Easy Crowd-Pleasing Crockpot Little Smokies Recipe for Perfect Party Snacks
An easy and delicious crockpot recipe for little smokies that makes a perfect party snack with a sweet, tangy, and smoky glaze. Ready in about 3 hours on low or 1.5 hours on high, this recipe is a crowd-pleaser for any gathering.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (low) or 1.5 hours (high)
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (low) or 1 hour 40 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (900 g) little smokies sausages, pre-cooked cocktail sausages
- 1 cup (240 ml) barbecue sauce (smoky and slightly sweet style)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) grape jelly
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) onion powder
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce for heat
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce, grape jelly, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir until the jelly is mostly dissolved and the sauce looks smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Place the little smokies evenly into the crockpot. No need to thaw if frozen; add extra cooking time if needed.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the little smokies and gently stir to coat all sausages evenly.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or on high for 1.5 hours. Stir gently halfway through cooking to redistribute the sauce.
- Check for doneness: sausages should be hot throughout and sauce thickened and bubbly. If sauce is too thin, remove lid and cook on high for an additional 15-20 minutes to reduce.
- Serve warm with toothpicks for easy snacking.
Notes
Do not open the lid frequently during cooking to avoid heat loss. For extra caramelization, broil cooked smokies for 3-5 minutes watching carefully. Use quality barbecue sauce for best flavor. Slow cooker liners help with cleanup. Can be cooked on stovetop in a heavy skillet over low heat for 20-30 minutes if no crockpot is available. Sauce can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6-8 little smo
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 7
- Protein: 10
Keywords: little smokies, crockpot recipe, party snacks, easy appetizer, slow cooker, sweet and tangy, barbecue sauce, grape jelly