Everyone loves this easy, 4-ingredient Bacon Wrapped Smokies appetizer! Cocktail wieners are wrapped in smoky bacon and slathered with sweet maple syrup and spicy chili garlic sauce. Perfect party food for groups, holidays or game day!
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Is it really a party without Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies?
This tried and true party food recipe is hugely popular - with good reason. It's super easy to make, it feeds a crowd, and everyone loves the salty, sweet and spicy flavor combination (kinda like another fan favorite, our Bacon Cream Cheese Bites).
But if you've ever made versions of these bacon wrapped smokies with brown sugar, you know how they can be a bit finicky. If you cook the weenies too long to make sure your bacon is crispy, the brown sugar starts to burn. If you don't cook the cocktail wieners long enough, you have soggy bacon.
This new and improved, 4-ingredient Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies recipe is just as easy and delicious as any you've had before, but with a few twists to ensure crispy bacon and a finger-licking sweet & spicy sauce every single time.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Sweet, salty, crispy, and just a little spicy, there's something in every bite for everyone. Perfect party food that always disappears.
- Only 4 ingredients and zero fuss. Perfect for holidays, game day spreads, or anytime you need an easy crowd-pleaser.
- The bacon actually stays crispy. Our secret? A quick par-bake before wrapping. It's one tiny step that makes a big difference.
- That sauce, though. A mix of maple syrup and chili garlic sauce caramelizes in the oven and adds just the right balance of sweet heat. Totally irresistible.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need four ingredients to make these bacon wrapped beauties.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon - I recommend using center cut bacon for this recipe. It is meatier, has less fat, and is the perfect size to cut in half and wrap around the smokies.
- Smokies - I used little smokies to test this recipe, but any variety of cocktail weenies work well.
- Maple syrup - Skip the pancake syrup blends and use 100% real maple syrup for best flavor.
- Chili garlic sauce - This is a relatively inexpensive ingredient that you can find in the Asian sections of most grocery stores. Can't find it? You can substitute Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce. Just know you many need to adjust the amount needed for more or less spice. Tip: Want a completely different flavor? Use bottled BBQ sauce instead of the maple syrup mixture. Or keep it family friendly and skip the hot sauce entirely and just use maple syrup.
Instructions
Yes, these smokies take a little extra effort than other recipes. But trust me when I say that a few extra minutes of prep makes a difference. You'll have crispy bacon and perfectly caramelized sausage bites every time!
- Parbake the bacon: Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Assemble: Wrap bacon pieces around smokies and secure with toothpicks. Bake for 20-22 minutes.
- Make glaze: Whisk together maple syrup and chili garlic sauce.
- Glaze and bake again: Brush smokies with glaze and bake for another 3-4 minutes.
FAQs
Yes! These smoked sausages are ready to heat and enjoy out of the package. The bake time for this recipe comes from cooking the bacon.
Absolutely! You can parbake the bacon and wrap it around the smokies up to two days ahead of time. Do not continue baking at this point. Cover tightly and refrigerate. When ready to serve, preheat oven, add bacon wrapped smokies to prepared pan and bake for 22-24 minutes. Add sauce and bake again for another 3-4 minutes.
The best way to reheat these cocktail weenies is to pop them in a 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until warmed through. Keep an eye on the edges of the smokies so they don't start to brown too quickly.
Helpful Tips We Swear By
- Use center cut bacon and cut it in half. It's just the right size to wrap around the smokies without a ton of extra overlap or loose ends.
- Skip the foil and go for parchment. Line your pans with two layers, and you'll notice the bacon grease doesn't pool the same way. It seems to soak in a bit, which helps everything cook more evenly. (No idea why it works, but it does. Try it next time you bake a sheet of bacon, too!)
- Give the bacon a head start. A quick 10-minute par-bake before wrapping ensures it cooks through and gets that crispy bite we all love.
- Keeping them warm for a crowd? Toss them in a slow cooker on the warm setting. The bacon won't stay super crisp, but the flavor is still spot on, and they'll stay hot and ready for snacking.
- Have leftovers? Lucky you! Just pop them in the fridge (covered) and reheat in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes until warmed through.
- Make-ahead friendly! Par-bake and wrap the smokies, and then refrigerate (no sauce yet) for up to 2 days. When it's party time, bake and sauce them according to recipe directions (plus a little extra since they will be cold from the fridge). Easy.
More bacon appetizer recipes
Bacon makes everything better!
You can find more easy appetizer recipes in our archives.
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Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Ingredients
- 12 oz center cut bacon
- 12 oz little smokies sausages (or other cocktail wiener)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1-2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (start with 1 teaspoon and add more if you want more spice)
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a double layer of parchment on a large sheet pan.
- Cut bacon in half and place pieces on prepared pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Lower oven temperature to 350°F.12 oz center cut bacon
- Prepare another sheet pan with two layers of parchment paper. When bacon is cool enough to handle, wrap a slice around a sausage and secure with a toothpick. Repeat until all bacon is used (you may have a few smokies leftover). Bake for 20-22 minutes.12 oz little smokies sausages (or other cocktail wiener)
- While bacon wrapped smokies are baking, whisk together maple syrup and chili garlic sauce in a small bowl.¼ cup pure maple syrup, 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- When smokies are done baking, remove pan from oven and brush each smokie with the spicy syrup mixture. Return pan to oven and bake for another 3-4 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly and serve.
Notes
- Center cut bacon is meatier, has less fat and is the perfect size to wrap around the smokies.
- I used little smokies but you can use any cocktail wiener you prefer.
- Pure maple syrup will give you the best flavor.
- Chili garlic sauce is my preferred spice for this recipe but you can also substitute Sriracha or another hot sauce if you like. You may have to adjust the amount of another hot sauce for balanced flavor.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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