Slow Cooker Homemade Baked Beans

After you make slow cooker homemade baked beans, you’ll never buy store-bought again! This easy recipe uses dried beans that do not require presoaking. You can also make this homemade baked beans recipe in the Instant Pot.

Ingredients For Homemade Baked Beans

Slow cooker homemade baked beans uses simple, affordable ingredients that you should be able to find easily at your local grocery store. 

• Dried white beans: Dried NOT canned white beans are needed. The type you use is up to you. See below for what type of beans to use. I used Great Northern Beans.
• Bacon: Uncooked bacon. Raw, uncooked bacon is stirred into the beans with the rest of the ingredients. 
• Onion & Garlic: 
• Ketchup: Grab your preferred brand of ketchup. You can substitute BBQ sauce here. 
• Molasses: Molasses may be expensive or hard to find depending on what region of the country you live in. Maple syrup is a good substitute. 
• Seasonings: The seasonings are simple: salt, pepper, dry mustard, and garlic powder. 

How To Make Baked Beans In The Slow Cooker

Slow cooker baked beans is a true set-it-and-forget-it recipe. All you need to do is add all the ingredients, give it a good stir, and let it cook. You don’t even have to take the time to pre-soak the beans!

1. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well. 
2. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.

FAQs 

What Type Of Beans To Use

This homemade baked beans recipe calls for 1 pound of dried white beans. What type of white beans you want to use is up to you. Navy, Great Northern Beans, or pinto beans all work well with this recipe. 

This slow cooker or Instant Pot homemade baked beans recipe is best made with dried beans. The best part…NO pre-soak! That’s right, after you rinse the beans, add them directly to the slow cooker or Instant Pot. You can use canned beans. If you choose to use canned beans, be sure to buy enough. 15-ounces of canned beans is not the same as 16 ounces of dry beans. Approximately four 15-ounce cans of white beans are equivalent to 16 ounces of dried. This recipe is better with dried beans.

What Sweetener To Use

Every homemade baked beans you’ll find online recipe is different because cooks put their own spin on things. Some people like to add molasses to their beans, others add brown sugar, and some add both. Here I use molasses. 

Tips For Homemade Beans

• Don’t forget to spray your slow cooker or use a slow cooker liner. 
• Get creative! If you don’t want to use ketchup, substitute something like BBQ sauce.
• Stir halfway through cooking time if you can. This will help distribute the flavor and keep the beans from sticking to the slow cooker. 
• Don’t pre-cook the bacon! It will cook to soft during the slow cooking process even if you pre-cook so don’t bother. 
• Make this ahead! Baked beans can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Storing & Freeze Leftover Baked Beans

Any leftover homemade baked beans should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days. To freeze leftover baked beans, let the beans cool and them place them in an airtight container or zip-lock freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipes To Serve Baked Beans

Hot Dogs

Ribs & Potatoes

Juicy Cheeseburgers

Potato Salad

Cornbread

To make this recipe, I used a 6-quart slow cooker /or Instant Pot.