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Salty, sweet, and (fair warning!) addictive, this easy Bacon Wrapped Smokies recipe calls for just four ingredients. Beat the clock: After 5 minutes of prep time, the best game day snack is ready to head to the oven.
Bacon wrapped bites are among my favorite appetizer recipes of all time. Bacon wrapped shrimp, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, and now smokies; it’s true what they say, “Everything is better with bacon!”
You may have had two-ingredient Bacon Wrapped Smokies before, but what really takes these over the top is a ridiculously easy homemade barbecue sauce. It can be our little secret that it’s almost too easy to DIY with equal parts ketchup and brown sugar!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Little Smokies: Theses are sold at most major supermarkets near the deli meat. Alternatively, swap in regular hot dogs cut into three smaller “nuggets.” For the same-sized batch, you’ll need 14 full hot dogs.
- Bacon: Slice each strip in thirds and it will wrap around the sausages nicely (without overwhelming the flavor and size of the smokies).
Step by step instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with foil and a baking rack. Working with one Smokie at a time, wrap in bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining smokies and bacon.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk brown sugar and ketchup together in a small bowl. Brush or pour barbecue sauce over the Smokies.
- Return to oven and bake until hot and sticky, about 15 minutes longer. Serve warm.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This easy appetizer recipe makes eight 5-link servings of Bacon Wrapped Smokies. I find this to be a satisfying portion for a game day snack or potluck menu addition, but feel free to scale up or down as needed to feed your crew.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The smokies can be wrapped in bacon a day in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them.
Recipe FAQs
True, this would streamline the process so you don’t have to remove the pan from the oven and add the sauce two-thirds of the way through the cook time. But there’s a method to my madness; the sauce will burn and the bacon won’t crisp up as nicely if you add the sauce at the start. So bake the Bacon Wrapped Smokies for 30 minutes, then brush with sauce and bake for 15 minutes more.
If you’d like an alternative to this ketchup and brown sugar combo, consider my 20-minute classic Barbecue Sauce or any store-bought sauce you enjoy.
2-Ingredient Barbecue Little Smokies
Sharpen your toothpicks. 2-Ingredient Barbecue Little Smokies are the easiest, most festive appetizer you’ll ever make. Two ingredients, zero prep, and 100% addictive, exactly the way all good party food should be. Game days, birthday…
View Recipe
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Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Ingredients
- 1 (14 ounce) package Little Smokies (about 40 links, see note 1)
- 1 pound bacon each strip cut into thirds (see note 2)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with foil and a baking rack.
- Working with one Smokie at a time, wrap in bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining smokies and bacon.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk brown sugar and ketchup together in a small bowl.
- Brush or pour barbecue sauce over the Smokies. Return to oven and bake until hot and sticky, about 15 minutes longer. Serve warm.
Notes
- Little Smokies: These are sold at most major supermarkets near the deli meat. Alternatively, swap in regular hot dogs cut into three smaller “nuggets.” For the same-sized batch, you’ll need 14 full hot dogs.
- Bacon: Slice each strip in thirds and it will wrap around the sausages nicely (without overwhelming the flavor and size of the smokies).
- Yield: This easy appetizer recipe makes eight 5-link servings of Bacon Wrapped Smokies. I find this to be a satisfying portion for a game day snack or potluck menu addition, but feel free to scale up or down as needed to feed your crew.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The smokies can be wrapped in bacon a day in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Hey Meggan…just wondering if you prefer to use regular bacon or thick cut bacon for the Bacon Wrapped Smokies? Was afraid thick bacon would take a long time to cook.
Love your website…thank you.
Hi Steve, thank you so much for your question! Yes, as long as it is not overly thick. I hope you love them! Take care! – Meggan
These are absolutely delicious!! Very easy to make. I make them to take to parties. They are alway a big hit!!
Great recipe I will make again !!
Hi Bryan, glad you loved them! – Meggan
I have not tried the smokies yet, but college football parties are coming up soon.
I have also made the wrapped chestnuts, with bacon. My recipe also called for mayo. I’m excited to try with the BBQ sauce instead. (Catsup and brown sugar). I’m sure it will be a favorite with the football fans.
Thank you
Hi Cathi, that all sounds great. I hope everyone enjoys at your party! – Meggan
Hi
On your Pigs in a Blanket recipe, you mention the bacon wrapped smokies, but say to bake at 400 for 40 mins – Just wondering what the correct temperature is
Hi Karen, Thank you for the question, it’s a mistake on the post. The correct temperature for Bacon Wrapped Smokies is 400 degrees. It will be corrected in the post. Thank you! – Meggan
Just what I needed for my New Year’s Dinner . All the other recipes did not bother to remove the grease and were super loaded with so much brown sugar! I’d never be able to eat them. Thanks for posting.
Do you think you could bake the smokies and then refrigerate them overnight. The next day cover them with the brown sugar mixer and bake again?
Hi Karla! Yes, I think that would work just fine! I’ll be sure to test that variation when I get a chance so we know for sure. Thank you for the question!
What are smokies?
Hi Heather! “Lil Smokies” are a brand of miniature smoked sausage links created by Hillshire Farms. There are also some store brands of the same thing. Smoked sausage tastes similar to polish sausage – like a butcher-style hot dog with a smoky flavor. I hope this helps! You can find them in the grocery store typically in the area of deli meats, hot dogs, bacon, breakfast sausage, that sort of thing. If you have any other questions just let me know. Thanks for the question.
I love the recipes here when I encountered this wrbsite.Thank you
Oh, my! I think I just found this year’s Christmas appetizer. Thanks for sharing! ?