Lil Smokies in the Air Fryer
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Making Lil Smokies in the Air Fryer is a delicious and quick appetizer! Mixing together a quick sauce – yes – with grape jelly – serves as a delicious dipping sauce as well. No need to crock pot these for hours – you’ll have a delicious appetizer in just 15 minutes! Perfection!
What You Will Love About making Lit’l Smokies in the Air Fryer
BBQ Lit’l Smokes are an easy game day or party appetizer – but what if you don’t want to wait 4 hours for the slow cooker or oven? Lil Smokies in the air fryer take just 15 minutes – with that delicious dipping sauce! Plus – the sauce only has 3 ingredients!
Air Fryer Lil Smokies Ingredients
The main ingredient is obviously the cocktail sausages! Beyond that – a quick three ingredient semi-homemade sauce. You’ll need:
- Little smokies – regular or cheesy
- barbecue sauce – I like a light sauce like Willliamson Brothers but you should use your favorite sauce
- grape jelly – this will add a touch of sweet
- chili sauce – ala Heinz Chili Sauce – not the Asian sweet style
How to Make Air Fryer BBQ Little Smokies
This easy appetizer recipe doesn’t get much easier! Whip up your sauce and pop it in a loaf pan with your smokies. Here’s how to make them:
- In a bowl, whisk together bbq sauce, grape jelly & chili sauce
- Pour the little sausages and sauce in a loaf pan and toss to coat
- Place the loaf pan in the air fryer basket. If needed, remove the tray in the bottom and place in the bottom of the air fryer.
- Air fry 15 minutes qt 360 – stirring halfway through
- Serve with toothpicks
Tips, Tricks & FAQs
Yes! If you’re cooking them in a pan with sauce – 15 minutes at 380. If you’re cooking them directly on the grate (like you would hot dogs) – then they only need 8 minutes.
Store in an airtight container – preferably glass – as the sauce will stain plastic. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days. Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Variations
- Baste – You can baste the mini smokies instead of having them sit in the sauce. Place the smokies in the air fryer for 4 minute at 380 on their own. Open the air fryer, shake the smokies and baste them with the sauce. Cook 4 minutes more. You can make about 1/3 of the sauce if just basting and you’ll have a little extra for dips!
- Bacon Wrapped – Cut thin-cut slices of bacon in half and wrap each cocktail wiener with a half piece of bacon. Baste with sauce & air fry!
- Add a Blanket – Slice crescent rolls into strips with a pizza cutter and wrap each sausage in the dough to make air fryer pigs in a blanket. Air fry for 5 minutes, turn and air fry 2-3 min more until golden brown.
Best Air Fryer Accessories
Here’s my ultimate list of best air fryer accessories – whether you have a basket- or oven-style! I’ve also included a price guide as well as my favorite recipes for those accessories.
More Appetizer Air Fryer Recipes
There are many more delicious one bite air fryer appetizer recipes on the blog. Here’s a few:
- Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
- Frozen Potstickers with a Sesame Ginger Sauce
- Pimento Cheese Sausage Balls
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
More Sausage Recipes
Lil Smokies in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 14 oz Lit'l Smokies
- 1/3 cup Williamson Bros. BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup grape jelly
- 1/4 cup chili sauce
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together bbq sauce, grape jelly & chili sauce1/3 cup Williamson Bros. BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup grape jelly, 1/4 cup chili sauce
- Pour the little sausages and sauce in a loaf pan and toss to coat14 oz Lit'l Smokies
- Place the loaf pan in the air fryer basket. If needed, remove the tray in the bottom and place in the bottom of the air fryer.
- Air fry 15 minutes at 360º – stirring halfway throughServe with toothpicks
- If you choose to baste them with sauce rather than sit in the sauce – you’ll just need to cook them for 8 minutes total and turn/shake halfway through
