Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies | Cocktail Sausage Appetizer

Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies are a game time or party appetizer classic. They’re sweet, salty, spicy and utterly irresistible. With just a few ingredients you’ll have the perfect snack for celebrating any occasion.

Why This Is The Best Game Time Appetizer

• Fast. These assemble quickly and bake in just 30 minutes.
• Easy. Wrap the little smokies with bacon, secure with a toothpick, sprinkle with brown sugar and cayenne pepper, and bake.
• Affordable. An appetizer with minimal ingredients that will feed a crowd on a budget.
• Flavorful. Sweet, salty, slightly spicy, and oh so yummy.

How Many Little Smokies Are In A 16 Oz Package?

You can expect to find somewhere around 40 cocktail sausages in a 16 ounce package. This may vary slightly, so don’t be alarmed if the amount of sausages and strips of bacon don’t line up perfectly.

Let’s Talk Ingredients

• Cocktail Sausages– These come in either all beef or a pork and chicken blend. We generally reach for the all beef version, but either variety is tasty when you use them in this recipe.
• Bacon– Applewood, Hickory Smoked, Low Sodium–it doesn’t matter which variety you choose. The flavor of the little smokies, brown sugar, and cayenne will mask the subtle flavor differences in the bacon.
• Brown Sugar– The sweetness of the sugar helps balance the saltiness of the lil smokies wrapped in bacon.
• Cayenne Pepper– Just a touch goes a long way. You won’t be able to feel the heat when you bite into these bacon wrapped little smokies, but you will feel a bit of the heat on the back of your throat at the end.

How To Make Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies

Step 1: Slice the bacon. Place the bacon strips on a cutting board and cut them into thirds lengthwise.

Step 2: Wrap the smokies. Grab one of the sliced pieces of bacon and tightly roll it around the outside of the cocktail sausage. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place. It will be tempting to place the seam where the bacon connects on the bottom of the little smokie so it looks more uniform after baking, but the small portion of doubled up bacon needs to be on top so that it crisps up nicely.

Step 3: Sprinkle with sugar and cayenne. Don’t be shy. Use your fingers to pack the sugar onto the top of the bacon wrapped little smokies so every piece gets covered in sugary goodness. Once the smokies are covered in sugar lightly sprinkle the tops with cayenne pepper.

Step 4: Bake. Place the baking dish of bacon wrapped little smokies in the oven and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Rest and serve. The caramelized sugar and renderings from the bacon will be very hot when you first pull them out of the oven. You will want to let them cool for about 10 minutes before digging in to avoid burning the inside of your mouth.

How Long Do I Cook Lil Smokies In The Oven?

I’ll admit, I hadn’t made these in awhile, so I was surprised at how long they take to bake. That being said, they are still a solid appetizer or game time snack choice. If you prefer your bacon softer, it only takes 25 minutes, but if you like the bacon to be on the crispier side, you’ll want to bake them for 30 minutes.

Variations

• Leave out the heat. I’m a sucker for anything spicy, so you can bet I’m not leaving it out. However, my husband and kids prefer these without the kick.
• Skip the sugar. I love how the brown sugar caramelizes and balances the salty flavors of the little smokies and bacon. That being said, if you don’t have a sweet tooth, or are living a lower carb lifestyle, skip the sugar for an equally tasty bite.
• Sauce it up. If you’ve ever tried little smokies in a slow cooker with bbq sauce and grape jelly, you know how delicious the flavor combination can be. If you drizzle bbq sauce over the top of of these bacon wrapped little smokies 5 minutes before they are done baking, you will have a similar flavor profile—but better!

What Goes With Little Smokies?

These Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies can be served in a variety of ways. The most common way to serve them is as an appetizer for a holiday party, game time snack, or potluck. For a well-balanced appetizer spread, you could consider serving these with the following:

• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Fruit Dip
• Chips and Salsa
• Chicken Wings
• Pizza Bombs

You can also serve these as the main protein for your next family meal. To make it a complete meal, here are a few suggestions on things to serve with them:

• Roasted Carrots
• Steamed Broccoli
• Hawaiian Rolls
• Macaroni and Cheese

How Long Do They Last?

I can’t say that I’ve ever had any of these left over to test exactly how long they will keep. I would say for the best bite, you will want to store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy them within 3-4 days of preparing them.

More Game Time Favorites

• Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
• Instant Pot Frito Pie
• Cashew Chicken Dip

Are you loving these Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies as much as we are? Don’t forget to share the recipe with your friends on social media so they can give them a try too!