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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Mini Hot Dog Appetizers

    Published: Sep 27, 2022 by Cara Lanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    mini hot dog appetizers on a white platter
    mini hot dog appetizers on a white platter
    mini hot dog appetizers on a white platter
    mini hot dog appetizers on a white platter

    Mini Hot Dog Appetizers is a fun and easy way to serve BBQ little smokies. Create a build-your-own hot dog bar with your favorite hot dog toppings and toasted Hawaiian rolls. Perfect appetizer for the big game, holidays, and family gatherings.

    mini hot dog appetizers on a white platter

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    Jump to:
    • Build-Your-Own Mini Hot Dog Bar
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • BBQ Little Smokies Ingredients
    • Mini Hot Dog Bar Ingredient Ideas
    • Instructions
    • FAQs
    • More Easy Recipes
    • 💌Let's Stay in Touch
    • 📖 Recipe

    Little Smokies with Grape Jelly & BBQ Sauce is everyone's favorite appetizer. I mean, is it even a party if there aren't cocktail weenies? (No.)

    So, next time you're looking for a fun new way to serve them (besides toothpicks), try turning them into mini hot dog appetizers!

    Build-Your-Own Mini Hot Dog Bar

    Set up the appetizer table with a slow cooker of BBQ lil smokies and hot dog fixings for a make-your-own mini hot dog bar.

    Not only are mini hotdogs waaaay more fun than regular hot dogs, but they're small so you'll have plenty of room to try a bunch of different flavor combos!

    Toasted Hawaiian dinner rolls are delicious with sweet and tangy lil’ smokies. They're also the perfect size to hold 1-3 mini sausages with fixings like this hot dog chili recipe, cheese, coleslaw -- you name it.

    These mini hot dog appetizers are a fun twist on a classic appetizer and a great appetizer for game day, holiday parties, and birthday parties.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    Perfect party appetizer for football Sundays, super bowl, and parties

    Fun appetizer to make out of classic BBQ cocktail weenies

    Build-your-own mini hot dog bar is super fun and customizable

    BBQ Little Smokies Ingredients

    lil smokies recipe with grape jelly and bbq sauce ingredients

    Lit'l Smokies. Little smokies are fully cooked small sausages, the perfect size for these mini hot dog appetizers.

    Barbecue sauce. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce makes a delicious sauce. Use any sweet, tangy bbq sauce you love.

    Grape jelly. Grape jelly mixed with BBQ sauce is a simple recipe for a fan favorite dipping sauce for cocktail franks.

    Mini Hot Dog Bar Ingredient Ideas

    mini hot dog appetizer bar ingredients

    Hawaiian rolls. Toasted King's Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls make tasty mini hot dog slider buns. Or make your own buns with this quick brioche bun recipe!

    Butter. Soften the butter to room temperature for easy spreading before toasting the rolls.

    Garlic powder. Just a little bit of garlic powder sprinkled over the buns adds a contrast of flavor to the sweet rolls.

    Hot dog fixings. Chili, coleslaw, shredded cheese, diced onions, pickle relish, corn chips -- set out bowls of whatever you like to put on hot dogs!

    Instructions

    Make the Little Smokies with Grape Jelly & BBQ Sauce. Get the full recipe and detailed instructions here.

    Mix BBQ sauce and grape jelly together in a 3-quart crock pot. Add the little smokies and stir. Heat on low for 2-3 hours. Turn setting to "warm."

    Toast the buns.

    Separate the buns and cut slits into the tops of them. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush the tops of the buns and inside the slits with softened butter, then sprinkle garlic powder on top.

    Hawaiian rolls with butter brushed on top

    Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until the buns are light golden brown.

    mini hot dog appetizer bar

    Set up the fixin's bar with little bowls of all your favorite things to put on mini BBQ hotdogs ... like:

    • Chili
    • Coleslaw
    • Beans
    • Salsa
    • Shredded cheese
    • Pickle relish
    • Guacamole
    • Grilled pineapple
    • Diced onions
    • Sliced scallions
    • Bacon crumbles
    • Diced tomatoes
    • Ketchup
    • Mustard
    • Ranch dressing
    • Sriracha sauce

    Don't forget to add classic hot dog side dishes like potato salad, tuna macaroni salad, and baked beans.

    Tip: Cutting slits into the dinner rolls to create top-sliced hot dog buns makes it easier load up the bun with a few little smokies and lots of toppings.

    FAQs

    Are cocktail frankfurts pre-cooked?

    Yes, cocktail sausages are fully cooked, so all you need to do is heat them up!

    Can I make mini hot dog appetizers with regular hot dogs?

    Yes you can. If you don't have cocktail wieners, in a pinch you can cut up hot dogs to the same size as the buns.

    What do you eat with mini hot dogs?

    Top mini hot dogs with all your favorite hot dog toppings like chili, cheese, onions, pickle relish, mustard, ketchup

    mini hot dog appetizers on a white platter

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    📖 Recipe

    mini hot dog appetizers on a white platter

    Mini Hot Dog Appetizers

    Cara Lanz
    Mini Hot Dog Slider Appetizers is an easy appetizer made from little smokies, toasted Hawaiian rolls, and your favorite hot dog toppings. Set up a build-your-own hot dog bar for a fun appetizer for football games, holidays, and family gatherings.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24
    Calories 259 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Mini Hot Dogs

    • 28 ounces Lit'l smokies (2) 14 oz. packages
    • 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce
    • 1 cup grape jelly
    • 24 Hawaiian dinner rolls
    • 1 stick softened butter
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

    Hot Dog Fixings

    • Chili
    • Coleslaw
    • Shredded cheese
    • Pickle relish
    • Diced onions
    • Fritos
    • ... and any other hot dog toppings and condiments you love
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Make the Little Smokies with Grape Jelly and Barbecue Sauce.
      Mix BBQ sauce and grape jelly together in a 3-quart crock pot. Add the little smokies and stir. Heat on low for 2-3 hours. Turn setting to "warm."
    • Toast the buns.
      Separate the buns, cut slits into the tops of them, and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush the tops of the buns and inside the slits with softened butter, then sprinkle garlic powder on top.
      Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until the buns are light golden brown.
    • Set up the build-your-own mini hot dog bar.
      Arrange little bowls with all of your favorite hot dog fixings and let everyone have fun building their creations!

    Video

    Notes

    Fixings are not included in the nutrition calculation. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 611mgPotassium: 111mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 41IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Crockpot Little Smokies with Grape Jelly & BBQ Sauce
    Paula Deen's Southern Green Bean Casserole »
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    Comments

    1. Julie says

      June 03, 2023 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great idea, Cara! Can't waait to try it!!

      Reply
      • Cara Lanz says

        June 03, 2023 at 8:07 pm

        Thanks, Julie :). I hope you enjoy it! Cara

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love sharing easy, delicious everyday recipes from the heartland.

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