These easy crockpot baked beans are sweet, savory and one of the best barbeque side dishes! Brown sugar, bacon and canned beans are slow-cooked for a crowd-pleasing hit!

baked beans in crockpot

This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans using Canned Beans

This easy crockpot baked beans recipe is made effortlessly with canned beans, smoked paprika, brown sugar, ketchup or BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard and bacon. It’s smoky, sweet and savory and a quick and easy way for this flavorful side dish to come together.

This slow cooker baked beans recipe will be a staple summer side dish at any BBQ, potluck, or family dinner. It’s always a crowd-pleaser just like my slow cooker ribs and slow cooker BBQ brisket sandwiches!

Crockpot Baked Beans Ingredients

Can of baked beans.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Canned baked beans: I like using Bush’s Grillin Beans, but you can use any canned beans you like.
  • Ketchup: This gives the sauce richness and acidity, but you can also use your favorite BBQ sauce (or homemade BBQ sauce) if you want to amp up the flavor.
  • Dijon mustard: Just a little bit of tang to cut through some of the sweetness.
  • Smoked paprika: This spice gives a nice smoky heat to the beans, as if they had been cooked over a fire.
  • Brown sugar: Just a little bit to balance all the other flavors and give the beans the beloved sweetness.
  • Optional crumbled bacon: Adding the bacon at the end adds a nice salty smokiness to the otherwise, sweet and tangy beans. I cook bacon in the oven ahead of time.

Tips & Variations

  • A few more aromatics. Sauté 1 Tablespoon of oil along with 1 diced onion, 1 diced bell pepper, and 3 cloves of garlic over medium heat. Mix in with the beans before setting the cooking time.
  • Extra tang. Add in 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
  • More heat? Throw in about 1 or 2 tsp of chili powder for a little spice.
  • Use liquid smoke. It’s an easy swap instead of smoked paprika. A little goes a long way, so test a teaspoon first.
  • Different meat. Substitute the bacon for diced ham, sausages slices, or cooked ground sausage for a different flavor.
  • Keep the crockpot warm. Once it’s finished cooking use the warm setting until everyone is ready to eat. Then, everyone can serve themselves right from the pot.

How to Make Baked Beans in the Crockpot

baked beans ingredients in crockpot
  • Stir. Add the canned beans, ketchup, mustard, paprika, and sugar to the crockpot and stir until combined.
  • Set it and forget it. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 hours. Add bacon crumbles at the end and serve warm.

Recipe FAQs

How can I sweeten crockpot baked beans without using brown sugar?

There are several alternatives if you don’t have brown sugar on hand or would prefer to use something else. I would use maple syrup, but honey, date syrup, coconut sugar, or even granulated sugar can work in its place. You may have to adjust the sweetness to your liking.

Can I use canned beans instead of baked beans?

You can! I would replace the 2 cans of baked beans with 1 can pinto beans and 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained. You may want to double the amount of sauce and adjust the taste to your preference.

How long do baked beans cook in the crockpot?

 You can cook these beans on low for 4 to 5 hours or the high setting for 2 hours.

Can pork and beans be used instead of canned baked beans?

Yes, although you may need to add more more brown sugar as pork and beans do not usually contain sugar.

Storing and Freezing

  • To store: Once cooled, store slow cooker baked beans in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
  • To freeze: These freeze well for up to 3 months. Keep stored in an airtight container making sure to leave a little extra room for expansion.
  • To reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen, and reheat on the stovetop on low-medium heat until heated through. If you’ve got an entire batch you made ahead of time, feel free to use the slow cooker to warm it through and serve right from there.
Wooden spoon in baked beans.

A few favorites that I serve with crock pot baked beans include my pulled pork sliders with coleslaw or on my hot dog toppings bar at summer cookouts!

More Crockpot Side Dish Recipes

See all
See all
wooden spoon in baked beans

Easy Crockpot Baked Beans

5 from 3 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8
These easy crockpot baked beans are sweet, savory and one of the best barbeque side dishes! Brown sugar, bacon and canned beans are slow-cooked for a crowd-pleasing hit!
Print Pin This! Rate

Ingredients 

  • 2 (22-ounce) cans baked beans , I used the Bush Grillin flavor
  • ¼ cup ketchup , or BBQ sauce (I like to do half and half)
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika , plus more to taste
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar , plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , plus more to taste
  • 4-6 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled, optional

Instructions

  • Pour 2-22 ounce can of beans into the crockpot. Stir in 1/4 ketchup (and/or BBQ sauce), 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2-3 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until combined.
  • Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low 4 to 5 hours or high 2 hours.
  • Just before serving, add 4-6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon, if using. Set the crockpot to warm until ready to serve.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Variations: If you have extra time and want to add extra flavor, try of these variations below.
  • Sauté 1 Tablespoon oil, 1 onion (diced), 1 bell pepper (diced) and 3 cloves garlic over medium heat. Then mix in with the beans before cooking.
  • Want more tang? Add in 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
  • Add some spice by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder.
  • Add in cooked meat like smoked sausage slices or cooked ground sausage.
Storage: Once cooled, store beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Freeze: These freeze well up to 3 months. Keep stored in an airtight container making sure to leave a little extra room for expansion.
To reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen, and reheat on the stovetop on low-medium heat until heated through. If you’ve got an entire batch you made ahead of time, feel free to use the slow cooker to warm it through and serve right from there.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 442mg, Potassium: 299mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 163IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.