Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies

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Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies are sweet, smoky, a little spicy, and completely irresistible. Each sausage gets wrapped in bacon, dusted with a brown sugar spice blend, and baked until perfectly caramelized.

If you’ve already fallen in love with our Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts or our Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers, you already know that wrapping things in bacon is basically a superpower.

These Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies are the definition of crowd-pleasing. They come together in minutes, they bake up sticky and caramelized, and they never — not once — last very long on the table.

Whether you’re hosting game day, a holiday gathering, or a casual get-together, this is the recipe you want in your back pocket.

Why I love this recipe

• Only a few simple ingredients that you can grab at any grocery store.
• The prep takes just 10 minutes, which means more time enjoying the party.
• The brown sugar rub creates the most amazing caramelized glaze as they bake.
• That kick of cayenne pepper adds just the right amount of warmth without being too spicy.

Ingredients

• sliced bacon
• little smokies
• brown sugar
• spice mix: cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper

Step by step

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, and black pepper. Stir until everything is evenly mixed, then set it aside.
3. Wrap one slice of bacon around each little smokie and secure it with a toothpick. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all the smokies are wrapped.
4. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture evenly over the bacon wrapped smokies.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully turn each piece over, then sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture on top.
6. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and caramelized.

How to cook little smokies in an air fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 375°F and lightly grease the basket. Air fry for 6–7 minutes, flip, then air fry for another 6–7 minutes, or until the bacon turns crisp and the sugar forms a caramelized coating.

Variations

For more flavor, brush on some BBQ sauce after baking and pop them under the broiler on high for a few minutes. Trust me on this one. For a smokier, deeper flavor, swap the paprika for smoked paprika — it pairs beautifully with the bacon and adds an extra layer of richness.

On the sweeter side, you can swap the spice rub for a maple glaze by brushing on a little pure maple syrup halfway through baking. You can also drizzle maple syrup over the smokies in the last few minutes of baking for a maple-bacon vibe that feels extra cozy.

Serving suggestion

These bacon wrapped little smokies are best served warm, right out of the oven. I like to arrange them on a platter with a small bowl of dipping sauce on the side, like BBQ sauce, honey mustard, and ranch dressing, all of which work great.

It fits right in at game day spreads, holiday appetizer tables, or any time you need a simple bite that everyone will love.

Storage

If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or use an air fryer at 350°F for 3–4 minutes to help the bacon crisp back up. Avoid the microwave if you can, since it tends to make the bacon a little chewy rather than crispy.

If you try this recipe please comment and give it a 5-star rating below, I love hearing from you!