Bacon-Wrapped Smokies Appetizer (Printable)

Mini cocktail sausages wrapped in crispy bacon with a sweet, caramelized brown sugar glaze. Party-ready in 50 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 24 mini cocktail sausages, approximately 12 ounces
02 - 12 slices bacon, approximately 8 ounces, cut in half crosswise

→ 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 to create 24 pieces.
03 - Wrap each cocktail sausage with a half-slice of bacon, securing with a toothpick.
04 - Arrange 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 brown sugar mixture evenly over smokies. Drizzle with maple syrup or honey for extra caramelization if desired.
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, monitoring carefully.
08 - Cool slightly before serving. Present warm with toothpicks for easy handling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They disappear faster than you can make them, which means youre free to enjoy the party instead of hovering over the stove.
  • The caramelized glaze gets sticky and crisp in all the right places, creating those irresistible burnt sugar edges everyone fights over.
02 -
  • If your bacon isnt getting crispy, your oven might be running cool or the strips are overlapping too much and steaming instead of roasting.
  • The glaze can go from perfect to scorched in under a minute under the broiler, so stay close and pull them the second you see deep golden edges.
03 -
  • Par cook the bacon for two minutes in the microwave before wrapping if you want guaranteed crispiness every single time, especially with thicker brands.
  • A light dusting of smoked paprika mixed into the brown sugar gives a deeper, smokier flavor that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
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