Jamielyn Nye
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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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Table of Contents
- Best Lil Smokies Appetizer
- 3 Ingredients
- How to Make Little Smokies
- Recipe FAQ
- What Goes with Little Smokies for Dinner?
- Lil Smokies Recipe Printable Recipe
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 co*cktail 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
Do Lil Smokies have to be cooked?
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.
Are little smokies the same as co*cktail sausages?
Yes, they are the same. These mini sausages come pre cooked and are available at grocery stores in beef or pork.
How Long do Little Smokies Last in the Fridge?
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.
How do you eat Lil Smokies?
I love to serve them with toothpicks. You can also serve them with mini forks.
Can little smokies be frozen?
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 broccolior cauliflower
Looking for more delicious appetizers? Try my bacon wrapped dates or meatballs with grape jelly and chili sauce.
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Lil Smokies Recipe
4.99 from 171 votes
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Author: Jamielyn Nye
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.
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 2 hours hrs
Total Time: 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Servings: 16
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
Cook on stove top: If you want to make these cook faster, you can combine the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes or until warm.
Storage: Store leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Variations:
- 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
Serving: 5smokies | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
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 also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
More about Jamielyn Nye
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82 comments
- Laurice Robinet
Can I just make this with ordinary hotdogs cut in short pieces?
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime Community
Hi Laurice! Yes you can :) Enjoy!
- Reply
- Janie
My crock pot is broken. How else can I make this recipe?
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
You can warm them up on a stove in a small sauce pan (should only take 5-10 minutes over medium heat).
- Reply
- Doreen
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.
- Reply
- SHERRY H FITZGERALD
Which flavor of Sweet Baby Ray’s do you use?
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime Community
Hi Sherry! I love the Original but you can use whatever one you like :)
- Reply
- Hildie Johnson
We make this for Football dinners all throughout the Fall season! It’s a simple side dish that’s loved by all!
- Reply
- Lorrie
Forgot to mention, I really enjoy your recipes. Love new tips and twists.
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
Thank you so much! I am so glad that you love these lil smokies.
- Reply
- Lorrie
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!
- Reply
- Luz
Used the brown sugar and everyone said they tasted great and wanted the recipe.
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
Sounds like you made it perfectly! I am so glad it was a hit!
- Reply
- M.Ramos
Luv this idea!!👍👌✌
- Reply
- Lil 1A
Soooo gooooooooood!
- Reply
- Kathy
How are these served? On a platter with toothpicks?
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
Yes you can serve them that way. I like to keep them in the crockpot on warm and have a spoon with toothpicks :)
- Reply
- Patty McDonald
Love this recipe!! So simple and very tasty!!
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
So glad you enjoyed the lil smokies!
- Reply
- Abby
These are my favorite. I’ve made them a few times now and me and my kids love them.
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
So glad your kids enjoyed the lil smokies recipe!
- Reply
- Julia
I have never heard of these before, so it peaked my curiosity. Yall, this turned out so good! We had trouble stopping eating them!
- Reply
- Allyson Zea
Perfect game day appetizer! Everyone always loves these!!!
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
Always a hit on game day!
- Reply
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