Air Fryer Little Smokies Bacon Wrapped Recipe

Name: Air Fryer Little Smokies Bacon Wrapped Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 14 oz Lit'l Smokies smoked sausage; 16 oz bacon; 2 tbsp brown sugar (packed)

Are you looking for a delicious appetizer everyone will love? Well, you’ve found it with this air fryer little smokies bacon wrapped recipe! This recipe perfectly blends the rich flavor of sausage with the savory flavor of bacon, creating an amazing appetizer that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. These bite-sized sausages are perfect for any get-together or whenever you’re craving a filling snack.

Total Servings: 3

Total Cost for All Ingredients: $13.08

Cost Per Serving: $4.36

Ingredients & Costs*

14 oz Lit’l Smokies smoked sausage ($3.98)
16 oz bacon ($5.98)
2 tbsp brown sugar, packed ($3.12)

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*Food costs may vary and can change over time. The prices listed were the current prices of these ingredients when this recipe was made for this post. Almost all our ingredients are purchased from Walmart as we live in a small town without any other options. If you notice a significant price difference, please let us know at hello@freshgains.com we can update this post.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cooking Air Fryer Little Smokies:

How do I prevent the bacon from unwrapping?

An easy way to secure the bacon around the sausage is to use a toothpick. This will ensure that everything stays in place during the cooking process. If you don’t have toothpicks handy, make sure you place the loose end of the bacon facing down in the air fryer. This will help the bacon stay in place, although it will be looser than using a toothpick.

How do I prepare these ahead of time?

If you’re short on time, you can prepare this recipe in advance. Just make the little smokies wraps and place them in an airtight container in your refrigerator. They’ll stay good for a few days, but I would recommend preparing them as close to cooking time as possible (less than 24 hours if possible).

What dipping sauces go well with this appetizer?

While these bacon wrapped sausages are great on their own, I definitely understand if you want to sauce them up. Some of the best dipping sauce options for this recipe are barbecue sauce (you can never go wrong with that on bacon and sausage), honey mustard and ranch (may I suggest sriracha ranch?).

What BBQ sauce do you use with this recipe?

In terms of nationally recognized brands of BBQ sauce, I’m a fan of the classic Stubbs Original BBQ sauce. However, I recently stumbled across this Baltimore Barbecue Company sauce at our local butcher, and I would definitely recommend it!

What air fryer do you use?

I use the Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill for almost all my air frying. I can’t recommend this machine (or any Ninja product, really) enough! It has been a powerhouse in my kitchen for many, many years and shows no signs of ever slowing down.

Tips to Make These the Best Bacon Wrapped Sausages Ever:

Wrap the Sausage Carefully: It may feel tedious but take your time when wrapping the bacon around the sausage. Paying attention to the layer of the bacon and keeping it as even as possible will allow the bacon to cook evenly and reduce the risk of undercooked or overcooked bacon.

Stay Away From Thick Bacon: For this recipe, you’ll definitely want to use bacon that is on the thin or original. Using a thick bacon could cause the Lit’l Smokies to be overcooked, or the bacon to be undercooked.

Don’t Overload the Air Fryer: You may feel the urge to load as many bacon wrapped sausages in the air fryer as you can. Trust me, I get it! But try to resist that urge and cook the sausages in batches, if necessary. Smaller batches, which allow for space around the sausages to allow heat and air to flow, will help each piece cook perfectly.

Consider Different Flavorings: While brown sugar adds a great sweetness to this recipe, there are other options that pack a flavorful punch. You can substitute the brown sugar for maple syrup or honey to create a different (but still awesome) flavor.

Store Properly (In the Rare Event There Are Leftovers): Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When stored properly, these air fryer little smokies will remain good for about three days. They can be reheated back to perfection in the microwave or in the air fryer.

Serve Warm or Reheat: If you’re planning to serve these sausages fresh, I recommend cooking them as close as possible to serving time. However, you can also make them ahead of time and reheat them, if necessary.