These Crockpot BBQ Smokies are a crowd favorite at any party! They’re made with cocktail sausages smothered in a sweet, tangy BBQ sauce. Enjoy as-is as an appetizer or make into a meal with any of your favorite side dishes! Just 10 minutes of prep!
These Crockpot BBQ Smokies are perfect for your next game day, holiday party, or even family dinner.
They’re quick to make, made up of super simple ingredients, and (of course) they have the best flavor!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Appetizer or Entree – Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks or pair with a side dish or two to make into a meal.
- Simple Ingredients – Just 5 ingredients you can easily keep on hand!
- Make-Ahead Friendly – Prep in advance and store in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to serve.
- Crowd Pleaser – This recipe is ALWAYS a hit with any crowd.
Recipe Notes
This Lil Smokies Recipe recipe is as simple as promised! Just a 10 minutes of prep and a few basic ingredients for a family-friendly meal or crowd-favorite appetizer.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make BBQ Lil Smokies in the Crockpot to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cocktail Sausages – Lil Smokies or something similar will work. You’ll need 48 ounces.
- BBQ Sauce – You can use store-bought or Homemade BBQ Sauce if you’re working with a little extra time.
- Ketchup
- Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Worcestershire Sauce
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love these Crockpot BBQ Little Smokies as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Spice it up – Add a little bit of heat with red pepper flakes or a drizzle of hot sauce.
- Make extra smoky smokies – Give your Little Smokies Appetizers some extra texture and flavor by adding in a healthy handful of Homemade Bacon Bits.
- Make it fruity – Seriously! Some recipes use grape jelly to add a little bit of fruity sweetness to the sauce. If you do this, I recommend swapping the brown sugar out for the jelly or doing half and half.
Want to use another meat entirely? Check out my Crockpot Party Meatballs!
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make BBQ Little Smokies in the Crockpot.
Place cocktail sausages in the slow cooker along with the BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.
Stir to combine until the cocktail sausages are well coated in the sauce mixture.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Serve and enjoy or keep warm in the crockpot until you’re ready to serve!
Recipe Tips
- Cook on low – While cooking on high gets these warmed a little faster, cooking on low for 3-4 hours just gives all of those yummy flavors time to really meld together.
- If the sauce gets too thick, simply add a little bit of water to thin it until your desired texture is reached.
- Adjust the recipe amount – This recipe as-is serves 12 for a meal-sized portion or 20 for an appetizer. However, if that is too much (or too little) for your needs, you can easily adjust the amounts to half or double the recipe.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this Easy Appetizer Recipe even faster!
- Heat them on the stovetop – Not working with 3-4 hours? You can easily mix these ingredients up in a saucepan on the stove, simmer for 20-30 minutes, and they’re ready to go.
- Make the sauce ahead of time – Mix up your sauce ingredients and store them for a couple of days in the fridge. That way it’s ready to go when you’re ready to cook.
- Make ahead and “keep warm” – If you’re not serving these right away, you can have these ready-to-go for a while on the “keep warm” setting of your slow cooker until you are ready to serve. This is super handy when you’re hosting a party but want to get a little bit ahead of the game!
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Little Smokies Recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
combine smokies and sauce, freeze up to 2 months
To freeze before cooking
- Combine the sauce ingredients, then add the cocktail sausages.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container, then freeze for up to 2 months.
- When you’re ready to serve, cook in the crockpot as directed.
How to Freeze Little Smokies Appetizers After Cooking
- Let the Little Smokies cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- When you’re ready to serve again, reheat on low in the slow cooker until warmed all the way through.
What to Serve with BBQ Lil Smokies
These Crockpot BBQ Smokies can, of course, be served as an appetizer on its own or alongside a spread of other delicious appetizers!
It can also be served as an entree ladled over rice or Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes or with any of your favorite side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Dinner Rolls – These Easy No Yeast Dinner Rolls are a quick, easy, and delicious way to fill this recipe out into a meal. They’re soft and buttery, made with basic ingredients, and ready to enjoy in a quick 20 minutes.
- White Cheddar Broccoli Mac and Cheese – This White Cheddar Broccoli Mac and Cheese is the perfect way to round out a meal with your BBQ Little Smokies. It’s velvety, creamy, perfectly cheesy, and loaded up with bites of tender broccoli.
- Potato Wedges – These Oven Baked Potato Wedges pair deliciously with BBQ Smokies. They’re deliciously crisped on the outside, soft and fluffy in the middle, and take just 10 minutes to prep.
BBQ Lil Smokies Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to 2 months
Recipe FAQ’s
Are Little Smokies Appetizers already cooked?
Yes! Cocktail sausages are technically already cooked, so all we’re doing is heating everything up and letting those delicious flavors come together.
More EASY Appetizer Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy appetizer recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Crockpot BBQ Smokies
Ingredients
- 48 ounces cocktail sausages, lil smokies or similar (2 large packages)
- 1½ cups BBQ sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low 3-4 hours.
- Change to "keep warm" setting if serving out of the crockpot, or serve with toothpicks or over rice.
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