This four-ingredient dish will be a crowd-pleaser no matter how you serve it. These cocktail franks are perfect as an appetizer, on a buffet, or as a main dish served with rice, noodles, or make-ahead mashed potatoes.
I'm certain these sausages with apples and onions are the appetizer of your dreams. They are sweet and savory, hearty and scrumptious, and well, recipes simply don't get any easier than this!
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Why you will love this
- Just 4 ingredients - couldn't be simpler!
- Minimal prep - just slice, combine, and bake!
- Wonderful blend of flavors - smoky and sweet.
- Cocktail sausages are sold fully cooked, adding ease to this recipe.
For more meaty appetizers, try Grilled bratwurst bites and Brats in a Blanket and Maple dijon bacon-wrapped smoked sausages.
Ingredients
- Cocktail franks - These mini sausages can be found in the meat aisle of the supermarket, usually near the hot dogs and other sausages. They are most commonly made with beef or pork and may be smoked. Any variety is fine for this recipe.
- Apples - Use an apple that stands up well to baking. Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Pink Lady are all great options.
- Onions - I prefer sweet onions, like Vidalia, but any yellow onion can be used.
- Brown sugar - Both light and dark brown sugar work fine in this dish.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Layer the sausages, apples, and onions in the baking dish. Top with the brown sugar.
- Cover and bake for 1 hour.
- Serve with toothpicks.
Yes, it's seriously that easy. Just three steps! The oven does all the work. There is nothing not to love about the ease - and deliciousness - of this recipe.
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Expert Tips
- Slice the onions and apples on the thicker side. We don't want them to completely break down during the cooking process.
- (Optional) Save half of the apple slices to add halfway through the cooking time. This adds a variety of textures.
- For large batches, a slow cooker works great for this recipe. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.
- For party spreads or buffets, serve the sausages in a chafing dish to keep them warm.
Serving options
This recipe calls for two 14-ounce packages of cocktail sausages. Each package contains approximately 40 sausages (8 servings of 5 sausages per serving).
If serving as an appetizer along with other dishes, 5 sausages per person is a reasonable amount. But, if serving alone or as a main dish, allow for 10 sausages per person.
This recipe fits well in a 3.5-quart baking dish and can easily be scaled up or down. For larger batches, a 6-quart slow cooker works well.
Recipe FAQs
Also called cocktail sausages, cocktail weenies, or little smokies, these small bites are a miniature version of sausage. They are fully cooked and are often served as appetizers.
These bite-sized sausages are typically made from beef, pork, or turkey (or a combination of these), and seasonings.
They are typically baked or slow-cooked in a flavorful sauce or wrapped in pastry as pigs-in-a-blanket. They can be mixed with baked beans or added to mac and cheese.
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📖 Recipe Card
Cocktail Franks with Apples and Onions
Ingredients
- 28 ounces little smokies or cocktail franks (2 14-ounce packages)
- 1 large onion (sliced )
- 2 medium apples (sliced)
- ¾ cup light or dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. In a 3.5 qt. casserole dish, layer the sausages, apples, and onions. Top with the brown sugar.
- Cover and bake for1 hour. Serve with toothpicks.
Notes
- Slice the onions and apples on the thicker side. We don't want them to completely breakdown during the cooking process.
- (Optional) Save half of the apple slices to add halfway through the cooking time. This adds a variety of texture.
- For large batches, a slow-cooker works great for this recipe. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.
- For party spreads or buffets, serve the sausages in a chafing dish to keep them warm.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
This post was originally posted in October 2018 and has been updated.
Sandi
I was looking for a way to use up smokies we had leftover from the holidays. This recipe worked very well for that. It was a big hit and I'll definitely make it again. I followed the ingredients and instructions as listed. After I had it in the oven I noticed the note about slicing the apples and onions on the thick side--whoops too late for that! But it still turned out delicious. I'm not a big fan of thick onion anyway, so I sliced them thin and put on the bottom of the pan, then layered the sausages and apples. The end result was perfectly caramelized onions. I removed the cover for the last 5 minutes or so, and the sausage browned up a bit on top. Thanks for this easy, crowd-pleasing recipe!
Abbey McDermott
You're welcome Sandi! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe!