When you need an appetizer that’s guaranteed to disappear within minutes of hitting the table, Bacon Wrapped Smokies are the ultimate crowd-pleasing finger food that combines everything people love: crispy bacon, savory little sausages, and a sweet-tangy glaze that makes them absolutely irresistible. Also known as “pigs in a blanket” for adults or “little piggies,” these addictive bites wrap cocktail smokies or little beef sausages in bacon, coat them with brown sugar for caramelization, and bake until the bacon is crispy and the sugar forms a gorgeous glaze. The result is a perfect marriage of salty, sweet, smoky, and savory that creates an explosion of flavor in every bite. These are ridiculously easy to make with just three basic ingredients, yet they look impressive and always get rave reviews at parties, game day gatherings, holiday appetizer spreads, or any occasion where you need something that will feed a crowd without requiring culinary skills or tons of prep time. The best part is that they can be assembled ahead, baked when needed, and served straight from the oven when they’re at their crispy, caramelized best.
Serving Quantity: Serves 12-15 people as an appetizer (makes about 40-50 pieces)
Cooking Time:
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Baking time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 50 minutes
Nutrition Information (per 3 pieces):
- Calories: 285
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sodium: 680mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 13g
- Protein: 8g
- Iron: 4% of daily value
- Vitamin B12: 8% of daily value
Ingredients
- Two 14-ounce packages of cocktail smokies or little beef sausages
- 1 pound of thin-cut bacon
- 1 cup of brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder (optional)
- Toothpicks (about 50)
- Cooking spray or parchment paper
Choosing Your Ingredients
The quality of your bacon and smokies matters because these are the stars of the show. For the smokies, use cocktail-sized smoked sausages, often called “little smokies” or cocktail weiners. Most brands work well, but look for all-beef versions for better flavor if possible. Avoid hot dogs cut into pieces; the texture isn’t right. For the bacon, thin-cut bacon is essential. Regular or thick-cut bacon won’t crisp properly before the smokies overcook. Thin bacon cooks faster and gets crispier. Don’t use turkey bacon, which won’t crisp the same way. The brown sugar creates the essential glaze. Light brown sugar is milder, dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor. Either works beautifully.
Preparing the Bacon
Open your package of thin-cut bacon and separate the slices. Count how many smokies you have. You’ll typically get 40 to 50 smokies from two packages. You’ll need one slice of bacon for every two to three smokies, depending on the length of your bacon. Cut each bacon slice into thirds crosswise. You want pieces that are long enough to wrap around a smokie one time with a slight overlap. If your bacon is particularly long, you might cut each slice into four pieces. If it’s shorter, cut into thirds. The goal is pieces that can wrap snugly around each smokie without too much excess. Layout all your bacon pieces on your work surface so they’re ready for assembly.
Assembly Line Setup
Set up an efficient assembly station to make the wrapping process faster. Have your smokies in one bowl, bacon pieces laid out and ready, brown sugar in a shallow bowl or plate, and a parchment-lined baking sheet ready to receive the finished products. Have a small dish of toothpicks within easy reach. Some people like to soak wooden toothpicks in water for 10 minutes before using to prevent burning, though it’s not essential. If you’re adding optional seasonings like cayenne or garlic powder, mix them with the brown sugar now. Working assembly-line style makes this process much faster, especially if you have help.
Wrapping the Smokies
Take one smokie and wrap one piece of bacon around it in a spiral, starting at one end and wrapping toward the other. The bacon should wrap around the smokie one time with the ends meeting or overlapping slightly. Secure the bacon in place by inserting a toothpick through the overlap and completely through the smokie. The toothpick holds everything together and provides a handle for eating later. Once wrapped and secured, roll the bacon-wrapped smokie in the brown sugar, coating it on all sides. The sugar will caramelize during baking, creating that irresistible glaze. Place the coated smokie seam-side down on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining smokies and bacon.
Arranging on the Baking Sheet
Line one or two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier cleanup. Spray lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Arrange the bacon-wrapped smokies on the prepared sheets in a single layer with a little space between each one. They’ll release fat as they cook, so don’t crowd them too much or they’ll steam rather than crisp. If you run out of room, use a second baking sheet. Place them seam-side down so the bacon stays wrapped during cooking. If you’ve added extra brown sugar on top, that’s fine. The more sugar, the more glaze. Some people sprinkle additional brown sugar over the tops before baking for extra caramelization.
Baking to Crispy Perfection
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Some recipes use 400 degrees for faster cooking, but 375 gives you more control and prevents burning. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, checking at the 25-minute mark. The bacon should be crispy and golden brown, and the brown sugar should be melted and caramelized, creating a glossy glaze. If the bacon isn’t crispy enough after 25 minutes, continue baking, checking every 5 minutes. The smokies will release quite a bit of fat, which is normal. Some recipes suggest rotating the pan halfway through for even cooking, though it’s not essential. Watch carefully during the last few minutes to prevent the sugar from burning.
Draining and Finishing
Remove the baking sheet from the oven when the bacon is crispy and the glaze is golden and bubbling. The smokies will be very hot and swimming in rendered bacon fat. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon-wrapped smokies to a paper towel-lined plate to drain for a minute or two. This removes excess grease while keeping them crispy. Don’t leave them in the bacon fat or they’ll become greasy rather than crispy. After draining briefly, transfer them to a serving platter. The brown sugar glaze will harden slightly as they cool, creating a delicious candy-like coating on the bacon. Serve them warm for the best texture. The glaze is hot, so let them cool for a few minutes before eating to avoid burning mouths.
