When it comes to appetizers, these bacon-wrapped cocktail sausages are about as easy and crowd-pleasing (and completely addictive) as they come. I also love them because you can pop them in a slow cooker set to low and keep them warm all evening.
Ingredient and Recipe Notes
- Lit’l Smokies – AKA cocktail sausages. You will find these in a couple of varieties. All beef will taste like tiny hot dogs. Traditional will be a mix of pork and chicken. Either variety works well. Just like Hot dogs, quality and flavor can vary depending on brand. I prefer name brands that I’m familiar with (like Hillshire Farms) or ones I’ve at least tried before.
- Bacon – Use whatever your favorite regular bacon is, as long as it’s not turkey bacon. Use the real stuff here, original thickness, not thick cut, or it won’t get crispy in the oven. With good old standard bacon, you can wrap 3 little smokies per piece. Center cut will probably only wrap 2 per piece.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark, doesn’t matter, either one will work!
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Sausages
- Preheat your oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the slab of bacon into thirds.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar over sausages
4. Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes or until bacon has cooked and is starting to brown.
If you’re serving these at a party, they taste even better after a little time in the slow cooker on low heat. And that bacon grease that has co-mingled with the brown sugar? That salty-sweetness is a perfect glaze for these little suckers.
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead of time? These are actually at their very best when they’ve had a chance to hang out in a slow cooker for a bit. Feel free to make them a few hours ahead and transfer to a slow cooker set to low to hang out before serving. I would still make them the day of serving, though.
Related Recipes
Looking for some other appetizer recommendations? Check out these Our Best Bites favorites:
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs {Easy!}
- Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Bites
- Honey Cranberry Orange Baked Brie
- Mini Pastry Wrapped Brie Bites
- Pastry Wrapped Asparagus With Prosciutto
- Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Did You Make This?
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Bacon-Wrapped Cocktail Sausages
Ingredients
- 1 14- ounce package Little Smokies cocktail sausages
- 1 12- ounce package lean bacon
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the slab of bacon into thirds.
- Wrap 1/3 of each slice of bacon around each sausage, secure with a toothpick and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sausages and bacon.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over sausages and bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes or until bacon has cooked and is starting to brown.
Questions & Reviews
Is it possible to make these a day or two before in the oven, and then reheat in the crockpot before serving? We will be on a camping trip, and have limited oven space, as I have to make a double batch. And will the bacon stay crispy when reheating in the crockpot?
The bacon might not be quite as crispy, but I think they’d still taste really good re-warmed! Especially if you’re camping, because everything tastes better camping haha!
Useful blog. I discovered. Good read.
Can you put them in a crockpot after you cook them to take them somewhere and keep them warm to eat
Yes, you can- you just need to be careful because some people have reported their crock pots burning them- just make sure it’s on a “warm” setting.
Love these. I bake them on a cooling rack placed inside of the pan so the grease drains down and they are crispier 🙂
These are delicious! Meat candy! We served these at a New Years Eve party and they were a hit.
I want to make these for a party this weekend. Do you cook them in the oven and then put them in the slow cooker or can you just cook them in the slow cooker (and for how long)? They look delicious!
We LOVE these and call them Bacon Crack!!! Try them with cheese smokies too!
I make these every year for Christmas but use way more brown sugar. Absolutely delicious! I prepare them the night before our party and bake them an hour before people come and throw them in a warm crock pot to have throughout the night—if they last!
I love these. When invited to a get together I have been told that I will not be let in if I don’t bring these.
I made these for Christmas but used Nathans Beef mini hot dogs. They were soooo good, they disappeared very quickly. I am making a batch just for my hubby and me for New Years Eve.