Air fryer bacon wrapped smokies are undeniably one of the best appetizers you can make! These delectable bites feature savory mini hot dogs enveloped in crispy bacon, glazed with a irresistible brown sugar and barbecue sauce blend. Every single bite offers a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors that will leave your guests reaching for more. Whether you’re using a Cosori, Ninja Foodi, or any other air fryer, this recipe is guaranteed to be a hit at your next party or casual get-together.
Once you try these Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Smokies, you’ll understand why they are so incredibly addicting. They are the ideal easy air fryer appetizer for any party, game day, or simply when you’re craving a fantastic snack. These bite-sized BBQ hot dogs are designed for popping into your mouth and enjoying with minimal fuss.
Why the Air Fryer is Perfect for Bacon Wrapped Smokies
If you’ve never experienced the magic of bacon wrapped little smokies cooked in an air fryer, prepare to be amazed! This air fryer bacon wrapped little smokies recipe takes a classic appetizer to an entirely new level. The air fryer circulates hot air, crisping the bacon to perfection while keeping the mini sausages wonderfully juicy. Forget the mess and grease of deep frying, or the longer cooking times and less consistent crispiness of traditional oven baking.
We’ve been passionate about creating air fryer appetizers lately, and for good reason! This countertop appliance is a game-changer in the kitchen, allowing you to achieve maximum crispiness without excessive oil. The result is a lighter, yet equally indulgent, version of your favorite fried foods. For Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Smokies, this means perfectly rendered bacon that’s golden brown and delightfully crunchy, enveloping a warm, flavorful mini sausage. It’s truly a difference you can taste and feel.
Pro Tip: My preferred air fryer models for consistently excellent results are the Cosori and Ninja Foodi (especially those with attached lids for convenience). Both offer fantastic air circulation and even cooking.
For the crispiest possible results, it’s always best practice to preheat your air fryer. Learning how to preheat your air fryer ensures that your food starts cooking immediately upon entering the hot basket, leading to superior texture. For even more success with various dishes, download our printable free air fryer cooking time chart to keep handy on your fridge!
Crafting the Perfect Bacon Wrapped Smokies in Your Air Fryer
You’ve likely mastered air fryer bacon and perhaps even air fryer hot dogs, but combining them? That’s where the magic truly happens! These bacon wrapped smokies in the air fryer are an absolute game-changer. I guarantee there won’t be a single one left if you make them for a crowd.
The key to success starts with simple preparation. Grab a cutting board and some toothpicks to ensure everything stays neatly in place and the bacon doesn’t unravel during cooking. Proper preparation is quick and ensures a beautiful, uniform finish for every bite.
Essential Ingredients for Your Air Fryer Smokies
- One package of little smokies (mini sausages)
- Strips of premium bacon
- Your favorite barbecue sauce
- A touch of rich brown sugar
While toothpicks are highly recommended for ease of handling and presentation, you can technically make these without them by tucking the loose end of the bacon securely underneath the wrapped smokie. However, for parties or events like the big game, toothpicks make them much easier for guests to pick up. I personally favor the longer toothpicks, sometimes even those with small decorative forks, as they offer a better grip and keep the bacon more secure. This recipe is a guaranteed family favorite!
Mastering Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Bacon Smokies
If you’re new to the world of mini wieners, you’ll find them right alongside regular hot dogs in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Their signature smoky flavor is exactly how they earned their popular name. For those using a Ninja Foodi, you’ll utilize the non-pressure cooking lid and the “Air Crisp” function to achieve that signature crispy bacon perfection. The Ninja Foodi’s excellent air circulation makes it an ideal tool for this recipe.
Understanding Little Smokies: Cooking & Prep
Many wonder how to best cook little smokies. Beyond the air fryer, two other fantastic methods we often enjoy include our Instant Pot cocktail wieners recipe, which is incredibly simple for a large batch, and cooking them in the oven, as detailed in our bacon wrapped little smokies with brown sugar post. Each method yields delicious results, but for crispiness and speed, the air fryer stands out.
Are Little Smokies Already Cooked?
Yes, similar to their larger hot dog counterparts, little smokies are typically bite-sized, fully-cooked smoked sausages. This means they only require reheating to be enjoyed. When making Bacon Wrapped Smokies, your primary goal is to cook the bacon to your desired level of crispiness and to warm the sausages thoroughly, ensuring the pork wrapping is cooked through and delicious.
The cooking time for Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Smokies can vary slightly based on your air fryer model and the thickness of the bacon you use. Generally, you can expect them to cook in about 6-8 minutes at 350°F (175°C). This timing should result in beautifully cooked, crispy bacon and perfectly warmed mini sausages.
