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Coated in a brown sugar glaze, these Little Smokies Wrapped in Bacon are a delicious party appetizer that will be gone before the platter is on the table. Making this little smokie recipe is a simple crowd-pleaser.
Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies
Just the other morning we lit the fireplace for the first time this fall season. Though it wasn’t quite chilly enough outside there was a slight crisp in the morning air that made it all seem right. This is the time of year where gatherings, whether intimate and small or boisterous and loud are starting to fill calendars.
Hosting has always been a passion of mine and preparing a unique array of food for 2 or 20 is something I enjoy. Part of that uniqueness comes from simple meals and easy appetizers. I love a good throw-back like this cheese ball or spinach and artichoke dip, especially around the holidays.
These Little Smokies wrapped in bacon are the ultimate 80’s appetizer and are often gone before the tray has even touched the table. With their crispy and sugary bacon outer layer and their tasty mini hot dog inside it’s the perfect finger food for parties.
You can pass the pastime delicacies around at your next event or prepare a plateful for fun. If you happen to love Little Smokies then try these honey sriracha Little Smokies too.
Ingredients in Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies
This famous appetizer has only a few key ingredients and is extremely easy to prepare.
- Little Smokies: these classic mini sausages make the perfect appetizer, especially during the holidays. Wrapped in bacon and doused in a delicious brown sugar coating makes them irresistible.
- Bacon: for this recipe, you’ll want to use regular bacon, not the thick-cut kind (it tends to fall off the Little Smokies). You can, however, use smoked bacon or other versions.
- Brown Sugar: this ingredient helps to bring the crunchy sweetness that caramelized around the bacon for a delicious flavor.
- Spices: mixing garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper together in the brown sugar adds additional flavor and balances the sweetness.
How to Make Little Smokies Wrapped in Bacon
- Prepare the Rub: in a small bowl mix the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
- Wrap the Little Smokies: cut the bacon into thirds and wrap around the smokie. Stick a toothpick to hold the bacon in place.
- Coat: dredge the little smokies into the brown sugar mixture.
- Bake: place them onto a cooling rack set on top of a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350ºF. Then flip and cook another 10 minutes.
Make the brown sugar coating. Wrap the little smokies in bacon. Dredge the little smokies in the brown sugar mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake.
How long do you cook bacon wrapped little smokies?
To achieve the perfect crispiness of the bacon cook the Little Smokies for 15 minutes at 350ºF and then flip them over and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. It will also help to place a baking rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet so they’re cooked evenly.
Tips for Making Little Smokies Wrapped in Bacon
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil or 2 layers of regular aluminum foil. This helps make cleanup a bit easier.
- Center-cut bacon works best for this recipe. The thick-cut tends to have too much fat on it and takes a bit longer to cook. You can still use it though if this is your preferred bacon.
- Cut the bacon sliced into thirds to wrap around the Little Smokies.
- Halfway through the cooking time use the toothpicks to flip the Little Smokies over to crisp the other side.
Equipment Needed for this Recipe
When I prepare these Little Smokies I prefer to place them on a cooling rack situated on top of a rimmed baking sheet. This helps the bacon to crisp evenly and if the baking sheet is covered in foil the cleanup is even easier. If you don’t have this set up, I’ve listed some of my favorite products below, however, they’re not necessary. You can just as easily place them directly onto the baking sheet.
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Aluminum Foil
- Baking Rack
- Measuring Spoons
- Small Mixing Bowl
Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies Recipe Variations
- Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies: add 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder or cayenne pepper to the brown sugar mix for a little kick.
- BBQ Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies: follow the recipe completely and baste the Little Smokies in BBQ sauce after. Return to the oven and set it to BROIL for 1 minute or until they begin to caramelize. Make sure to watch them carefully so they don’t get burnt.
- Hawaiian Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies: instead of cutting the bacon into thirds cut it into halves and place a pineapple chunk next to the little smokie before wrapping them in the bacon. Then follow the recipe of the recipe as directed.
- Cream Cheese Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies: spread a thin layer of cream cheese over the inside layer of the bacon before wrapping it around the Little Smokie.
Little Smokies Wrapped in Bacon Recipe
Equipment
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Aluminum Foil
- Measuring Spoons
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Little Smokies
- 1 lb Bacon
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley chopped
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a baking rack on top of the foil and coat with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper until fully mixed.
- Cut or slice the bacon into thirds.
- Wrap each Little Smokie with bacon and insert a toothpick to hold it in place. Then dredge the Little Smokie into the brown sugar mixture making sure to coat it evenly.
- Repeat and place the Little Smokies onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave some space between each one.
- Bake for 15 minutes then carefully use the toothpick to flip them over and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the bacon becomes slightly crispy. Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
