Crock Pot Root Beer Lit’l Smokies
Crock Pot Root Beer Lit’l Smokies are sweet, tangy, and super easy. Cocktail sausages simmer in a thick root beer BBQ sauce for a simple snack or appetizer!
A Sweet and Tangy Slow Cooker Appetizer
These little smoked sausages are so simple to whip up and are so yummy. Everyone loves them! I make them a variety of ways and they are always a huge hit! The combination of brown sugar, barbecue sauce, root beer and Worcestershire creates a tasty flavor that pairs perfectly with the smoky sausages!
Frequently Asked Questions:
No, they’re mostly sweet and tangy. The red pepper flakes add a small amount of heat, but they’re optional and can be left out if you prefer zero spice.
I like to stir this halfway through so that the sauce coats everything evenly.
Just remove the lid during the last bit of cooking and the sauce will thicken up a bit. If that doesn’t do the trick enough, mix two Tablespoons of cornstarch with two Tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the slow cooker and cook on high for about 15-30 minutes until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze.
Yes. Since the sausages are already fully cooked, the Crock Pot is mainly used to warm them and allow the sauce to simmer and develop flavor. To make them on the stovetop, combine all ingredients in a saucepan, cover and simmer over low heat for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Yes. These can be made a few hours in advance and kept warm in the slow cooker on the “warm” setting until ready to serve. Stir occasionally so the sauce coats the sausages evenly. Some slow cookers can run hot and you don’t want it burning around the edges.
Store leftover Slow Cooker Lit’l Smokies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, on the stovetop over low heat, or in a Slow Cooker until warmed through. The sauce may thicken in the fridge, so you can add a splash of water or root beer while reheating if needed.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies– if you have another brand that you prefer, you can certainly use that. If you want to change things up, go for some cocktail meatballs instead of the smokies.
- root beer– I suppose you could use a diet root beer alternative. I’m not quite sure how that would taste though as I haven’t tested it. If you are using it because you need less sugar, you would then want to get a sugar free BBQ sauce and perhaps not use the light brown sugar or use a sugar free substitute.
- light brown sugar– if you don’t want to add anymore sugar to this, you can leave it out but it does turn the sauce into a really nice glaze because of the molasses in the brown sugar.
- bbq sauce– if you like, you can use a spicy bbq sauce or a sugar free one. Or you can even make a Homemade BBQ Sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce
- red pepper flakes – I use this as an optional ingredient if you like a tin y kick of spice. It doesn’t make it spicy in my opinion but everyone has a different level of tolerance.
How To Make Crock Pot Root Beer Lit’l Smokies
Place the lit’l smokies into a 4 quart slow cooker. Pour in the root beer followed by the brown sugar, bbq sauce, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes (if using) and give it a gentle stir. Cover and cook on low for 3–4 hours, stirring occasionally.
NOTE: If you want a thicker sauce, combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons COLD water in a small bowl. Add to the slow cooker and stir. Turn on high for about 15 minutes and it should thicken up nicely. Optional: Top with a little freshly chopped parsley. Serve warm directly from the slow cooker.
Craving More Recipes?
Crock Pot Root Beer Little Smokies
Ingredients
- 28 ounce package Hillshire Farms Lit’l Smokies
- 1 cup root beer
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup bbq sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- chopped fresh parsley (or dried parsley, optional garnish)
Instructions
- Place contents of 28 ounce package Hillshire Farms Lit’l Smokies into a 4-5 quart slow cooker.
- Pour in 1 cup root beer followed by ½ cup light brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup bbq sauce, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if using) and give it a gentle stir.
- Cover and cook on low for 3–4 hours, stirring occasionally.NOTE: If you want a thicker sauce, combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons COLD water in a small bowl. Add to the slow cooker and stir. Turn on high for about 15 minutes and it should thicken up nicely.
- Optional: Top with a little chopped fresh parsley (or dried). Serve warm directly from the slow cooker.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Delicious and simple to put together.
Those root beer little smokies look like the perfect easy snack for a get-together or a lazy afternoon. It is amazing how such a simple combination of root beer and brown sugar creates that thick, sticky glaze that everyone loves. Using the slow cooker is such a lifesaver when you want to set it and forget it while the house starts to smell wonderful!
Thanks so much Melody!