Little Smokies simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce are hard to resist and so simple to make! This 5-ingredient recipe is perfect for parties, game day, and the holidays.
One of life’s simple pleasures is a slow cooker full of little smokies. Whether you serve them at a party, while you’re watching your favorite team play ball or at the holidays, this unassuming appetizer is always a hit.
I’ve been making Crock Pot Little Smokies for years…like forever. Not only does the whole family love them, but this easy-to-make recipe also makes cooking easy. You load up the crock pot with the ingredients, set it, and forget it for a couple of hours.
What Makes Little Smokies So Good?
- They are cooked low and slow soaking up the smokey, rich sauce that’s totally delicious!
- Are fun to eat and kid-friendly making them perfect for any party.
- Excellent for game day, tailgating, or “couch-gating” at home.
- They are perfect for casual entertaining during the holidays or family celebrations.
What You Need To Make This Recipe:
- Little Smokies Sausages
- BBQ Sauce – your favorite brand
- Cranberry Jelly
- Dijon Mustard
- Worcestershire Sauce
Are Little Smokies Already Cooked?
Yep, they sure are. That’s one of the secrets of this recipe. Since the sausages are fully cooked, you heat them and allow them to marinate in the sweet, tangy sauce.
When I make this recipe, I use a small slow cooker like this one. I also double and tripled the recipes whenever I’m feeding a crowd and here’s my favorite crock pot to use for big batch cooking.
Can I Serve This Recipe For Dinner?
Absolutely! Little Smokies make a great main dish to serve during hectic times. Since this is a “set it and forget it” recipe, the slow cooker essentially does all the work. Here’s what I like to serve with this yummy recipe:
- Instant Pot Garlic and Herb Rice
- Brussels Sprouts Slaw
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Cheesy Ranch Potato Foil Packs
- Skillet Green Beans
How Long With Little Smokies Last In the Fridge?
If you have any leftovers, which probably won’t happen, you can store them in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Just make sure they are kept in an airtight container.
Ready to find the perfect slow cooker for your kitchen? You’ll love my comprehensive Crock Pot buying guide to help you choose.
More Easy To Make Appetizers You’ll Love!
- Southwest Ranch Dip
- Crock Pot Beer Cheese Dip
- Pineapple Bacon Cheese Ball
- No-Bake Ranch Fire Crackers
- Crock Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Little Smokies Questions, Answered
Yes — that’s one of the best things about this recipe. Little smokies are fully cooked, so all you’re doing is heating them through and letting them soak up that rich, sweet, tangy sauce. A couple of hours on LOW in the crock pot is all it takes.
I cook them on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. That gives them enough time to soak up all the flavor from the sauce without drying out. If you’re short on time, HIGH for 1 to 1.5 hours works too. They’re the perfect set-it-and-forget-it party appetizer.
Absolutely! This recipe doubles and even triples beautifully. Just make sure your slow cooker is large enough to hold everything in an even layer. I’ve made a big batch for game day many times and they disappear every single time.
My recipe uses a combination of BBQ sauce, cranberry jelly, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce — and that sweet, tangy, smoky combination is the reason people always ask for the recipe. Your favorite BBQ sauce brand will work great.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 packages of Little Smokies cocktail weenies
- 2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
- 1 14 ounce can of cranberry sauce
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Place cocktail weenies in crockpot.
- Mix together BBQ sauce, cranberry sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard in a bowl and pour over little smokies.
- Cook on low for 3 hours until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.
Want To Know More About Slow Cooking?
If you are new to cooking with a Crock Pot or just don’t know where to start, I’ve got something to help. I’ve put together a helpful guide with tips and recipes to get you using a slow cooker like a pro!
My New eBook!
Top 25 Viral Recipes
Whether you’re cooking for two, feeding a busy family, or filling your home with friends, I’m cheering you on from my kitchen. I hope this eBook brings you comfort, creativity, and plenty of delicious moments around your table.
Southern Traditions: Timeless Recipes to Make, Share, and Love!
GET THIS FREE GUIDE: Southern dishes with easy prep and timeless flavor in every bite.
Great receipts,thank you.
I always make these. Tried your recipe today. A tad sweet so I added just a couple of table spoons of Texas Pete wing sauce and perfect. Love your recipe better than any I’ve ever had. 😋
Thanks so much!
~Donya
I made this as a snack for Super Bowl. Really good. Recipe didn’t specify, so I used berry cranberry sauce rather than the jellied.
Hey there!
You can use either of the cranberry sauces. Sounds like you did a great job.
~Donya
Did these for a snack while watching Super Bowl and Tom Brady and teams win (yea!). They were really good and so very easy. It didn’t state, but I used the whole berry cranberry sauce rather than the jellied. Definitely a keeper!
Thanks for the great rating Terri and I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Have a great day,
~Donya
Hi friends, how is everything, and what you want to say regarding this post,
in my view its genuinely amazing for me.
It says cranberry sauce in the ingredients but in the instructions it says mix jelly. Which ones is correct, and if it jelly which kind. Thank yoi.
Thanks Mary. I fixed the post. Sorry for the confusion.
XO,
~Donya
If I make these a day ahead, what’s the best way to reheat them?
Hey there CLaire!
That’s a great question! Once you’ve made the Little Smokies, make sure that you store them in an airtight container, they’ll keep for 3-5 days. You can reheat Little Smokies in either the microwave, or on the warm setting in the Crockpot. I hope this helps, if you end up making this recipe let me know how it turns out. Thank you so much for your support, I hope you have a great day!
~Donya
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to your blog before but after going
through many of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking it
and checking back frequently!
Thanks for stopping by!
~Donya