Bacon-Wrapped Smokies Appetizer (Printable)

Mini cocktail sausages wrapped in crispy bacon with a sweet brown sugar glaze. Perfect for parties and gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 24 mini cocktail sausages (12 oz)
02 - 12 slices bacon (8 oz), cut in half

→ Glaze

03 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
05 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
02 - Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise to create 24 pieces total.
03 - Wrap each cocktail sausage with a half-slice of bacon, securing with a toothpick.
04 - Place bacon-wrapped smokies seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
05 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cayenne pepper if using.
06 - Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the smokies. Drizzle with maple syrup or honey if desired for extra caramelization.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until bacon is crisp and glaze is bubbling. For additional crispiness, broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely.
08 - Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with toothpicks for easy handling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They disappear faster than you can refill the platter, which means you did something right.
  • The sweet glaze gets sticky and caramelized in all the best ways, clinging to every crispy edge.
  • You can prep them ahead and just pop them in the oven when guests arrive.
  • Only three main ingredients, but everyone assumes you spent way more effort.
02 -
  • If your bacon isn't crisping, it's because the strips are too thick or overlapping, so spread them out and use regular cut next time.
  • The sugar will look like it's burning toward the end, but as long as it's not smoking, it's just caramelizing and that's exactly what you want.
  • Don't skip the parchment or foil unless you enjoy scrubbing baked-on sugar off metal for twenty minutes.
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet or the sugar will bubble over and smoke up your oven.
  • If the bacon starts to curl up instead of crisping, press it down gently with a spatula halfway through baking.
  • For a little heat that sneaks up on you, add a dash of smoked paprika to the brown sugar along with the cayenne.
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