Bacon Wrapped Brown Sugar Smokies

Bacon wrapped brown sugar smokies baked until the bacon is crisp and the brown sugar crust turns bubbly and caramelized. Each little smokie is coated in a brown sugar-cayenne blend for sweet heat, then finished with melted butter for shine.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Calories: 290

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

little smokies

14 oz little smokies

thin-cut bacon

1 lb thin-cut bacon Cut each slice into thirds for wrapping.

brown sugar

1 cup brown sugar Packed.

cayenne pepper

0.25 tsp cayenne pepper

butter

2 tbsp butter Melted.

Equipment

1 sheet pan

Method

Prep and wrap

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with foil and parchment for easy cleanup.
Wrap each little smokie with a piece of thin-cut bacon, then secure it with a toothpick so it stays in place while baking.
Stir brown sugar and cayenne pepper together, then roll each wrapped smokie in the mixture to coat evenly for a candy crust.

Bake

Arrange the coated smokies on the prepared pan in a single layer to help the bacon crisp.
Drizzle the melted butter over the smokies and sprinkle any remaining sugar on top so it caramelizes in spots.
Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F until the bacon is crisp and the sugar is bubbly and caramelized, with a visibly deep amber crust.

Finish

Cool for 5 minutes so the glaze sets slightly, then serve warm for best texture.

Notes

For the crispest bacon, avoid crowding the pan so steam can escape and the sugar can bubble without steaming the coating. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days and rewarm in a 325F oven until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the caramelized sugar can soften and the bacon may lose crispness. For a lower-sodium option, choose uncured bacon and use a reduced-sodium brown sugar substitute or slightly reduce the amount of added sugar.