Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Aug 17, 2023Updated Mar 23, 2024

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These Slow Cooker Baked Beans are cooked to perfection with brown sugar, barbecue sauce, bacon, and a few other basic ingredients. This is my classic recipe for crockpot baked beans that I make over and over.

If I’m not making these homemade baked beans, I make Hawaiian baked beans or land your man baked beans.

Baked beans in a slow cooekr with a spoon in them.

Why this crock pot baked beans recipe works
Recipe Ingredients
Step-by-Step Directions
What to serve with Crockpot Baked Beans?
Recipe FAQS
Slow Cooker Baked Beans Recipe
Other baked bean recipes to try:

Why this crock pot baked beans recipe works

Baked beans are one of the most popular side dishes, especially when there’s a bbq or potluck on the agenda. Instead of settling with canned beans, enhance the flavor with the best baked bean recipe like this. All you need are just a few pantry staples that you most likely already have on hand.

This recipe also works because of the short prep time and cooking time. It’s a great recipe that can easily be tweaked to get the perfect flavor you’re looking for. Get ready to give canned baked beans an entirely new burst of taste!

Recipe Ingredients

Bush’s Baked Beans – I use the homestyle or original variety. I prefer not to use any flavored varieties such as maple or onion for they can be overpowering.
Bacon – cook the bacon halfway (not completely done and crisp) doing this will give the beans a browned flavor but also allow the bacon to release some of its juices into the beans.
Barbecue – Use your favorite bbq sauce here. I like a plain barbecue sauce for this recipe.
Brown sugar – I only add one tablespoon of light brown sugar so the beans aren’t too sweet. (You can use dark brown sugar, works well too!). Double the brown sugar if you like sweeter baked beans.
Yellow Mustard – Adds a contrast to the sweetness in this recipe.
Sweet Yellow Onion – Just one cup of diced will do.
Worcestershire Sauce – this is the secret ingredient! Adds a little tang to the beans.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step One – Slice the raw bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook bacon on the stovetop in a skillet until HALFWAY browned, drain. Add to the crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Step Two – Place the slow cooker lid onto the pot. Cook on LOW for 5 hours or HIGH for 3.5 hours. If your slow cooker cooks hot, be sure to stir these once or twice at the end of the cooking time. Serve and enjoy!

baked beans in a slow cooker with a wooden spoon in them.

What to serve with Crockpot Baked Beans?

Slow cooked baked beans always pair well with delicious barbecued foods like hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken.
They also pair well with other meals like baked pork chops or baked chicken.
Many baked beans dish recipes can also be served as a meal of its own, especially if it’s packed with meat and veggies.
When it comes to serving them, they are best to serve warm and either directly from the slow cooker or poured into a serving bowl. If you choose to keep them in the slow cooker, you’ll want to keep stirring occasionally.

Recipe FAQS

What other meat can I use instead of bacon?

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained, 1 lb. ground sausage, browned and drained, 1-2 cups diced ham, or 8 ounces turkey bacon, sliced, cooked halfway and drained. You can also use precooked diced bacon.

How can I sweeten these without using brown sugar?

Use 2 tablespoons of one of the following: Honey, White sugar, coconut sugar, or pure maple syrup.

Can I use Pork and Beans instead of baked beans?

If you choose to use pork and beans instead of baked beans in this recipe I would double the brown sugar and barbecue sauce in this recipe for they are less sweet than baked beans.

How do I make these beans even more flavorful?

You can play around with flavors by adding dijon mustard, a little bit of bacon grease, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. However you jazz these beans up you will end up with the best baked beans!

What is the best way to store leftover baked beans?

Leftover slow cooker beans can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.

baked beans in small white bowls with cornbread in background.

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