I’ve never been a fan of baked beans. Ever. I just don’t know what it was. The taste just never drew me in. Since spending more time in the kitchen in my adult years I feel like my palate has matured. With all of the summer foods I’ve been making I wanted to give baked beans another try. I figured, maybe if I made them from scratch and not from a can I may have an interest in them. So together with my mom, we decided to tackle homemade baked beans. First of all, I can’t express how wonderful it was spending the day in the kitchen cooking with my mom. I only regret that we didn’t do more of that before my parents moved. Secondly, I had no idea until we were finished that my mom had never made baked beans from scratch. She was so helpful and had such great ideas I thought surely this wasn’t her first rodeo. Nope. This was a first for both of us.
So what did I think of the end result? Well, this is ‘Tried and Tasty’ and I never post anything I don’t like: so I LOVED them! Really. I even surprised myself. I thought.. no, I won’t… then I took a bite and thought ‘yes, yes I will!’ My mom was just as surprised as me. She couldn’t stop raving about them. We were both proud of ourselves. This batch made enough to feed a small army. Heck. It made enough to feed a large army. So grateful I had the family over to enjoy such a wonderful meal together!
THE Best Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Looking for a killer recipe for Slow Cooker Baked Beans? Look no farther! These hands down are the best homemade baked beans you'll taste, and the slow cooker makes them so convenient!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried navy beans rinsed and picked over
- 1 lb. dried small red beans rinsed and picked over
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 3 c. water
- 6 slices thick cut bacon cut into 1” pieces
- 1 c. celery finely diced
- 1 c. onion finely diced
- 1 c. ketchup
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 4 tbsp. molasses
- 4 tbsp. honey
- 2 tsp. dry mustard
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine beans and 4 qt water. Add the salt and soak at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain well and pour into slow cooker.
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Add 3 c. water. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or until beans are tender.
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In a medium sauté pan cook bacon until just about crispy. Dry on paper towel. Drain most of the grease, reserving about a tbsp. Add celery and onion to grease and cook until translucent.
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Add bacon, celery, & onion to the slow cooker.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, molasses and honey. Mix well and add seasonings and vinegar. Pour into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook an additional 30 minutes to heat throughout.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Culinary Hill
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Lisa
I was just curious after the beans are cooked, and you are adding the rest of the ingredients…do you leave the three cups of water? Or do you drain first?
Sue
I may have missed it, but I don’t see how many this serves. I need to make enough for 20. Do you think doubling the recipe would work?
Sue
So sorry. Found it! Serves 20 – Perfect!! I’ll try it!
Bekah
OMG…I’ve never made baked bean before, because – like you, I don’t usually like them..but holy Moses..these are Soooooo good. I’m sneaking piping hot spoonfuls in my mouth between typing this. Thank you for the awesome recipe!!! ??????
Chrissy
Hi Yvonne! Just have to tell you how delicious these baked beans are, they have become a family favorite. Making them again today for our 4th of July gathering. Always good the next day as well. Thank you for the fabulous recipe!
Chris Payne
So when do you add the molasses,honey and spices?
Yvonne
It’s about the last step, towards the bottom of the recipe. Hope that helps.
Jennifer
These sound wonderful, and i am planning on making them for our next family gathering. However, i was wondering, i have a 6qt slow cooker, will this fill it, or could i use a smaller one?
Yvonne
It makes quite a lot of beans, you may just barely be fine (hopefully not too overflowing).
Hi! I am wanting to make these for a work luncheon, but do you think it would be okay to make these on a Sunday and reheat on low in a crockpot for a Monday lunch?
Yvonne
I think that would be just fine!
Sylvia
Hi i am making these today for a party and I soaked the beans for 10 hours was that to long? Also I don’t need the beans to be ready until 5pm and it is 7 am now can I just let the beans sit and drain till I need to put them on?
Yvonne
I think you’re fine at 10 hours, just cut your cooking time down by two hours. Check at 4 hours and see if they are tender enough to serve. Don’t put them on just yet, I’d wait until noon’ish!
I have tried so many baked bean recipes, trying to find that one that is a keeper. I do not like eating from a can. I am going to try these beans.
