Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops with Molasses Glaze

Name: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops with Molasses Glaze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 8 chicken drumsticks (frenched into lollipops); 8 slices thick-cut bacon; 1 tablespoon avocado oil; 2 tablespoons BBQ seasoning; fresh parsley (chopped, optional garnish); 1/4 cup molasses; 3 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted); 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce (your favorite); 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

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I start these Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops with chicken drumsticks that I shape around the bone, remove the skin from, and wrap tightly in thick-cut-bacon. I smoke them at 325°F, which gives the bacon enough heat to ender while the chicken cooks, then brush on thin layers of molasses butter glaze until the outside is sticky, glossy, and caramelized.

Removing the chicken skin before adding the bacon is crucial for this recipe. Skin trapped underneath the bacon doesn’t get the direct heat it needs to crisp and can stay rubbery, so I remove it before shaping and wrapping each drumstick. Once the chicken reaches 185-195°F, the dark meat is tender while the bacon has had time to render around the outside, leaving you with a juicy center and crispy exterior. Another sweet-and-savory bacon combination are my candied bacon cheeseburger sliders, where they use candied bacon in a completely different way.

Bacon wrapped chicken lollipop dripped in molasses glaze

Quick Look: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops

What They Are: Chicken drumsticks shaped into lollipops, wrapped in thick-cut bacon, smoked at 325°F, and finished with thin layers of molasses butter glaze. Smoked BBQ chicken Lollipops are another great chicken lollipop recipe, too.
Why Remove the Skin: Chicken skin trapped beneath the bacon can stay rubbery, so I remove it before shaping and wrapping the drumsticks.
Cooking Method: Smoke at 325°F throughout the cook to give the bacon time to render while the chicken becomes tender.
Key Ingredients: Chicken drumsticks, thick-cut bacon, BBQ seasoning, molasses, butter, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and cayenne.
Target Internal Temperature: 185-195°F in the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone.
Total Time: About 1 hour, plus 20 minutes prep time.

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Table of Contents

Why This Recipe

Bacon Replaces the Chicken Skin: I remove the skin before shaping the drumsticks so it doesn’t stay rubbery underneath the bacon. Once wrapped, the thick-cut bacon becomes the exterior layer and has direct exposure to the heat, giving the fat a chance to render as the chicken cooks. My Honey Jalapeño Chicken Lollipops use the same lollipop shape with a different sweet-and-spicy finish.

325°F Works for the Bacon and Chicken: I smoked these at 325°F from start to finish. That temperature is hot enough to help render the thick-cut bacon while still giving the drumsticks time to cook through to my preferred 185-195°F range.

Thin Layers Build a Better Glaze: Instead of adding one heavy coat, I brush on the molasses butter glaze in thin layers toward the end of the cook. Each coating has time to set before the next goes on, building a sticky, glossy exterior without burning the bacon underneath too much sauce. The same layering technique is used on my Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken Recipe, where several light coats build more evenly than one thick application.

Key Ingredients

Chicken drumsticks, thick-cut bacon, BBQ seasoning and avocado oil for chicken lollipops

Molasses butter glaze ingredients with BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, honey and Worcestershire sauce

For Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops

Chicken Drumsticks: Bone-in drumsticks are shaped into lollipops by cleaning the lower portion of the bone and pushing the meat upward. I remove the skin before wrapping because it can stay rubbery when trapped underneath the bacon.
Thick Cut Bacon:This becomes the exterior layer after the skin is removed. Thick-cut bacon holds its shape around the drumstick and has time to render. while the chicken smoked at 325°F. Thick-cut bacon is used for my Bacon Wrapped Lollipop Chicken.
BBQ Seasoning: Adds the savory, smoky seasoning underneath the bacon. I use a light coating of avocado oil first to help the rub adhere evenly.
Avocado Oil: You only need enough to lightly coat the exposed chicken before adding the BBQ seasoning.

For Molasses Butter Glaze

Molasses + Butter: These form the base of the glaze. Molasses brings the deep sweetness and dark color, while melted butter helps loosen the glaze so I can brush if on in thin layers.
BBQ Sauce: Adds body, smoke, sweetness, and seasoning without making molasses the only dominant flavor.
Dijon Mustard + Apple Cider Vinegar: These bring acidity and sharpness that cut through the richness of the bacon, butter, and molasses.
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds savory depth that balances the sweeter ingredients.
Garlic Powder + Cayenne: Garlic adds a savory background note, while cayenne gives the glaze a little heat.

Substitutions or Additions

Adjust the Heat: Leave out the cayenne for a milder glaze, or increase it slightly if you want more heat against the sweetness of the honey and molasses.
Try a Different BBQ Rub: You can swap the BBQ seasoning for your favorite sweet, smoky, or spicy chicken rub. Just watch the salt level if the seasoning blend is already heavily salted.
Use Regular-Cut Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is my preference for these chicken lollipops because it holds up well during the 325°F smoke, but regular-cut bacon will work and render faster. I intentionally use regular-cut bacon on my Smoked Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Onion Bombs because the thinner slices can render and crisp without requiring as much cooking time around the ground beef filling.

