Maple cocktail sausages
- Preparation 10 min
- Cooking 10 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I don't recommend it
Ads
🎉 My go-to party recipe, no fuss
At this point I could probably make these with my eyes closed. My maple cocktail sausages are the recipe I remake every single year for office parties, holiday get-togethers, and impromptu sugar shack nights in the living room. No overnight marinade, no oven to preheat. One saucepan, ten minutes on the stove, and the bowl empties faster than I can refill it.
🍺 The detail that changes everything
Most cocktail sausage recipes stop at maple syrup and call it a day. I add a splash of maple beer to the mix, and that’s the little touch that rounds everything out. It softens the sweetness, adds depth to the glaze, and keeps it from tasting flat the way the two-ingredient versions do. Sweet chili sauce and brown sugar finish the job.
🥳 Cocktail sausages that stand out
I’m not reinventing anything here. But my maple cocktail sausages taste different from what usually shows up at an office party or a family dinner, sweet and salty, glazed just right, eaten standing up with a toothpick in one hand and a drink in the other. Easy to make, but it looks like it took way more effort than it did.
Ads
Ads
🔥 How to reheat without drying them out
If you’ve got leftovers, reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. In the microwave, always cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate first: the maple sauce is high enough in sugar that it can pop and splatter everywhere if left uncovered. Heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each one, and you’ll avoid the mess.
📅 Making these ahead of time
I personally make mine right before serving since it comes together so fast there’s barely a point in getting ahead of it. But if you’re hosting and want one less thing to think about on the day, you can absolutely make these the night before and reheat right before serving.
🥢 Serve them in a bowl with picks
I serve mine straight in a bowl with cocktail picks on the side for stabbing. Simple, no plates or forks needed.
🍯 The texture that tells you it’s ready
You’ll know it’s done when the sauce reaches the texture of table syrup, not thicker. Let it simmer too long and it’ll firm up as it cools into something sticky instead of glossy. Better to pull it a touch early than too late.
🥓 The bacon variation
Want to push the sweet and salty further? Wrap each sausage in half a strip of bacon before it goes into the sauce, or stir in cooked bacon bits toward the end of cooking.
🍺 Picking your beer
A maple beer gives you the tastiest result, but any other amber beer works just fine if you can’t find one. Skip anything too hoppy or bitter: it’ll fight the sweetness of the sauce instead of working with it.
✅ What to serve with my maple cocktail sausages?
Round out the party table with my maple duck bites with apple and basil and my maple and calvados smoked chicken wings to stay on theme. My crispy shrimps with homemade cocktail sauce add some crunch, and my Kraft Dinner sausages with smoked ham and sharp cheddar make the spread more filling if the night runs long.
Ads
Ingredients
- 550 g (1.2 lb) small plain cocktail sausages
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sweet chili sauce
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) maple beer, or another amber beer
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) brown sugar
Ads
Preparation
- In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients and mix.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sauce reaches the texture of table syrup. Pour into a bowl and serve!
Not quite. Cocktail sausages are small plain sausages, usually pork, while little smokies are pre-smoked mini sausages sold under specific brand names in the US. Either one works in this recipe, but plain cocktail sausages are what I use.
Yes, easily. In the microwave, cover the bowl first since the sugary sauce can pop and splatter if left uncovered. On the stovetop, low heat with occasional stirring works just as well.
Plain cocktail sausages, sometimes labeled cocktail wieners, are usually found in the deli or cold cuts section of most grocery stores, sold precooked in bags or cans ready to heat.
Definitely. Wrap each sausage in half a strip of bacon before it goes into the sauce, or stir in cooked bacon pieces near the end.
They pair naturally with my maple duck bites with apple and basil, my maple and calvados smoked chicken wings, and my crispy shrimps with homemade cocktail sauce on a party table.
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads