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Mouthwatering Caramelized Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Smokies blend rich, smoky, and sweet notes in these crowd-pleasing finger foods. These tempting bites wrap juicy mini sausages in crispy bacon coated with gooey brown sugar, making an appetizer that guests grab faster than you can serve them.
When I first served these at a football viewing party, they were gone in seconds. These days I always cook extra batches because everyone lingers around waiting for them to be cool enough to snatch.
Key Components
- Little Smokies: go for premium cocktail sausages for maximum taste
- Bacon: standard thickness works better than thick slices
- Brown sugar: either light or dark varieties perform wonderfully
- Toothpicks: stick with wooden ones for best results
Step-By-Step Cooking Guide
- Step 1:
- Slice bacon strips into three equal pieces. They need to be just long enough to circle each Little Smokie with minimal overlap. Too much bacon creates soft sections instead of crunchy bits.
- Step 2:
- Fasten each wrapped sausage with a toothpick, grabbing both bacon ends. Set them down with seams facing the baking sheet.
- Step 3:
- Cover each piece generously with brown sugar. As it heats, the sugar will transform into a delicious glaze that pairs perfectly with the bacon's saltiness.
- Step 4:
- Cook at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, flipping once halfway. Keep an eye on them toward the end since the sugar can quickly go from perfect to burnt.
- Step 5:
- Cool for 5 minutes before moving to your serving dish. This gives the sweet coating time to firm up a bit.
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My husband's mom showed me a trick to gently push the brown sugar onto the bacon before baking. This little move helps the sugar stick better and create that amazing caramel coating.
Heat Management
Maintain a consistent 350°F - higher temps will burn the sugar, while lower ones won't make the bacon crispy enough.
Prep In Advance
Get them wrapped and sugar-coated up to 24 hours early. Keep covered in the fridge, then pop in the oven right before you need them.
Crowd-Pleasing Strategies
Cook in smaller groups for big parties. Hot, fresh batches will keep everyone coming back for more.
Tasty Twists
Sprinkle a bit of cayenne for some kick or add cracked black pepper for extra flavor punch.
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These tasty treats have become what everyone asks me to bring to parties. They've got that perfect sweet-salty balance, and they always wow guests while being surprisingly easy to throw together.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do I make the bacon crispy?
- Pop them under the broiler for a couple minutes after baking to get super crunchy bacon.
- → Can I make these ahead?
- You can prep by wrapping the smokies in bacon and keeping them in the fridge, then add the sugar and bake right before your guests arrive.
- → Why pat the sausages dry?
- Drying them off lets the bacon stick better and gives you nicer browning.
- → Can I use regular bacon instead of thin-cut?
- Thin-cut works best because it's easier to wrap around and cooks more thoroughly.
- → Do I need toothpicks?
- Yep, toothpicks keep the bacon from unwrapping while they cook in the oven.