Midwestern HomeLife

  • Recipes
  • Holiday Recipe eBooks
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Recipe eBooks
  • 🥞Subscribe & FREE Brunch eBook!
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Recipe eBooks
    • 🥞Subscribe & FREE Brunch eBook!
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ham

    Published: Aug 17, 2021 · Modified: Sep 30, 2023 by Cara Lanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    slow cooker baked beans with ham

    Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ham are an easy way to make traditional baked beans without soaking. Just load up your Crock Pot with canned beans and a meaty ham bone (or bacon!), then let them simmer away in a chipotle, Jack Daniels, molasses, and brown sugar sauce. These sweet and spicy baked beans will be your new favorite party dish. 

    slow cooker baked beans with ham

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more FREE recipes and tips from my Midwestern kitchen to yours!

    Save Recipe

    By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Midwestern HomeLife

    Jump to:
    • You’re Going to Love These
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ham
    • FAQs
    • More Slow Cooker Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    You’re Going to Love These

    Slow cooker baked beans. If you don’t want to heat up the whole house to make old fashioned baked beans, let your slow cooker take over. Baked beans are a perfect set-and-forget dish — just throw everything in and let the slow cooker do its thing. 

    Canned beans. Canned beans are perfectly okay to use in slow cooker baked beans. This no-soak recipe uses a variety of beans for color, texture, and interest. I used black beans, black eyed peas, chili beans with spicy sauce, garbanzo beans, and Great Northern beans. But you can use one type of bean or whatever you love.

    Baked beans with ham bone. Slow cooker baked beans is one of my favorite things to do with the ham bone from my Chipotle Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham. I make a maple bourbon glaze for my ham, which flavors the baked beans and tastes sooooo gooooood. 

    No ham bone? No problem. If you don't have an extra ham bone lying around, no sweat. You can use ham hocks from the grocery store, chop up a ham steak, or throw in some fried bacon. You could even use a smoked turkey leg!

    Easy recipe. I love slow cooker recipes where you can truly dump stuff in, turn it on, and walk away for hours. And this baked bean recipe is one of those. 

    Traditional baked beans — with a spicy twist. My mother-in-law makes killer baked beans using an old Lanz family recipe. So, of course, I drew inspiration from her old fashioned baked beans recipe, except I added a few things. Like chipotles. And Jack Daniels :). 

    No soak baked beans. Homemade baked beans usually call for soaking dried beans in water overnight. I see no need to jump through those kinds of hoops. Delicious baked beans can in fact come from a can. And this recipe is proof. 

    Molasses, bourbon, and brown sugar. These are just a few of the reasons why these slow cooker baked beans are so goshdarn good. The beans simmer in sauce that is sweetened with molasses and brown sugar, then spiked with a hint of bourbon for depth and smokiness. 

    No ketchup. Ok, so I know no one is expecting baked beans to be any sort of healthy food. But they also don’t have to be completely loaded in sugar. So these baked beans are without ketchup — I used tomato sauce instead. 

    Ingredient Notes

    Brown sugar substitute. What are baked beans without brown sugar? If you’re fresh out, don’t fret. You can easily make your own with white sugar and molasses or maple syrup. For each cup of light brown sugar, use one cup of white sugar plus one tablespoon of molasses or maple syrup. 

    Dijon mustard. You can use any kind of mustard you have in your pantry for this baked bean recipe.

    Bourbon. Jack Daniels adds sweetness and smokiness to these baked beans. You can substitute another type of whisky or use brandy or cognac. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, apple cider would be great — or you can leave it out. 

    How to Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ham

    Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place ham bone in the slow cooker. 

    Add all the remaining ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine. Pour over the ham bone. 

    slow cooker baked beans with ham
    slow cooker baked beans with ham

    Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Remove ham bone from the slow cooker and cut the meat off the bone. Mix the ham into the beans. If there is still some meat on the bone, return it to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 more hours or low for 3 more hours. Any meat you were unable to cut from the ham bone will have fallen off. 

    slow cooker baked beans with ham

    These beans will thicken as they cool. But if they still have more liquid than you like and you want to know how to thicken slow cooker baked beans, here’s what worked for me. Just remove one cup of beans from the slow cooker, mash them with a fork, and stir them into the mixture. You can repeat this process one more time, if necessary. 

    slow cooker baked beans with ham

    FAQs

    How do I thicken slow cooker baked beans?

    After simmering for hours and hours in the slow cooker, your baked beans might have quite a bit of liquid. Because the liquid can’t really evaporate with the lid on. To thicken slow cooker beans, I like to remove a cup of the beans, mash them, and then stir them back into the pot. Also, as the beans cool, they will thicken some more. 

