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Air Fryer BBQ Little Smokies

Name: Air Fryer BBQ Little Smokies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 40 Lil Smokies (Cocktail Weiners); 1 cup bbq sauce (any flavor); 3 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)

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Air Fryer BBQ Little Smokies are effortless to make — with an air fryer, you can now make these delicious mini sausages right in your kitchen. If you love smoky, barbecue-flavored little sausages but hate the hassle of firing up your grill, your days of dread are over!

Close up of little smokies in a glass baking dish.

Little Smokies in the Air Fryer

Have a craving for smoky, delicious little sausages? You’re in luck! The air fryer is the perfect appliance for making your favorite BBQ little smokies. Cooking them in the air fryer will get you that irresistible crispy outer coating with a juicy, tender inside that you’d get from grilling.

Wondering how to make little smokies in the air fryer? This recipe is straightforward and only requires a few simple ingredients. So what are you waiting for — fire up your air fryer and start cooking!

Plus, you can also easily make these bacon-wrapped smokies by simply adding a piece of bacon around the sausages as they cook. They are so good and make the perfect appetizer recipe. My kids also love them for a quick lunch!

Looking for more air fryer appetizer recipes? Don’t miss AIR FRYER GARDEN FOCCACIA, FROZEN PORK EGG ROLLS IN AIR FRYER, AIR FRYER SALMON NAAN, and AIR FRYER EGGPLANT PARMESAN FRIES!

Why You’ll Love This Lil Smokies Recipe

Perfect for parties
Kid-approved
Easy to make in the air fryer
Uses minimal ingredients
Ready in just under 15 minutes

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Little Smokies

You can make the best air fryer little smokies with only two ingredients!

Small Sausages: These have so many names. Some of the common ones are little smokies, lit’l smokies sausages, cocktail wieners, cocktail franks, lil smokies, or baby wursts. You can find them at your local grocery store, Costco, Aldi, or even Trader Joe’s.
Barbecue Sauce: Choose your favorite sauce. Today, I used Sweet Chili BBQ sauce, which added a great flavor.

Ingredients needed For Air Fryer Little Smokies.

How to Make Little Smokies

Step 1: Air fry the lil smokies

Place your lil smokies on the air fryer tray or in the air fryer basket, then set the timer for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Step 2: Add the BBQ sauce

When your sausages have cooked, transfer them to a bowl and pour the barbecue sauce all over. Put the sausages back in the air fryer and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce starts to caramelize.

Step 3: Plate and serve

Transfer your smokies to your favorite serving dish, platter, or bowl, and serve with toothpicks for easy snacking!

The Best BBQ Sauce for This Lil Smokies Recipe

I always tell everyone to use their favorite! Whether you want to use sweet or even sour, it’s a great and easy way to add some flavor to this lil smokies recipe. Some of my favorite sauces to use are Sweet Baby Rays or even Bone Sucking Sauce.

You can also mix some brown sugar into the BBQ sauce before tossing the cocktail weiners back into the air fryer for a sweeter appetizer.

Lil smokies recipe in a glass dish with barbecue sauce.

Where Do I Find Little Smokies In The Grocery Store?

Remember that these delicious sausages have many different names, but you can find them next to the hot dogs and kielbasa in the grocery store. Essentially, lil smokies are smoked sausages sold in packages.

How Many Will This Lil Smokies Recipe Serve?

It depends on how many are in the package you buy. Mine came with 40 mini sausages and the average serving size is 5 per person. That means I get about 8 servings per pack. It’s a great and easy air fryer appetizer or party food!

Close up of lil smokies in a glass baking dish.

How Long Should I Cook Lil Smokies In The Air Fryer?

I recommend that you cook them for about 5 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees F. Make sure the air fryer little smokies are fully cooked before removing them.

What Dipping Sauces Can I Use For Air Fryer Little Smokies?

There are so many different sauces that you can dip them into. Some of my favorites are ranch dressing, blue cheese, and even more Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce! Of course, you can also simply enjoy this lil smokies recipe as is. The barbecue sauce adds so much flavor!

How Do I Store Leftover Little Smokies?

If you have any leftovers, let them cool to room temperature and place them into an airtight container. They will last in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days.

When you want to reheat them, place them back into the air fryer basket and cook for a couple of minutes at 350 degrees F.

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