Bacon-Wrapped Smokies Appetizer (Printable)

Mini sausages wrapped in bacon with sweet caramelized glaze. Crispy, smoky, and perfect for parties.

# 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

# Directions:

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

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • Three simple ingredients transform into something that disappears faster than you can refill the platter.
  • The sweet and salty contrast hits every craving at once, and the crispy bacon seals the deal.
  • You can prep these in the morning and bake them right before guests arrive, no stress involved.
  • Even picky eaters who claim they dont like bacon somehow devour these.
02 -
  • The first time I made these, I skipped the parchment paper and spent twenty minutes scrubbing caramelized sugar off my baking sheet—learn from my mistake.
  • If your bacon is on the thicker side, it wont crisp up properly, so stick with regular-cut or you will end up with chewy, sad bacon.
  • Do not walk away during the broil step—I once turned a perfect batch into charcoal in under ninety seconds.
03 -
  • Use a baking rack set inside the rimmed pan if you want the bacon to crisp on all sides, though I find the parchment method gives plenty of crunch without the extra cleanup.
  • Pat the bacon dry with a paper towel before wrapping if it seems wet—this helps it crisp up instead of steaming.
  • If the toothpicks start to char, soak them in water for ten minutes before using, or switch to metal skewers cut into small pieces.
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