Crockpot Lil Smokies coated in a flavorful savory bbq sauce are the best quick and easy appetizers for game day parties, holiday parties, or when you need a delicious snack to make with simple ingredients!
This easy recipe might remind you of these two sweet and tangy Grape Jelly Meatballs recipes grape jelly and ketchup meatballs or Grape Jelly and Mustard Meatballs that I’ve shared. There’s something I love about serving easy little pop in your mouth slow cooker appetizers that are fun to make and fun to eat! Making a few little saucy apps just means you have a bit of everything! You can even make these little sausages with the same sauces as those meatballs too.
Table of contents
Best 3-Ingredient BBQ Weenies
Crockpot Little smokies are such a crowd pleasing appetizer that some might ask if it’s even a party without them! I make these mini cocktail sausages every time I need a delicious appetizer, even if I’ve already got a list of things on the go because they’re basically effortless. I mean who doesn’t love mini versions of comfort classics? Mini hotdogs? Yes please! Mini hot dogs smothered in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce? Even more yes!
Toss the little cocktail weenies in a slow cooker along with brown sugar and bbq sauce and you’ve got the best smelling, mouth-watering, totally addicting smoked sausages. It’s perfect for game day parties because it stays warm in the pot and people can help themselves!
Ingredients/shopping list
- Lil Smokies – I use Hillshire Farm little smokies, as they tend to be the most popular and readily available.
- Brown sugar – Gives a sweet balance to the smoky barbecue sauce and flavor of the weenies.
- BBQ sauce – Use whatever favorite bbq sauce you have on hand! Smokey, sweet, mesquite, honey-garlic, even homemade bbq sauce!
How to Make Crockpot Little Smokies
This recipe will come together in a couple of steps. Just a good old-fashioned dump and set recipe!
Step 1: Combine both packages of Lil smokies, the brown sugar, and the BBQ sauce in the pot.
Step 2: Cook for 2 hours on low heat. Garnish with sliced scallions or fresh parsley.
Step 3: Just kidding, there’s no step 3. That’s it!
Variations/ Substitutions
- Substitute 1 cup of grape jelly for the brown sugar.
- Use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar, if preferred.
- Substitute 1 cup of ketchup or Heinz chili sauce for the barbecue sauce.
- For a spicy kick, sprinkle in ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or 1 teaspoon of hot sauce.
- A dash of Worcestershire sauce will add another layer of flavor if you have some.
- Swap the Lil smokies for meatballs! Having a completely different protein makes these an entirely different appetizer.
Make BBQ Little Smokies on the Stove Top
Combine the cocktail weiners, brown, and bbq sauce in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
Top 3 Tips
- If the sauce becomes a little too thick as it cooks, add a ¼ cup of water to it so that it doesn’t burn.
- When serving a larger crowd of guests, keep it warm on the warm function. Again, keep an eye on how thick it gets as it sits.
- These are obviously quite saucy, so have some extra napkins and toothpicks on hand!
FAQ’s
Keep leftovers in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Once completely cooled, transfer them to a freezer-friendly airtight container or freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the crockpot, on the stove, or in the microwave.
Either on the stovetop or back in the slow cooker, reheat on low. You may need to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce.
If you’ve only got a bit and want to reheat them for a little snack, just pop a bowl in the microwave for a quick reheat.
Easily double or triple the recipe for a party! These cocktail wieners come fully cooked, so it’s just a matter of making sure they’re all heated through.
As amazing as these are for a great appetizer, they also make a super simple weeknight dinner when served with rice, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, or wedges. All the stuff kids’ dreams are made of 🙂
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Crockpot Little Smokies
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 packages little smokies 14 ounce size
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine the little smokies, BBQ sauce, and brown sugar in a slow cooker
- Cook for 2 hours on low heat until warmed through.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or sliced scallions.
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