The best appetizer for super bowl parties or as a side dish are these bacon wrapped hot dogs with brown sugar in the oven! Made with smokies or cocktail wieners this is a salty and sweet bite of YUM like our air fryer bacon wrapped smokies.
Who doesn’t love appetizers with bacon? I mean seriously!! Whether you’re going to a potluck, super bowl party, or Christmas party this year. There is nothing like bacon wrapped smokies and more. (affiliate links present)
Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies with Brown Sugar
With just the three ingredients in this title you know you are in for a treat. You get a smoky flavor with the mini hot dogs, sweetness with the sugar and bacon OMG I mean…. I bet your mouth is watering right about now right? 😉 The outside gets a bit like our candied bacon with meat inside. It’s always a hit.
with butter
Bacon wrapped smokies with brown sugar and butter on the top is another option for a more savory flavor. It is not a necessary ingredient but is wonderful too. If you wanted to try both you could make a tray of each or half and half. Slice 1/2 a stick and lay on the top so it melts down with the sugar as they bake.
If you are having a party you have got to make a bacon charcuterie board with these on it! I know right?? Sounds amazing and all you need is to get this ingredient crispy and add all the other things. We have a printable charcuterie board shopping list for you to get started on that.
I mean anything can be deemed a starter if you have guests over. it is fun to have a wide variety of choices like our breakfast bundt that can be like a brunch item too. First we will start with this one that you just need 3 ingredients for:
Brown Sugar Bacon Smokies Ingredients
- Bacon regular slices, not thick
- Mini hot dogs (or lil’ smokies sausages are actually the best)
- 2 cups Brown sugar
- Secure with a toothpick so you will need a box of those, not colored
- Non stick aluminum foil is helpful too
Seriously that is all you need to make these. Sure do love easy and tasty appetizer recipes!
Can you use frozen bacon?
Not really. Frozen bacon is obviously very hard and you won’t be able to bend it as you will need to do so in this case. If that is all you have you can leave in the fridge overnight or quicker, submerge sealed package into a bowl of cold water for about 1 hour. Once flexible you can begin.
I cut the bacon in half while it is still in the pack so I can store the bacon left in a freezer bag if I am only using half of the package of bacon for this recipe. You can certainly cut this recipe in half or make the larger batch we describe below for you. The technique I use when cooking frozen bacon in air fryer too.
Are smokies the same as cocktail weiners?
No, mini hot dogs are similar in size as smokies but they haven’t been smoked beforehand so there is less flavor. We used the latter to make our Instant Pot cocktail wiener recipe which was amazing well. Your choice really, these just have more flavor and a thicker casing.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Smokies in the Oven
- Using a cutting board and put one half of a piece of bacon down, roll the wiener up into it and put a toothpick on the end that is open on top to keep it from unwrapping. Have your pan ready and lined with non stick foil for an easier clean up (it will be sticky).
- Then sprinkle brown sugar on the bottom of your baking dish or baking sheet with high sides (I put non stick aluminum foil or parchment paper down first).
- Line the bacon bites up on top of the brown sugar mixture. When they are all laid inside in a single layer then sprinkle more brown sugar on top like this.
- Line them up on a cookie sheet or if you have a lot of them put them in a 9×13 pan so when the sugar boils it will surround the wieners and really soak in.
- I cook them on 400 for about 20 min. or until bacon looks crisp like this.
Tips
Always preheat your oven so the temperature is consistent and even all the way thru. Higher is better because you do want the outside to crisp up well. If you wanted to add a bit of heat and spicy you could sprinkle the top with cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for more heat.
Take out and let cool just a bit. cook longer if you do not like the bacon soft at all but it is good a bit soft. Enjoy……and don’t count the calories on this one! 😉
Can you use turkey bacon?
You cannot go wrong with these with that killer sweet and salty flavor. You can use healthier slices if you wish just know that there isn’t as much flavor and it won’t crisp up quite as much because of the lower fat content. I make an entire pan full and many times I only leave with half because my husband and kids get to them first!!
The last time I took them to a Christmas brunch it was the first appetizer that was gone and I was asked for the recipe multiple times.
Baking time can vary depending on your oven and desired crispness of the bacon. As a general guideline, bake them for about 20-25 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and the brown sugar has caramelized.
Yes, you can prepare them in advance. You can wrap the Little Smokies with bacon and sprinkle them with brown sugar, then cover and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. Just remember to remove them from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before baking.
Yes, you can experiment with different types of sausages for Brown Sugar Smokies. Mini smoked sausages and cocktail wieners are commonly used, but you can try other small sausages or even vegetarian options if desired.
Other Appetizers with Bacon you’ll Love
- Bacon wrapped pineapple bites seen below have pineapple inside
- Our Crockpot little smokies can have bacon bits in the sauce.
- You can wrap other bites like jalapeno poppers or air fryer bacon wrapped brussel sprouts
- If you are having a Super Bowl party, a holiday get together or just want an amazing snack yourself you have got to try these! Bring these and our crack chicken deviled eggs to your next game day get together.
Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs with Brown Sugar
Equipment
- 1 9×13 pan
Ingredients
- 2 pkg smokies, or cocktail weiners but smokies are better
- 2 pkg bacon, cut in half
- 2 c brown sugar
Instructions
- Cut your entire package of bacon in half.
- Use a cutting board and place your 1/2 piece of bacon down with 1 smokie at one end and wrap it all the way up until it is wrapped up in the bacon, use a toothpick to secure bacon end.
- Use non stick foil to line a 9×13 pan, then sprinkle 1 cup of brown sugar on the bottom.
- With each smokie wrapped in bacon and secured with a toothpick put them inside your pan with the toothpick facing up.
- When all smokies are wrapped in bacon and placed inside your pan preheat your oven to 400 and sprinkle your 2nd cup of brown sugar over the top of all your bacon wrapped weiners.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until bacon is cooked to desired crispness and brown sugar is bubbling.
- Take out and put them on a plate to serve or leave in the pan for a bit to soak up more of the cooling sugar, then serve.
- Can half this recipe and bake in an 8×8 pan if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
