Bacon Wrapped Brown Sugar Smokies

Bacon Wrapped Brown Sugar Smokies

Bacon Wrapped Brown Sugar Smokies are little smokies wrapped in bacon, then coated in a brown sugar-cayenne crust that turns bubbly and caramelized in the oven. Bake until the bacon is crisp and the glaze sets into a sticky coating, then cool briefly for easy serving.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 210

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

little smokies

14 oz little smokies Use packaged little smokies, drained if needed.

thin-cut bacon

1 lb thin-cut bacon Cut each slice into thirds to wrap each smokie.

brown sugar coating

1 cup brown sugar Pack into the measuring cup for a thick candied crust.
0.25 tsp cayenne pepper Adds gentle heat; reduce to 1/8 tsp for milder results.
2 tbsp butter Melted for drizzling to help the crust caramelize.

Equipment

1 sheet pan

Method

Prep and coat

Preheat oven to 350F, then line a sheet pan with foil and parchment for easy cleanup.
Wrap each smokie with a third-cut piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Mix the brown sugar and cayenne pepper, then roll each bacon-wrapped smokie in the mixture to coat evenly.

Bake and serve

Arrange the coated smokies on the prepared pan, then drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with any remaining sugar.
Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F until the bacon is crisp and the sugar is bubbly and caramelized (look for dark amber spots).
Cool for 5 minutes so the glaze sets, then serve warm.

Notes

Pro tip: Use packed brown sugar and keep the smokies evenly spaced on the pan so the bacon crisps and the sugar caramelizes instead of steaming. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed and edges re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the glaze can soften after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use a brown-sugar substitute measured cup-for-cup (check label for baking equivalency).