Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Bites

Bacon always brings a party, and these sweet and savory bacon-wrapped sausage bites will satisfy the hungriest crowds. Even better, these party-ready appetizers require only three simple ingredients—fully cooked sausage links, bacon and brown sugar. They’re so effortless, they’re almost entirely hands-off.

Any bacon-wrapped recipe is a hit, and these will wow at brunch (alongside all your favorite egg dishes and pancake recipes), at cocktail parties or at a weekend tailgate.

Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Bite Ingredients

• Bacon: Bacon brings the salty, savory flavor and crisp, crunchy texture to these bite-sized morsels. Use one of the best bacon brands, making sure it’s thin-cut, not thick. Thick-cut bacon doesn’t wrap as easily and won’t crisp the way thin-cut bacon does.
• Breakfast sausage links: Using packaged, fully cooked breakfast sausage links makes prepping these bacon-wrapped breakfast sausage bites a breeze. Be sure to thaw the sausages in advance. Of course, you can also make your own breakfast sausage before wrapping it in bacon.
• Brown sugar: A dip in brown sugar adds sweetness to each of these bacon-wrapped sausages made in the oven.

Directions

Step 1: Make the bites

To prep the bacon and sausage, cut the bacon strips widthwise in half and cut the sausage links in half.

Wrap a piece of bacon around each piece of sausage. Secure each bacon-wrapped breakfast sausage with a toothpick.

Step 2: Roll in sugar and chill

Place 1/2 cup brown sugar in a shallow bowl and roll the sausage bites in the sugar. Place the bacon-wrapped sausage bites on a parchment or foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Cover and refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

Editor’s Tip: If you are short on time, skip the chilling step and head straight to the oven. Chilling allows time for the flavors to meld and is a great option for making the bacon-wrapped sausage bites ahead of time.

Step 3: Bake the bites

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the sausages wrapped in bacon with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Bake the bacon-wrapped sausages in oven until crisp, 35 to 40 minutes, turning once. Sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.

Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Bite Variations

• Switch the sausage: You can easily switch up the flavor profile of these bacon-wrapped sausage bites by using a different sausage. Think mini smoked sausage links, turkey sausage or kielbasa.
• Add some heat: For a bit of heat, sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes, paprika or chili powder into the brown sugar before dipping the bites.
• Swap the sweetener: Instead of using brown sugar, brush each bacon-wrapped breakfast sausage with maple syrup or honey before baking.
• Make a dipping sauce: Who doesn’t love a dipping sauce? Serve the bacon-wrapped sausage bites with honey mustard sauce or barbecue sauce, or drizzle the bites with hot honey before serving for an extra kick of sweet and spicy flavor.

How to Store Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Bites

Let leftover bacon-wrapped sausage bites cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

How should you reheat bacon-wrapped sausage bites?

For the best texture, reheat the bacon-wrapped sausages in a 350° oven until warmed. You can also reheat them in the microwave, although the bacon will not be as crisp.

Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Bite Tips

How do you keep the bacon from unraveling?

The best way to keep the bacon from unraveling is to attach it to the sausage with a toothpick. You’ll bake the sausage bites with the toothpick still attached. A longer toothpick can help guests easily pick up the bites from a serving platter.

How else can you cook bacon-wrapped sausage bites?

You can cook bacon-wrapped sausage bites in an air fryer, similar to these air-fryer bacon-wrapped sausage bites, as well as on the grill or in a smoker. To grill the bites, generously oil the grill grates, then heat the grill to high. Place the sausage bites on the grill, reducing the heat beneath the grates to low. Turn and cook the bites until the bacon crisps evenly on all sides. To cook on the smoker, place the bacon-wrapped breakfast sausages in a baking pan. Heat the smoker to a steady 350°, then smoke the bites for 20 minutes or until the bacon cooks through.

What can you serve with bacon-wrapped sausage bites?

For breakfast, serve these bacon-wrapped sausage bites alongside egg dishes such as baked scrambled eggs or eggs Benedict. You can also pair these savory bites with something sweet, such as Belgian waffles or baked French toast. For a party spread or game-day snacks, serve these alongside other one-bite appetizers, such as Mexican pinwheels, garlic-herb mini quiches or mushroom bundles.

What is the best way to keep bacon-wrapped sausage bites warm for a party?

You can keep these bacon-wrapped sausage bites warm with a slow cooker. Add a thin layer of brown sugar to the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the cooked bacon-wrapped breakfast sausage bites on top of the brown sugar and set to warm. The slow cooker will keep the bacon-wrapped sausage bites warm and crispy. Whether in the slow cooker or at room temperature, the bacon-wrapped sausage bites should not sit out for more than two hours.