Little smokies come out from under their traditional "wrapping in a blanket" and cozy up to apples and onions in a delightfully sweet and savory jam. What makes it better? The base of melted oo-ey go-ey cheese that it is baked upon. Finish with fresh thyme and honey and serve the fondue on top of crostini. Super easy to prep in advance, this gets rave reviews -- and kids LOVE it!
This originally started as an entry in a recipe contest sponsored by Hillshire Farms. They were looking for new appetizer alternatives for their Lil' Smokies. My Baked Gruyere “Fondue” with Smokie and Apple Jam didn't make the cut, but is sure does with friends and family who are mildly amused that those little cocktail weenies have a new life. It is especially loved by a young man named Ollie who continues to ask about it two years later. (I'm gathering his persistence should be perceived as more than a subtle hint.)
It's fall right now and the flavors of apple, sausage and thyme -- along with creamy melted cheese -- work so nicely together. This is the first appetizer to run out on the holiday spread, cozy entertaining and game day gatherings.
I used a mixture of Gruyere and Fontina, but feel free to mix it up. Right now I have a collection of random cheese ends in my fridge that are begging to be used. I think Ollie just might get his wish!
Ingredients
- baguette
- olive oil
- Fuji, Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp apples
- little smokie sausages
- yellow onion
- fresh thyme
- salt
- pepper
- brown sugar
- apple cider
- gruyere or fontina cheese
- honey
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Preheat oven to broil.
For crostini, brush bread slices with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet.
Broil until lightly browned. Turn crostini over and repeat. Reserve.
Reduce oven to 375°F.
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the little smokie slices until lightly browned. Transfer to a paper towel and reserve.
Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to skillet and sauté diced onion and apple until starting to caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and add brown sugar and apple cider.
Cook until apple cider has reduced.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved smokies and simmer for about 8 minutes. It should be the consistency of jam.
In an 8” - 10” oven proof casserole or dish, mound cheese cubes. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon thyme. Spoon Smokie and Appe Jam around the mounded cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Hint: leave a useful hint here, like let the grill run for 4-5 minutes to burn off any remnants, then clean it. I like to use this bristle-free barbecue brush (affiliate link) for cleaning the grill.
Substitutions
- Kielbasa - Substitute the little smokies with kielbasa that is cut in quarters lengthwise and the cut into ½" pieces.
- Hotdogs - You can even use 12 oz. of hotdogs! Cut the hotdogs in half lengthwise and then slice into ½" half rounds.
- Sweet Italian Sausage - This will work brilliantly with sweet Italian sausage. Saute' breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon until browned. Reserve to a paper towel to drain. (Pour fat from the pan before moving on to sautéing the onions and apples.)
- Pears - Use 2 to 3 diced ripe Anjou or Bosc pears in place of the apple.
- Rosemary -- No thyme? Substitute rosemary instead of thyme.
- Cheese -- Use Swiss cheese, Havarti or Cheddar -- or a mix -- instead of Gruyere or Fontina.
- Vegetarian - Use a vegetarian or plant based sausage alternative, such as Impossible, Beyond or Mornigstar Farms breakfast sausages, cut in ½" slices.
- Gluten Free -- I used Hillshire Farms Lil' Smokies which are gluten free. Use your favorite brand, but make sure to look at the package to make sure its gluten free.
- Crackers and Apple Slices -- Skip making the crostini if you want. This is equally as tasty sitting on top of a buttery Ritz cracker or an apple slice.
Variations
- Touch of Heat - Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes when adding the thyme.
- More Heat? Hot Honey - Next time I make this, I'm going to use Hot Honey
- Pecans or Walnuts - 5 to 10 minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle with ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Golden Raisins - add ⅓ cup golden raisins when adding the brown sugar and vinegar.
- Cheddar Jack - I love the combination of cheddar and Apples. Opt to use Cheddar Jack -- the Monterey Jack will keep the cheddar melted and goo-ey.
Equipment
- large skillet
- baking sheet
- casserole dish or oven-proof baking dish
Storage
Prep the little smokie and apple jam in advance. It will store in the refrigerator for at least a week. This can be prepared a day or two in advance and refrigerated, but let it come to room temperature before baking.
If reheating, cover the dish with foil and place it in an oven set to 250°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of reheating.
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Baked Gruyere “Fondue” with Smokie and Apple Jam
Equipment
- large skillet
- baking sheet
- casserole or baking dish
Ingredients
- 16 inch ” baguette sliced in ⅓” slices
- ⅓ cup olive oil divided
- 2 large apples (Fuji, Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp), one peeled and diced, reserve the other
- 12 ounces little smokie sausages sliced in ¼” slices
- 1 yellow onion diced (about 1-½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup apple cider
- 1 pound gruyere or fontina cheese or a mix, cut in ½ Inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil.
- For crostini, brush bread slices with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Broil until lightly browned. Turn over and repeat. Reserve.
- Reduce oven to 375°F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the little smokie slices until lightly browned. Transfer to a paper towel and reserve.
- Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to skillet and sauté diced onion and apple until starting to caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and add brown sugar and apple cider and cook until apple cider has reduced.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved smokies and simmer for about 8 minutes. It should be the consistency of jam.
- In an 8” - 10” oven proof casserole or dish, mound cheese cubes. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon thyme. Spoon Smokie and Appe Jam around the mounded cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- While baking, core and slice remaining apple in ¼” slices.
- Serve immediately with apple slices and crostini – and a spoon to pile on that sweet and savory goodness.
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