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Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage Cranberry Bites

Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage Cranberry Bites are roasted sausage coins glazed with a sticky whole-berry cranberry sauce until bubbling. Easy sheet-pan method creates caramelized edges with sweet-tangy flavor, finished with orange zest and thyme.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Smoked sausage
  • 2 (14 oz) smoked sausage sliced into 1/2-inch coins
Cranberry glaze
  • 1 (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp orange zest
Garnish
  • 1 fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and roast
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a rimmed sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup and even browning.
  2. Spread the sausage coins in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan and roast for 12 minutes, until browned at the edges (visual cue: edges look caramelized).
Make glaze and finish baking
  1. Whisk the whole berry cranberry sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes until smooth and evenly combined.
  2. Pour the cranberry glaze over the roasted sausage and toss to coat so most surfaces are glossy (visual cue: glaze clings to the coins).
  3. Roast for 10-13 minutes more at 400F until the glaze is sticky and bubbling (visual cue: bubbles form around the edges of the sausage).
Serve
  1. Toss with orange zest and fresh thyme leaves, then serve warm with toothpicks.

Notes

For the stickiest glaze, toss the sausage right after glazing so the sauce coats while the surface is hot. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat on a sheet pan at 350F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because cranberry sauce can lose texture. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar cranberry sauce and keep the rest of the glaze ingredients the same.