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These crockpot little smokies always go first, no matter what else I put out. Sweet, tangy, a little smoky, and coated in a thick, sticky pineapple and brown sugar sauce. Set out a cup of toothpicks and stand back.
I’ve been bringing crockpot little smokies to parties for years, and they’re still the easiest appetizer I make for a crowd. Once the sauce is in, the crockpot does the work, so I can start them early and focus on the rest of the menu.
Instead of pouring a bottle of barbecue sauce over the top, I make my sauce with chili sauce, pineapple juice and brown sugar, and I’m not going back. The pineapple juice brings the sweet and the chili sauce brings the tang, so it tastes like a lot more work than whisking three things together in a bowl.
If you’re putting a whole spread together, these are the first thing I add from my list of appetizers for a crowd.
PARTY FAVORITE
Why These Are on the Table at Every Party I Throw
I always say a party is not a party without Little Smokies. They go out for game day and every holiday get-together at my house.
The second I set the crockpot down, everybody heads straight for it. It’s almost like when you put fish food in a tank and the fish all come running for it.
Key Ingredients
- Little smokies: I use the regular cocktail-size Little Smokies, and any brand or kind your store carries works. They come fully cooked, so the crockpot is only heating them through while the sauce thickens around them.
- Chili sauce: I tested this with Heinz chili sauce, the sweet, tomato-based kind in the condiment aisle, not a hot sauce. You need 18 ounces, which is about 1½ bottles. Chili sauce is personal, so go with a sweeter one, one with a bigger kick, or one that leans more toward barbecue sauce. They all work here.
- Pineapple juice: This is where most of the sweetness comes from. It also loosens the chili sauce into a sauce you can pour over every smokie in the pot.
- Light brown sugar: I tested this with light brown sugar, so that’s the one I can vouch for. It adds the rest of the sweetness and rounds out the tang of the chili sauce.
How to Make Crockpot Little Smokies
Step 1: Whisk the Sauce Whisk the chili sauce, pineapple juice and brown sugar together in a medium bowl, because a small one is too small for this much sauce.
Step 2: Pour It Over and Cook Put the little smokies in the crockpot, pour the sauce over the top and stir so every one is coated. Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8.
Step 3: Thicken and Serve For the last hour, stir in the cornstarch and cold water, cover and let it finish. They’re ready when the sauce is thick and clinging to the smokies, then I switch the crockpot to warm.
Spicy but delicious. Everyone liked them
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
I keep leftover smokies in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. To reheat them, I warm them in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop until they’re hot all the way through.
More Party Appetizers
- Cranberry Meatballs
- BBQ Sausage Bites
- Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket
- Crockpot Nacho Cheese Dip
- Crock Pot Pizza Dip
Crockpot Little Smokies Recipe
Ingredients
- 56 ounces 56 ounces Little Smokies (four 14-ounce packages)
- 18 ounces chili sauce (about 1½ bottles)
- 8 ounces pineapple juice
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Place the Little Smokies in the crockpot.56 ounces 56 ounces Little Smokies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chili sauce, pineapple juice and brown sugar.18 ounces chili sauce, 8 ounces pineapple juice, ½ cup light brown sugar
- Pour the sauce over the Little Smokies and stir to coat. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- During the last hour of cooking, stir the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth. Stir it into the crockpot, cover and finish cooking until the sauce is thick and coats the Little Smokies.1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cold water
- Switch the crockpot to warm and serve.
Jenn’s Notes
- Use a medium bowl for the sauce. A small bowl is too small for this much sauce.
- Mix the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth before it goes in the crockpot, so the sauce thickens without lumps.
- I tested this with Heinz chili sauce, but use whichever chili sauce your family likes best, whether that’s a sweeter one or one with more kick.
- This recipe doubles easily, and the cook time stays the same.
It’s just me in the house, so I’d like to make a small batch. If I use only one package of Smokies 14 ounce what would be the measurements of the rest of the ingredients??
Thank you
Absolutely! You can easily make a smaller batch using just one 14-ounce package of Little Smokies. You’ll need:
• 1 (14-ounce) package of Little Smokies
• 4½ ounces chili sauce (about ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon)
• ¼ cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
I haven’t tested this smaller batch, but these measurements are exactly ¼ of the original recipe. I recommend using a smaller slow cooker and checking them earlier since they may heat through faster. Enjoy!
Really enjoyed this recipe!! I did add sauted onion, as a personal preference, followed recipe otherwise. Was a huge hit!!
Spicy but delicious. Everyone liked them