Crock Pot BBQ Cocktail Sausage (Printable format)

Tender mini smoked sausages bathed in a sweet, tangy apricot barbecue sauce. A perfect easy appetizer for any gathering or game day.

# What You Need:

→ Sausages

01 - 2 lbs cocktail smoked sausages (Little Smokies)

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite style)
03 - 1 cup apricot jam or preserves
04 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
05 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together barbecue sauce, apricot jam, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper until smooth and fully combined.
02 - Place the cocktail sausages in the crock pot, distributing them evenly across the bottom.
03 - Pour the sauce mixture over the sausages and stir gently to coat all pieces evenly with the glaze.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours, stirring halfway through cooking, until sausages are heated through and sauce is bubbling.
05 - Serve warm directly from the crock pot with toothpicks, or transfer to a serving dish for easy access.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The apricot jam creates this incredible sticky glaze that people literally ask me to bring to every gathering now
  • Its practically foolproof—your slow cooker does all the work while you handle other party prep or just relax
02 -
  • Stirring halfway through is nonnegotiable—the sauce can stick to the bottom and burn, and nobody wants that bitter taste ruining the batch
  • The sauce thickens significantly as it cooks, so dont panic if it looks thin at first
03 -
  • If you want some heat, a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper or several dashes of hot sauce transforms this into something completely different
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully—though in my house, leftover cocktail sausages are basically a myth
Go Back