot and crisp, all that’s left is to plate, serve, and enjoy!
How to Make Ahead
Little smokies wrapped in bacon is a recipe that’s easy to make the night before. On party day, all you need to do is pop them in the oven!
To make them ahead of time:
- Cut the bacon and wrap the little smokies.
- Skewer and place them on a baking tray.
- Then, cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator.
- When you are ready to bake, sprinkle with brown sugar and place them in the oven.
Since they’re chilled from the fridge, they may need about 15 more minutes in the oven to cook all the way through.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks to make your little smokies the MVP of gameday!
- Tame excess grease. Instead of a baking sheet, use a broiling pan with slits. This allows the fat and juices to drip away from the sausage, so you end up with a less greasy dish.
- Babysit those smokies in the oven. Flip the little smokies over mid-baking so they cook better. Sprinkle a little extra brown sugar after you flip for more flavor.
- Everything is better when dipped! Take them to another level by serving them with dip. Mayo with red chili sauce, ranch dressing, or regular barbeque sauce are great options.
- Bring on the spice. For a kick of spice, sprinkle them with some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes before baking!
- Bust out the toothpicks, you’ll need them. Be sure to serve these smokies with either a toothpick or a fork. While they are technically considered finger food, they are very sticky!
- Get creative with bacon. While you can use regular bacon for the recipe, you can also use flavored bacon for more punch! Maple or applewood smoked bacon makes fantastic choices.
- Add tropical flavors. Do you know what else tastes great with sugar-glazed bacon? Pineapple! Add a small chunk of pineapple at the tip of the skewer to give it a nice summer flair.
- Get Cheesy. Instead of using regular Little Smokies, you can also opt for its cheddar variant. This will give your appetizer a wonderful cheesy surprise.
Recipe Variations
I love making different variations of this party food and serving them on one platter.
So feel free to play around with different flavor profiles. I’m talking extra sweet to insanely spicy.
Here are some amazing variations that you can try.
- BBQ Little Smokies. Everything is better with BBQ sauce! Reach for your favorite brand of BBQ sauce (I love Stubbs) and baste them generously before they hit the oven.
- Spicy Little Smokies. There are a few ways to bring on the heat. You can add cayenne pepper to your brown sugar mixture for a sweet and spicy treat. Or, skip the brown sugar and base them with Sriracha.
- Herbed Little Smokies. For more herbal flavors, you can also mix in dried herbs to your brown sugar garnish. Herbs like garlic, rosemary, or parsley add just a little something extra.
How to Store Little Smokies
These appetizers go fast, and it’s unlikely a platter will live to see the light of another day. But, if you manage to have any leftovers, storage is so easy.
Store in the refrigerator. Place leftovers in an air-tight container and place them in the fridge. They will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
Store in the freezer. Place the little smokies on a baking sheet, and flash-freeze for 2 hours. This prevents them from sticking together. Then, put them in a freezer bag where they will stay fresh for 1-2 months.
How to reheat. Place the little smokies on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to Keep Smokies Warm for A Party
These will stay warm for a good 20 minutes once out of the oven. Around our house, they’re gobbled up by then.
If you want to keep them warm for longer, you can also serve them in a crockpot and set the temperature to warm.
This will keep your appetizer warm and toasty for the entire party.
More Easy Appetizers You’ll Love
Looking for some more tasty apps for game day? Check out some of these amazing options below!
Pigs in A Blanket (with Cheese!)
Velveeta Sausage Dip
Quick and Easy Nachos
Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
12
servings10
minutes20
minutes356
kcalThese little smokies are coated in brown sugar, wrapped in bacon, and more than just a little addictive!
Ingredients
1 pound bacon
1 (16 oz) package little smokie sausages
1 cup brown sugar (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Slice your bacon strips into thirds and wrap each strip around a little smokie. Place the bacon-wrapped sausages on wooden skewers. Several on each skewer.
- Place the sausages on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar.
- Bake in preheated oven until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.
Sounds and look delicious! My dish for today 2/2 SB
Sounds good I will be trying this recipe soon.
I hope you like the recipe, Rosemarie!