Serving Suggestions
Arrange the bacon-wrapped smokies on a large serving platter with toothpicks sticking up for easy grabbing. Provide a small bowl for used toothpicks and plenty of napkins because these are deliciously messy. Serve them as part of an appetizer spread alongside other finger foods. They pair well with cheese and crackers, vegetable platters, and chips and dip. Provide dipping sauces like honey mustard, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, or spicy brown mustard, though they’re delicious on their own and many people don’t use sauce. Keep them warm by placing the platter over a warming tray or in a chafing dish if serving at a long party, though they’re also good at room temperature.
Make-Ahead Strategy
These are perfect for making ahead, which is a lifesaver when entertaining. Assemble the bacon-wrapped smokies completely, roll them in brown sugar, and arrange them on the baking sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time since they’re starting cold. You can also freeze the assembled, unbaked smokies on a baking sheet, then transfer the frozen pieces to freezer bags for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding about 10 extra minutes to the cooking time.
Flavor Variations
The basic recipe is perfect, but you can customize in countless ways. Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the brown sugar for spicy-sweet smokies. Mix maple syrup with the brown sugar for maple bacon smokies. Sprinkle garlic powder and black pepper over them before baking. Add a drizzle of sriracha or hot sauce before wrapping for heat. Use pepper bacon for built-in spice. Brush them with barbecue sauce during the last 10 minutes of baking. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking for an Asian twist. Add a tiny slice of jalapeño under the bacon for jalapeño poppers meets bacon-wrapped smokies.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If your bacon isn’t getting crispy, your oven temperature may be too low or you’re using bacon that’s too thick. Increase temperature to 400 degrees or bake longer. If the sugar is burning before the bacon crisps, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake longer. If the bacon is unraveling, make sure you’re securing it well with toothpicks through the overlap. If they’re too greasy, drain them longer on paper towels and consider using leaner bacon. If the smokies are splitting, don’t overcook them. They’re already cooked and just need heating through while the bacon crisps.
Scaling the Recipe
This recipe scales beautifully for any size gathering. For a small party, use one package of smokies and half a pound of bacon. For a large crowd, double or triple everything. Just make sure you have enough baking sheets and oven space. You can bake multiple sheets at once, rotating them between racks halfway through for even cooking. For huge batches, consider using disposable aluminum pans for easier cleanup. These are so popular that making extra is always a good idea. Leftovers are rare, but they reheat well in the oven.
Alternative Cooking Methods
While baking is easiest and most reliable, you can also make these in a slow cooker. Arrange the wrapped, sugar-coated smokies in a slow cooker, cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or high for 1.5 to 2 hours until the bacon is cooked. The bacon won’t get as crispy as baking, but it works for parties where you need to keep them warm. You can also grill them for smoky flavor. Wrap and secure with toothpicks, skip the sugar coating or add it after grilling, and grill over medium heat, turning frequently, until the bacon is crispy. The sugar burns easily on a grill, so either omit it or brush with a brown sugar glaze after grilling.
Dietary Modifications
For a slightly lighter version, use turkey bacon, though it won’t crisp or taste quite the same. Use chicken or turkey sausages instead of beef smokies for leaner protein. For less sugar, reduce the brown sugar by half or use a sugar substitute designed for baking, though the glaze won’t be as pronounced. For gluten-free, verify that your smokies are gluten-free, as many brands are, and the rest is naturally gluten-free. There’s no real low-carb version of this since the sugar is essential, but you could reduce it slightly. Making these healthier is difficult since bacon and sausage are the main components, but using quality ingredients helps.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover bacon-wrapped smokies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The bacon will lose some crispness when refrigerated but they’re still delicious. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes until heated through and the bacon crisps up again. Don’t microwave them or the bacon will be rubbery. You can also reheat them in an air fryer at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, which does an excellent job crisping the bacon. For best results, always reheat in dry heat rather than steam-based methods.
Tips for Success
Use thin-cut bacon. This is absolutely essential for crispy results. Cut the bacon pieces long enough to wrap once around with slight overlap. Too long and there’s too much bacon. Too short and it won’t stay. Secure with toothpicks through the overlap and smokie. This prevents unraveling. Roll generously in brown sugar. Don’t be shy. The sugar creates the delicious glaze. Arrange seam-side down on the baking sheet so they stay wrapped. Give them space on the pan. Crowding makes them steam and get soggy. Bake at 375 degrees for the best balance of crispy bacon and caramelized sugar. Watch carefully near the end. The sugar can go from caramelized to burnt quickly. Drain on paper towels briefly to remove excess grease. Serve warm for the best texture and flavor. Cold bacon is never ideal. Make more than you think you need. These disappear incredibly fast. Have your assembly station organized before starting. It makes the process much faster. Get help if making a large batch. Assembly goes much faster with two people. Don’t skip the brown sugar. It’s what makes these special rather than just bacon-wrapped sausages. The toothpicks are functional and decorative. They make these easy to grab and eat. These are meant to be simple. Don’t overcomplicate them with too many additions. The classic version is popular for a reason. Trust the recipe. Make extras for yourself because guests will eat them all before you get any.
