Bacon-Wrapped Smokies (Printer-friendly)

Crowd-pleasing mini sausages wrapped in smoky bacon, baked crisp with a sweet, caramelized glaze. Perfect party bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

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

→ Glaze

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

# How-To Steps:

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 - Place bacon-wrapped smokies seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cayenne pepper until combined.
06 - Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over smokies. Drizzle with maple syrup or honey if using.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until bacon is crisp and glaze is bubbling. For extra crispiness, broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely to prevent burning.
08 - Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with toothpicks for easy handling.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The brown sugar creates this magical crust that balances salty bacon with subtle sweetness
  • These disappear faster than any other party appetizer I've ever served
02 -
  • The toothpicks get dangerously hot so warn your guests before they pop one in their mouth
  • Position your oven rack in the middle, anything too close to the top heating element will burn the sugar before the bacon crisps
03 -
  • Use thin-sliced bacon if you want extra crispy results, but watch the oven carefully as it browns faster
  • The brown sugar creates those irresistible candied bits, but press it gently onto the bacon so it doesn't all fall off during baking
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