Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
I have a hard time leaving a plate of bacon wrapped little smokies alone. Smoky sausage, browned bacon, and a sticky brown sugar glaze seasoned with cumin and chili powder? Absolutely my kind of party food. One batch makes about 40 bites and takes about an hour and 20 minutes from start to finish, with most of that time hands-off in the oven.
We host Christmas Eve for the family every year and have an appetizer potluck. One year I made these and my brother-in-law went off about them! So now they’re part of the lineup every year. Appetizers are my favorite anyway, and food on a toothpick makes the whole thing even better.
Why This Recipe Works
There’s a reason these keep earning a spot on my party table.
- Sweet meets salty: The sticky brown sugar glaze balances the smoky sausage and salty bacon without hiding them.
- A little extra flavor: Cumin and chili powder add an earthy, warm kick, so the glaze isn’t just sweet.
- Easy to share: Each bite comes with its own little handle. No forks, no cutting, just grab one and keep mingling.
- Prep-ahead friendly: Wrap them the night before, stash the dish in the fridge, and all that’s left on party day is the sugar and the oven.
What Readers Are Saying
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I made these as an app for Thanksgiving this year and my family devoured them in less than 10 minutes. They were a HUGE hit. Everyone was asking for the recipe.
– Danielle⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have made these for the past 2 years, and they are still a hit! It is a super easy recipe that can feed a lot of people, and they are so yummy!
– Annabeth
Ingredients
Little smokies: Original or beef cocktail sausages both work here. Look for the small smoked sausages, not full-size links.
Bacon: Use regular-cut bacon. Thick-cut takes longer to cook through, especially where it overlaps around the sausage.
Brown sugar, cumin, and chili powder: These three make the glaze. I use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar works fine too and gives the glaze a deeper molasses flavor. So use whichever you have on hand. If you’re feeding a spice-sensitive crowd, go with a mild chili powder, or skip the spices entirely for a classic brown sugar version.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Once the wrapping is done, the oven takes care of the rest.
- Get set up. Preheat your oven to 325°F and get out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Stir the brown sugar, cumin, and chili powder together in a small bowl.
- Wrap the smokies. Cut the bacon strips in half crosswise to make shorter pieces. Drain the little smokies and then wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage. Secure the end with a toothpick and arrange them in the baking dish with the toothpicks pointing up.
- Add the coating. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the wrapped sausages, getting as much as possible onto the bacon. Use it all, even if some lands in the bottom of the dish.
- Bake until glazed. Bake for about 1 hour, until the bacon is cooked through and browned and the sugar has melted into a syrupy glaze. If sugar granules remain, increase the oven to 350°F and continue baking, checking frequently so the glaze doesn’t burn.
- Serve warm. Transfer the smokies to a platter, leaving the toothpicks in place so everyone can help themselves.
Recipe Tips
These are my favorite ways to handle a party-size batch.
- Making a double batch? Grab a half sheet pan. It’s about twice the size of a 9 x 13 dish, so everything fits in a single layer, and you only have one pan to wash. Line it with heavy-duty foil first, since that melted brown sugar sticks like crazy. The glaze spreads out more on the bigger pan, so start checking a little before the hour is up.
- Keep them warm for the buffet. Transfer the freshly baked smokies and their glaze to a preheated slow cooker. Cover and use the WARM setting (or LOW if your slow cooker’s warm setting runs cool), checking that the food stays at or above 140°F. The bacon will soften as it sits in the glaze.
Make Ahead and Storage
To prep ahead: Wrap the sausages the night before, arrange them in the baking dish, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Mix the sugar and spices separately and add them just before baking. Let the dish sit on the counter while the oven preheats.
To refrigerate leftovers: Store in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours of baking, or within 2 hours of turning off the slow cooker if you kept them warm. If you want, you can remove the toothpicks before storing. Keep refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat: Place the smokies and glaze in an oven-safe dish and heat in a 325°F oven until they reach 165°F internally.
FAQ
Are little smokies already cooked?
Yes, the smoked cocktail sausages used here are fully cooked. The bacon wrapped around them is raw, though, so the assembled bites still need to bake until the bacon is cooked through. No need to precook the bacon. It cooks through in the oven.
How many bacon wrapped lil smokies should I plan per person?
I’d plan on four to six per person when you’re serving several other appetizers. If these are the main snack, give yourself more room. They’re awfully easy to keep grabbing.
Are these the same as pigs in a blanket?
They’re different appetizers made with similar little sausages. Pigs in a blanket have a dough wrapper, usually crescent dough or puff pastry, and some versions add cheese, like my cheddar pigs in a blanket. These have a bacon wrapper and a sweet glaze.
Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Get out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon chili powder. Set aside.
- Cut 20 strips regular-cut bacon strips in half crosswise to create 40 short strips of bacon.
- Open the 14 ounces little smokies package and drain any excess liquid. Wrap one bacon piece around one smokie. Secure the end of the bacon with a toothpick. Place the sausage in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan with the toothpick sticking up. Repeat with the remaining bacon and little smokies.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture all over the little smokies. You want as much as you can get on the sausage, but it's fine if the extra sugar is in the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until the bacon is cooked through and browned and the sugar has melted into a syrupy glaze. If the sugar isn't completely melted, increase the oven to 350°F and keep baking, checking often so the glaze doesn’t burn.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm, leaving the toothpicks in so guests can grab the smokies easily.
Notes
- Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar works too and gives a deeper flavor.
- Make ahead: Wrap the smokies, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Add the sugar mixture just before baking, and let the dish sit out while the oven preheats.
- Double batch: Use a heavy-duty foil-lined half sheet pan. The glaze spreads thinner on the larger pan, so start checking before the hour is up.
- Keep warm: Use a slow cooker on WARM (or LOW if your warm runs cool), and keep the smokies at 140°F or above.
- Storage: Refrigerate for 3-4 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven to an internal temp of 165°F.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
If you made this recipe, leave a comment and star rating to let others know how it turned out.More Party Appetizers
Building out an appetizer spread? Here are a few more of my go-to party bites to round out the table.
I made these as an app for Thanksgiving this year and my family devoured them in less than 10 minutes. They were a HUGE hit. Everyone was asking for the recipe.
Can I make these the night before and cook then in the morning?
Yes, you can. Cover the dish in foil or plastic wrap, and wait to add the brown sugar until right before cooking.
I cut my bacon into thirds as opposed to halves. I also leave out the cumin and chili powder.
Absolute a hit each time I make them.
Can you use turkey bacon for this recipe?
Hi Michelle. I haven’t tried this with turkey bacon, but it should work fine. If you want, you could wrap 1 smokies in the turkey bacon and do a test bake (with out the brown sugar and seasonings). If you like how they turn out, I’d love to know to share with other readers. 🙂
Have you ever made these the night before you need to serve them?
Hi Christina. I haven’t cooked them ahead of time, but have reheated the leftovers before and they reheat just fine. You can also prep them the night before by wrapping the smokies in bacon strips, then cover the dish and chill in the fridge overnight. Add the brown sugar mixture just before baking. Hope this helps!
I have made these for the past 2 years, and they are still a hit! It is a super easy recipe that can feed a lot of people, and they are so yummy!