These crockpot lil smokies are simple, juicy, smothered with BBQ sauce and made with 3 simple ingredients. They make the perfect appetizer for any occasion.
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Best Lil Smokies Appetizer
If you love my crockpot BBQ meatballs, you’re going to love this lil smokies recipe too! They couldn’t be easier to whip up and are one of our top appetizer recipes for game day. Some of our other favorites are pigs in a blanket, jalapeno poppers and bacon wrapped smokies.
If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know I’m all about quick and easy recipes that taste delicious. And these little smokies (aka lil smokies) are just that! They are seriously so simple and take only a few minutes to prep. Plus they’re pretty similar to my famous crockpot BBQ meatballs recipe, so you know they’re going to be good. :)
We love to make these lil smokies when entertaining or bringing an appetizer to a party. They are so fun to serve with fancy toothpicks and are always a big crowd favorite. You can even make them for dinner too…they really are perfect for any occasion.
The little smokies sauce tastes so rich and flavorful…you would never know that there are only 3 ingredients in this recipe! One of my favorite easy appetizer recipes.
3 Ingredients
What I love about these lil smokies is that they are made with just 3 simple ingredients in the crock pot! Find the printable recipe below.
- Little smokies: AKA mini pork cocktail sausages. I love the Hillshire farm brand.
- BBQ sauce: Sweet Baby Ray’s is my go-to barbecue sauce for this recipe. You could also add in a squeeze of ketchup.
- Brown sugar: I love the sweetness this adds. You could omit or swap with grape jelly if you prefer.
- Worcestershire sauce: This is optional, but I love adding a dash for extra flavor. Sometimes I’ll add a dash of garlic powder as well.
How to Make Little Smokies
It honestly doesn’t get any easier than this crockpot little smokies recipe. Just follow the simple steps below to get started. Scroll down for the printable recipe for lil smokies.
- Combine: Add BBQ sauce and brown sugar in bottom of crockpot and stir. Then add lil smokies and mix until well coated.
- Cook: Just add the ingredients to the bottom of your slow cooker, mix together, then cook for 1-2 hours. You can either serve immediately or keep on warm until ready to serve. SO easy and delicious!
Recipe FAQ
The smokies are fully cooked, so all you need to do is let them marinate in the sauce while they heat up. It should only take about an hour or two for the lil smokies to warm up in the crockpot.
Yes, they are the same. These mini sausages come pre cooked and are available at grocery stores in beef or pork.
If you have leftover lil smokies, they will keep in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days. Just make sure to store in an airtight container.
To reheat, simply microwave for 1-2 minutes or cook in a pot on the stove until warm. You could also warm back up for a few minutes in the oven as well, if preferred.
I love to serve them with toothpicks. You can also serve them with mini forks.
Yes, you can freeze lil smokies. Allow to cool and then store in a covered container. If using a frozen pack for this recipe, allow to thaw slightly and then add to crockpot. You may need to add an extra hour to cook time if they are not thawed.
What Goes with Little Smokies for Dinner?
These lil smokies also make a quick and easy dinner! They’re great for busy weeknights since you can throw all the ingredients in the crockpot and they’ll be ready in a couple of hours! Below are a few of our favorite sides to serve with lil smokies.
- Rice
- Mixed vegetables
- Mashed potatoes
- Glazed carrots
- Macaroni and cheese
- Sweet potato fries or potato wedges
- Roasted broccoli or cauliflower
Looking for more delicious appetizers? Try bacon wrapped dates or meatballs with grape jelly and chili sauce.
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Lil Smokies Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 28 ounces little smokies
- 1-1 ½ cups BBQ sauce
- ½ cup light brown sugar (or grape jelly)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Stir together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in the bottom of a crockpot. Add the little smokies and stir until coated.
- Cook on low for 2-3 hours or until ready to serve. Stir and then turn to warm until ready to serve.
Notes
- Swap out the BBQ sauce for a chili sauce, sweet and sour or teriyaki sauce.
- Swap the brown sugar for grape jelly (similar to my grape jelly meatballs).
- Use leftovers to make pigs in a blanket.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Crockpot, Crockpot, Kid-Friendly, Mini appetizers, Reader Favorites, Super Bowl
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
They were delicious thanks
So glad you enjoyed them!
My lil smokies turned out fantastic! I’m definitely gonna save this easy recipe! 😄
So glad you found a new recipe to add to your recipe box! :)
Can I just make this with ordinary hotdogs cut in short pieces?
Hi Laurice! Yes you can :) Enjoy!
My crock pot is broken. How else can I make this recipe?
You can warm them up on a stove in a small sauce pan (should only take 5-10 minutes over medium heat).
Amazing how we forget our old time recipes, yes, I did make these a lot years ago. Thanks for giving us reminders, no recipe it too simple.
Which flavor of Sweet Baby Ray’s do you use?
Hi Sherry! I love the Original but you can use whatever one you like :)
We make this for Football dinners all throughout the Fall season! It’s a simple side dish that’s loved by all!
Forgot to mention, I really enjoy your recipes. Love new tips and twists.
Thank you so much! I am so glad that you love these lil smokies.
These have been around for a long time. An oldie goodie! The original recipe I made a jillion times was a bottle of chile sauce, grape jelly and little smokies. Always a hit no matter what you use. So good!
Used the brown sugar and everyone said they tasted great and wanted the recipe.
Sounds like you made it perfectly! I am so glad it was a hit!
Luv this idea!!👍👌✌
Soooo gooooooooood!
How are these served? On a platter with toothpicks?
Yes you can serve them that way. I like to keep them in the crockpot on warm and have a spoon with toothpicks :)
Love this recipe!! So simple and very tasty!!
So glad you enjoyed the lil smokies!
These are my favorite. I’ve made them a few times now and me and my kids love them.
So glad your kids enjoyed the lil smokies recipe!
I have never heard of these before, so it peaked my curiosity. Yall, this turned out so good! We had trouble stopping eating them!
Perfect game day appetizer! Everyone always loves these!!!
Always a hit on game day!