These Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts are an easy appetizer for parties, holidays, game day, or a fun family side dish.

Each Brussels sprout is wrapped in crispy bacon and baked until tender inside and golden on the outside.

This recipe is simple to prep and always feels a little special on the table. The salty bacon pairs perfectly with the roasted Brussels sprouts, making them a great bite-sized snack for Thanksgiving, Christmas, potlucks, or weekend dinners.

Serve these bacon Brussels sprouts warm with your favorite dipping sauce, or add a little glaze for extra flavor. They’re easy, crowd-pleasing, and a great way to make Brussels sprouts taste amazing.

They’re also easy to prep ahead, wrap the bacon a few hours early and just pop the tray in the oven when guests arrive. I like setting these out next to Bite-Sized Party Appetizers or Phyllo Cup Appetizers for a bigger spread.

If you’re into easy bite-sized appetizers like these, these are worth a look too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Thin-cut bacon wraps more evenly around the sprouts and crisps faster than thick-cut (thick bacon often needs longer than the sprouts can handle before they overcook).

Ingredients

1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
12 slices thin-cut bacon, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Toothpicks, for securing

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with foil or parchment for easier cleanup.
Toss the halved brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated.
Soak your toothpicks in water for 10 minutes first if you’re worried about them scorching in the oven (it’s optional, but it helps).
Wrap a half-slice of bacon around each brussels sprout half, securing it with a toothpick through the center.
The bacon should wrap snugly but not too tight, since it shrinks as it cooks and a tight wrap can split.
Arrange the wrapped sprouts cut-side down on the prepared sheet pan, spacing them so they aren’t touching.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the pan and check on the bacon, it should be starting to crisp but not fully done yet.
While the sprouts bake, whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
This first round in the oven renders out a good amount of the bacon fat, which is what helps the glaze stick later instead of sliding off.
Brush the glaze evenly over each wrapped sprout, getting into the bacon’s edges where it tends to pool.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the glaze has caramelized into a sticky coating.
Watch closely in the last few minutes here. The sugar in the glaze can burn quickly once the pan gets hot enough.
Let the sprouts rest on the pan for 5 minutes before serving, the glaze firms up slightly as it cools and sticks to the bacon better.
This one takes a bit more hands-on time than most roasted vegetables, mostly from wrapping each piece individually.
Serve warm straight from the pan and enjoy!

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts in the Air Fryer

f you don’t want to use the oven, the air fryer is a great option for making bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts. It cooks them faster and helps the bacon get crispy while the Brussels sprouts stay tender inside.

Place the bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375°F for 10–14 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the bacon is crispy and the Brussels sprouts are fork-tender.

Do not overcrowd the basket, or the bacon may not crisp properly. Cook in batches if needed.

Important Recipe Notes

Use thin-cut bacon, not thick-cut. Thick bacon needs more time in the oven than the brussels sprouts can handle before they get mushy and overcooked.
Don’t skip the toothpicks. Bacon naturally tries to unwrap as it shrinks in the oven, and a toothpick keeps everything in place through both bakes.
Space the sprouts out on the pan. If they’re touching, the bacon steams instead of crisping in those spots, leaving soft patches.
Watch the glaze closely in the last few minutes. Brown sugar can go from perfectly caramelized to burnt in under a minute once the pan is fully hot.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer rather than the microwave to keep the bacon from turning soft and rubbery.
These don’t freeze particularly well. The bacon texture changes once thawed, so they’re best made fresh or a day ahead at most.
Swap the brown sugar glaze for balsamic glaze if you want a more savory, less sweet version of these.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Arrange the wrapped sprouts on a platter while still warm, and remove the toothpicks before setting them out if you’re worried about guests grazing quickly.

They’re great as a stand-alone appetizer, but they also work as a side dish next to roasted chicken or steak.

Storage:

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or in the air fryer for a few minutes, to bring the bacon back to crisp.

Customization:

Swap the brown sugar glaze for balsamic glaze if you’d rather keep things more savory than sweet. Add a pinch of cayenne or extra smoked paprika to the glaze if you want some heat.

Turkey bacon works as a lighter substitute, though it won’t crisp up quite as much as regular bacon.

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Course: Recipes

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
12 slices thin-cut bacon, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Toothpicks, for securing

Directions

Preheat the oven and toss the halved brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Wrap each brussels sprout half in bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Bake for 20 minutes, then prepare the brown sugar and maple glaze.
Brush with the brown sugar glaze and bake another 10-12 minutes until caramelized.
Let the sprouts rest for 5 minutes so the glaze sets before serving.
Serve warm straight from the pan and enjoy.

Notes

Choose Brussels sprouts that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
Trim the ends and remove any loose outer leaves before wrapping.
If the Brussels sprouts are very large, cut them in half before wrapping with bacon.
Thin-cut bacon works best because it crisps faster and wraps easily around the sprouts.
For extra flavor, brush with maple syrup, honey, balsamic glaze, or a little brown sugar before baking.