Crockpot Baked Beans
106 CommentsUpdated Jul 06, 2026
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These Crockpot Baked Beans are packed with all the summer flavors you love; bacon, barbecue, onion and a few secret ingredients. Save this recipe for all your get-togethers.
We love serving these easy baked beans with slow cooker baby back ribs or our pulled ham recipe.
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Featured Comment
“My boyfriend and i are literally OBSESSED with this recipe! We’ve made it many, many times and plan to make it again tonight!”
– Brey
You’ll love my tested recipe for Crockpot Baked Beans! It’s got just the right amount of each needed flavor, and the slow cooker melds them all together.
Baked beans are a staple side dish for barbecues and potlucks, but plain canned beans can be a bit boring. Instead of serving them straight from the can, jazz them up with this easy recipe. A few pantry staples add rich, smoky, sweet, and tangy flavor—transforming canned baked beans into something everyone will want seconds of.
Key Ingredeints
Here is what you need to doctor up canned baked beans. Find the full recipe in the recipe card below the images.
Bush’s Baked Beans – I use the Homestyle or Original varieties. I avoid flavored options like maple or onion—they can be too strong and taste artificial.
Bacon – If you’re short on time, pre-cooked bacon works fine too.
Other ingredients: Barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s), light brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and diced sweet yellow onion.
How to Make Crockpot Baked Beans
- Add the cooked bacon, baked beans, onion and other ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cook until the beans are bubbly and all the flavors come together. Canned beans hold their shape well, even with the long cooking time.
Crockpot Baked Beans Substitutes and Variations
Meat Swap: Instead of bacon, you can use one pound of ground beef or ground sausage, 1–2 cups of diced ham, or the same amount of cooked turkey bacon. One sliced kielbasa sausage will also make the beans heartier.
Up the Flavor: For extra flavor, add a dash of vinegar, a touch of bacon grease, or Dijon mustard.
Vegetarian: Omit the bacon and add bell peppers and another type of bean.
Sugar Swap: Instead of brown sugar, use two tablespoons of one of the following: honey, white sugar or pure maple syrup.
Hawaiian: Add ham and pineapple at the beginning of the cooking time.
What goes good with Baked Beans?
- Baked beans always pair well with delicious barbecued foods like hamburgers, hot dogs and slow cooker pulled pork.
- They also pair well with other meals like pork chops and onions or slow cooker chicken thighs. We love to serve baked beans alongside crockpot spiral ham on Easter! Or Slow Cooker Whole Chicken for a Sunday dinner.
- Other side dishes that taste great are cornbread, crockpot mac and cheese and crockpot collard greens.
- For a leftover serving idea, you can add sliced hot dogs to the baked beans and make beanies and weenies.
How can I make Baked Beans that Aren’t Sweet?
Skip the brown sugar and use ketchup instead of barbecue sauce; that should cut down on the sweetness quite a bit.
Can dried beans be used to make slow cooker baked beans?
Using dried beans is more finicky and time-consuming than using already-cooked beans. I’ve found that when using dried beans, they are usually overcooked or undercooked, making it hard to achieve the perfect doneness.
Other baked bean recipes to try:
If I’m not making these homemade baked beans, I make these sweet Hawaiian baked beans or beefy land your man baked beans.
Baked Beans and Little Smokies make a hearty fun dish, while Apple Pie Baked Beans add a sweet and spiced twist.
Cowboy Beans bring bold heat, and Root Beer Baked Beans offer a rich, caramelized flavor.
If you tried this Slow Cooker Baked Beans recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Happy Slow Cooking!
Crockpot Baked Beans
How to Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz. bacon, (half of a 16 oz. package)
- 56 oz. Homestyle Bush's Baked Beans, (or original)
- 2 Tbsp. bacon drippings, (this is optional to add to the beans)
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Slice the raw bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook on the stove top in a skillet until HALFWAY browned, drain. Add to the slow cooker. Browning the bacon and draining prevents the beans from being greasy.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 5 hours or HIGH for 3.5 hours.
- Stir, serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I can’t stand Bush’s baked beans or any of their beans. Use Van Kamps Pork & Beans.
I see the option to triple this recipe. I’m wondering if you’ve done that and if it fit in the 6 qt crockpot? Thank you! Got a rehearsal dinner bbq coming up!
I don’t think it will quite fit – you may only need 2 batches, not everyone likes baked beans. Or you can add just a can or two more to fill the pot if needed.
Thank you! Making this tomorrow!
I made it yesterday for the rehearsal dinner and it was very tasty! My 6 qt crockpot could only hold maybe one and one third of the huge 117 oz cans of Bush’s baked beans. It was full to the brim and I just put the extra in the fridge for a later date. Thank you!
great to hear!
Can you leave out the bacon?
Yes, that would work fine.
Hi, I have Bush’s Original Baked Beans. Would they be considered pork and beans and so should I double the BBQ sauce and brown sugar?
No, pork and beans say pork and beans – you have the correct beans for this recipe so no need to double.
I only use Van Kamp’s pork n beans (the big cans) and they always turn out just great using this same type of recipe, only I always add hamburger to mine and take hamburger buns to the picnic for kids to eat it like a sandwich. I always come home with an empty crock pot!