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops with Molasses Glaze (Step by Step)

Skinless chicken drumsticks shaped into lollipops with exposed bones

Seasoned chicken lollipops wrapped with thick-cut bacon before smoking

Step 1: Shape the Drumsticks into Lollipops: Remove the skin from each drumstick first so it doesn’t become rubbery underneath the bacon. Using a small, sharp paring knife, cut completely around the drumstick about 1 1/2-2 inches below the meat, working through the tendons around the bone. Scrape the remaining tissue downward to expose a clean bone, then push the meat upward and trim away any loose tendons or cartilage to form the lollipop shape.

Step 2: Season and Wrap with Bacon: Lightly coat the exposed chicken with avocado oil and season all sides with BBQ rub. Wrap one slice of thick-cut bacon snugly around the meat of each lollipop, overlapping slightly as you work around the drumstick. Secure the end of the bacon with a toothpick so it stays tight against the chicken as it cooks. My Lil Smokie Bombs are a perfect example of using this method.

Bacon wrapped chicken lollipops smoking upright at 325°F

Molasses butter glaze warming in a saucepan with seasonings

Step 3: Smoke at 325°F: Preheat your pellet grill to 325°F and arrange the bacon-wrapped lollipops upright on the grates, leaving space between each one. Cover the exposed bone with small pieces of foil if you want to keep them clean for presentation. Smoked until the chicken reaches about 150°F internally and the bacon begins to render, about 45-60 minutes depending on the size of the drumsticks.

Step 4: Make Molasses Butter Glaze: While the chicken smokes, combine the molasses, melted butter, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and cayenne in a saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring until the butter is fully incorporated and the glaze is smooth. Keep it warm until the chicken is ready for the first coat.

Bacon wrapped chicken lollipops coated with molasses glaze

Step 5: Glaze in Thin Layers: Once the chicken reaches about 150°F, brush each lollipop with a thin layer of the warm molasses butter glaze. Return them to the 325°F smoker and add another light coat about every 10 minutes. Continue cooking and layering the glaze until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 185-195°F, checking beside the bone with an instant-read thermometer.

James’ Grill Master Pro Tips

Use a Paring Knife: A short, sharp paring knife gives me better control when cutting around the bone and working through the tendons. I use the same knife when butterflying my Cajun grilled chicken drumsticks, although the cut itself is different.

Give the Lollipops Some Space: Leave room between each piece on the smoker so the bacon is exposed to the heat instead of having the drumsticks pressed against one another. This helps the thick-cut bacon render more evenly at 325°F. I leave similar spacing between my Smoked BBQ Party Ribs so more of the surface remains exposed while the bark develops.

Glaze in Thin Layers: Several light coats work better than one heavy application. Give each layer time to set before brushing on the next, and watch the exterior as it darkens because the molasses and honey contain sugars that can scorch.

Cook to Temperature, Not Time: Drumsticks can vary in size, so use cooking time as a guide. Check the thickest part of the meat beside the bone with an instant-read thermometer and pull the lollipops at 185-195°F for the tenderness I’m after.

Chicken Lollipop Temperature Guide

Chicken lollipops should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the meat, according to USDA guidance. Check several lollipops if you’re cooking a batch, as small ones can cook faster than larger ones.

165°F: Safe minimum: Chicken lollipops are safe to eat at 165°F, according to the USDA.
175°F+: More tender: As lollipops cook beyond the minimum safe temperature, connective tissue continues to bread down, giving the meat a more tender texture.
185-195°F: I prefer taking my chicken lollipops to 185-195°F. At this temperature, the meat stays juicy, and high-heat cooking gives the skin more time to render and crisp.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops FAQs

Why use thick-cut bacon?

Thick-cut bacon holds it shape around the chicken and has enough time to render during the 325°F smoke. I prefer it here because the bacon becomes the exterior layer after the chicken skin is removed.

What temperature should chicken lollipops be cooked to?

Chicken is safe at 165°F, but I cook these lollipops to 185-195°F. Drumsticks are dark meat with connective tissue that benefits from the higher finishing temperature, giving the chicken the tender texture I’m after.

Why remove the skin from chicken drumsticks?

I remove the skin because it gets completely covered by the bacon. Trapped underneath, the skin doesn’t get the direct exposure it needs to crisp and can remain rubbery. Removing it lets the rendered bacon become the exterior of the lollipop.

Can I prepare chicken lollipops ahead of time?

Yes. Shape the drumsticks, remove the skin, season them, and wrap them with bacon ahead of time. Keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to smoke, then cook them at 325°F and glaze them during the final stage of the cook.

More Smoked Appetizers

If you tried these Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops with Molasses Glaze or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Remember, a bad day grilling is better than a GREAT day at work!