    What kind of beans are used for baked beans?

    When you buy a can of baked beans, they are usually navy beans. So if you’re going for the traditional baked beans, you can definitely use canned navy beans in this recipe. I just happen to love the variety of flavors and textures that using different types of beans adds to the dish, so that’s what I do. 

    How long to cook baked beans in a slow cooker?

    This slow cooker bake bean recipe takes about 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low. 

    Can baked beans be frozen?

    Absolutely! Just place them in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. 

    Can baked beans be eaten cold?

    Baked beans are super delicious cold. So if you’re in a rush with no time to heat them up, go for it!

    Will baked beans thicken as they cool?

    Yes, the sauce will thicken as it cools, However, if you’re worried they won’t, you can mash one cup of the beans which will naturally thicken the sauce and absorb some of the liquid. 

    More Slow Cooker Recipes

    Slow Cooker Chipotle Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham

    Chicken Chili (Slow Cooker)

    📖 Recipe

    slow cooker baked beans with ham

    Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ham

    Cara Lanz
    Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ham are an easy way to make traditional baked beans without soaking. Just load up your Crock Pot with a meaty ham bone and canned beans, then let them simmer away in a chipotle, Jack Daniels, molasses, and brown sugar sauce. These sweet and spicy baked beans will be your new favorite party dish.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 hours hrs
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 333 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cups brown sugar
    • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
    • 4 tablespoons molasses
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 3 tablespoons bourbon
    • 3-4 chipotle peppers, diced
    • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, from chipotle peppers
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 5 cans various beans, drained
    • 1 meaty ham bone
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place ham bone in the slow cooker.
    • Add all the remaining ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine. Pour over the ham bone.
    • Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Remove ham bone from the slow cooker and cut the meat off the bone. Mix the ham into the beans. If there is still some meat on the bone, return it to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 more hours or low for 3 more hours. Any meat you were unable to cut from the ham bone will have fallen off.
    • These beans will thicken as they cool. But if they still have more liquid than you like and you want to know how to thicken slow cooker baked beans, here’s what worked for me. Just remove one cup of beans from the slow cooker, mash them with a fork, and stir them into the mixture. You can repeat this process one more time, if necessary.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 9gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1886mgPotassium: 964mgFiber: 8gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 218IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Coconut Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches
    Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Balls »
    • Facebook

    Comments

    1. Angela says

      January 31, 2023 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      If you don't have a slow cooker can you use a Dutch oven?

      Reply
      • Cara Lanz says

        January 31, 2023 at 11:09 pm

        Hi, Angela, I haven't tried it, but it should work to cook them in the oven in a Dutch oven. If it were me, I would try cooking them at 300 and follow the directions for cooking on high. I would also check them periodically to see if any liquid like broth or water needs to be added. I'd love to hear what you try how it worked, as I'm sure this will help others, too. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love sharing easy, delicious everyday recipes from the heartland.

    Whether you're looking for a fast and easy dinner recipe, something yummy for a potluck or holiday gathering, or just a little inspiration, I hope you'll find something you love here.

    Dig in!

    More about me →

    Easy Brunch Recipes ebook cover.

    FREE eBook

    Easy Brunch Recipes with sweet and savory favorites!

    Let's go!

    Summer Baking Recipes

    • two Strawberry Brownies ona white plate in front of a platter of strawberry brownies
      Strawberry Brownies
    • side view of white plate with piece of pineapple cream cheese pie topped with toasted coconut and a blackberry
      No Bake Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie
    • side view of piece of strawberry pie topped with whipped cream and a strawberry
      No Bake Strawberry Pie with Jello
    • lemon bar with graham cracker crust on white plate with cutting board with bars in background
      Easy Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
    • two carrot cake mix bars on a a white counter top.
      Carrot Cake Mix Cookie Bars
    • slices of lemon blackberry bread on a white plate
      Lemon Blackberry Bread

    Most Popular Recipes

    • piece of chocolate caramel poke cake on white plate
      Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake
    • Million Dollar Bars
    • ground beef vegetable soup recipe in a white bowl
      Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
    • pot roast with onion soup mix, potatoes, and carrots on a white platter
      Lipton Onion Soup Pot Roast Recipe
    • taco spaghetti in stainless steel skillet
      One Pot Taco Spaghetti
    • oven baked teriyaki chicken thighs on a white plate
      Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (Boneless or Bone-in)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Media Kit
    • About
    featured on logos

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 MIDWESTERNHOMELIFE Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.