Yvonne
I love, love, LOVE them – please let me know what you think!
Sharon Freeman
I’m having to make the condiments for our family get together for Memorial Day and I remember how much I loved your made from scratch bar-b-que bake beans. It is so nice to have the recipe easily accessible on your website. It made shopping for ingredients convenient while at the grocery store. To the best daughter ever thank you. Love Mom
Yvonne
Well Mom, as if I didn’t miss you enough already – this comment just made me miss you even more. Making these beans together last year before you moved will always be a fond memory I will hold dear to my heart. Enjoy the baked beans for me, wish I was there to enjoy them with you! Love you!
Cloey
Also in original recipes, she only used 1lb beans, so wonder if i need to double the sauce because you used 2lb bean I don’t see much difference in sauce amount from original one…
Cloey
Is this cooking on high for 6hours??!!
Yvonne
Hi Cloey, yes, I cooked them on high for six hours. Because they are not canned beans they need the time to cook & soften. As far as the sauce goes, it was perfect as I made it – but you are certainly welcome to add more sauce if you like. My family LOVED these beans the way that my mom and I made them together – I hope you enjoy them too!
Tj
This was a great recipe! It’s even better heated up the next day :-)
Yvonne
Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed them!
Joanie
In most baked bean recipes all ingredients are put into slow cooker at the beginning, I’m wondering what the advantage is of adding celery, spices etc. in the last half hour of cooking? In your photos, I don’t see the celery or onions , which I’m assuming should be visible. This is not a critical comment just a question. You see I love baked beans, and was wondering if the flavours had a chance to meld.
Yvonne
Hi! This would be something that you can add really whenever you like, I chose to just cook them separately and add closer to when the beans were done, but really, if you’d like to throw them in at the beginning, you certainly can and it wouldn’t help! As far as not being able to see the celery or onions, you’ll have to look close. I’m known for chopping things really finely (just a personal preference). I don’t like large chunks of things, I just like subtle hints and flavors and textures. As is, this recipe was fantastic to me, but I’m not a baked bean connoisseur hee hee! Give them a try, I bet you’ll love them! I certainly did!
Carly
These were delicious! Thank you.
Yvonne
Yay! I thought so too – glad you gave them a try!
My beans are soaking to make this tomorrow. Can’t wait to try it. I love baked beans but the rest of my family doesn’t.. hoping they become converted with a homemade recipe. We shall see. If not.. I’m going to have a lot of beans to eat. haha.
Yvonne
I hope you liked it.. and I hope your family liked it, otherwise you had a LOT of beans to yourself!! Haha!
Jacque Polaco
Hi got a recipe add on I got from a sister from Houston Tx. back in 1988 and have passed it down to my girls, everyone loves it and you might have it in your recipe box … fry up some sausage with bell peppers and just add to that pot of beans it’s a winner let me know if you try them! Hungry Jacque.
Yvonne
That sounds delicious!
So…..when do I mix the 4 tbsp. honey,
2 tsp. dry mustard,
2 tsp. garlic powder,
1 tsp. salt,
1/2 tsp. black pepper, and
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar into the recipe?
Yvonne
That’s an excellent question.. hee hee. I seemed to have left out those important steps! I’ve updated the recipe to indicate when yo add it. I hope you are making these. and I hope you LOVE them! Thanks for the comment :)
These sound amazing!!
Yvonne
Thanks Lindsay!
We just had baked beans over the weekend- I’ll for sure have to try this version! Yum!
Yvonne
For sure, try this – you won’t be disappointed!
From scratch is totally the way to go! This looks way tasty. And I love those cast iron pans!
Yvonne
Yes, for sure! Maybe that’s why I liked them so much.. they weren’t from a can! I love them too! Cast iron rocks!
Don’t be mad….I’ve only had baked beans out of a can. Embarrassing…. PINNED!
Yvonne
I’m not mad! Up until this recipe, I didn’t even LIKE baked beans!!
Oh yum! These look really good!
Yvonne
Thanks Summer! They were SO delicious!!
Thank you so much for this great-looking, from-scratch recipe. I see so many baked bean recipes that start with baked beans, which leaves with wondering what’s the point? I can’t wait to try this exciting-looking side dish!