Batch size depends on the capacity of your air fryer basket. For optimal crispiness, it’s crucial to arrange the Bacon Wrapped Smokies in a single layer without any overlapping. Overlapping can lead to uneven cooking and less crispy bacon. If you have a smaller air fryer, you’ll simply need to cook them in multiple batches. The larger your air fryer basket, the more you can make at once.
What Do You Eat With Little Smokies?
While often served as a delightful snack or appetizer, little smokies are versatile. In the case of these Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Smokies, they shine as a standout party food. If you were serving plain small hot dogs as part of a meal, you might pair them with air fryer vegetables and perhaps a side of pasta for a balanced plate.
Can You Reheat Sausages Wrapped in Bacon?
Yes, you absolutely can reheat mini sausages wrapped in bacon! While fresh is always best, leftovers can be revived. To reheat, simply wrap a batch of the smokies loosely in aluminum foil and place them in a preheated oven at about 350°F (175°C) for approximately 10 minutes, or until they are warmed through. This method helps prevent the bacon from drying out while ensuring the sausages are heated evenly.
For a different take on this concept, consider our Crockpot little smokies recipe, perfect for keeping a large batch warm during extended gatherings. Below, you’ll find a detailed recipe card, but first, here’s a quick, easy step-by-step overview. Get your strips of bacon ready!
Step-by-Step: How to Cook Air Fryer BBQ Little Smokies
- Step 1: Preheat. Begin by preheating your air fryer to 350 degrees F (175°C) for 5 minutes. This ensures immediate crisping.
- Step 2: Prepare Bacon & Smokies. Take each strip of bacon and cut it lengthwise, then cut those pieces in half again, yielding four smaller pieces of bacon per original strip. Wrap one smokie inside each bacon piece, ensuring the ends overlap. Secure the wrap with a toothpick to keep the bacon from unrolling.
- Step 3: Arrange & Air Fry. Lightly spray your air fryer basket with non-stick spray to prevent sticking. Carefully lay the bacon-wrapped smokies in the basket in a single layer, making sure they do not overlap. Air fry the lil smokies at 350 F (175°C) for 6-8 minutes, or until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispiness.
- Step 4: Glaze & Serve. Once cooked, carefully remove the smokies. Brush your favorite BBQ sauce generously over the top of each one, then sprinkle with a touch of brown sugar. Serve immediately for the best taste and texture!
If you happen to have any leftovers (which is unlikely!), you can repurpose them into our delicious pigs in a blanket pull apart bread for another incredible snack.
Optimal Cooking Time for Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies in the Air Fryer
As you can see from the images, the air fryer delivers incredibly crispy outsides. The exact cooking time for Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies will depend on your personal preference for how brown and crispy you like your bacon. Generally, using regular-cut bacon (not thick-cut), each batch will take approximately 6-8 minutes. It’s always a good idea to monitor the first batch closely to find your perfect timing.
If you’re preparing a large quantity for a crowd, you can keep earlier batches warm by placing them in an oven set to its lowest temperature, loosely tented with foil. This ensures all your appetizers are warm and ready to serve at the same time. Below is a printable recipe card with nutritional information listed. Yes, these are comfort food, so just enjoy every delicious bite!
Other Irresistible Recipes Featuring Bacon:
- One dish we simply can’t resist is our Instant Pot bacon potatoes.
- For a hearty meal, our Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops are out of this world delicious.
- And if you haven’t tried smoked bacon stuffed meatloaf yet, you’re truly missing out on a flavor explosion!
For all you air fryer enthusiasts, you absolutely must try bacon wrapped air fryer steak next in your machine. Bacon truly makes everything better! I highly recommend using uncured center-cut bacon for the best results in these recipes. While uncured meats generally cost a bit more, the difference in flavor and quality is profound. Center-cut bacon also tends to have more meat and less fat, offering a better texture.
A close second in terms of flavor is smoked bacon if uncured center-cut isn’t available. It adds another incredible layer of depth to the dish, and it’s all about those bold, mouth-watering flavors, right? Jump to the complete recipe below, my friends, and let us know what you think!
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Smokies
15
8
12
Equipment
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1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 20 smokies
- 5 strips bacon
- 2 tbsp barbecue sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F (175°C). Slice each bacon strip in half lengthwise, then cut those pieces in half again, resulting in 4 smaller strips per original bacon slice.
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Wrap each smokie in one piece of the cut bacon. Ensure the bacon end is tucked underneath or secured with a toothpick to prevent unrolling. Lightly spray the inside of the air fryer basket with non-stick spray.
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Place the bacon wrapped sausages into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispiness.
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Brush barbecue sauce over each cooked smokie, then sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top. Serve immediately for optimal flavor and texture.
Video
A video demonstration of this recipe is typically available to guide you through the process.
Nutrition
Serving: 2oz, Calories: 74kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 251mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 7IU, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
