This easy cranberry BBQ cocktail sausages recipe only has 3 ingredients. Make this easy crowd pleasing appetizer in your slow cooker or Instant Pot.

PIN FOR LATER
There’s a popular slow cooker recipe that combines jelly, BBQ sauce & cocktail sausages. I’ve had it once and it was really good. But it was a bit too unhealthy for me. This is my holiday, cleaned up version where I used all-natural cocktail sausages, fresh cranberries and a homemade BBQ sauce.

only 3 ingredients
Only 3 Ingredients
I love an easy recipe and this one couldn’t get any easier. I break down the 3 ingredients below.
Cranberries: The cranberries can be fresh or frozen. Pick and pick over the cranberries and discard any blemished ones.
Cocktail sausages: You can use your preferred brand or pick a brand that fits your dietary lifestyle. For example, I wanted my sausages to be whole30 compliant so I used Teton Waters Ranch since I know theirs are all natural. What brand you use is up to you.
BBQ Sauce – Use your preferred brand! Keep in mind that the BBQ sauce can make or break a recipe. Cranberries are very tart so think about that when choosing a brand or making your own.

before (slow cooker)
What Are Cocktail Sausages
Cocktail sausages are small, smoked sausages. You may know them as cocktail weenies, cocktail weiners, or by Lit’l Smokies which are probably the most popular brand of cocktail sausages. Cocktail sausages are already fully cooked so really you’re just reheating them in a sauce made from fresh cranberries and BBQ sauce.

after (slow cooker)
Low-Carb/Paleo/Whole30
Depending on what brand of cocktail sausages & BBQ you use, this recipe can be low-carb, paleo, or whole30 compliant. For example, Teton Waters Ranch & Applegate both make paleo and whole30 compliant cocktail sausages. Fresh cranberries are naturally compliant so all you need to do is use a paleo/whole30 compliant BBQ sauce. Same goes for low-carb. Sausages and fresh cranberries are low-carb so if you use a low-carb BBQ sauce like G Hughes Sugar Free Sauce, you are all set.
Other appetizer recipes you might enjoy:
Air Fryer Crab Stuffed Mushrooms (Low-Carb, Keto)
Air Fryer or Baked Potato Skins
Creole Shrimp Au Gratin (Low-Carb, Keto)
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings (Low-Carb, Paleo)
I used a 2.5-quart slow cooker but any 2 to 3.5-quart size slow cooker can be used with this recipe.
Print
{VIDEO} 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Cranberry BBQ Cocktail Sausages
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 24 to 28 ounces of packaged cocktail sausages
- 4 ounces fresh cranberries (frozen or thawed)
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/3 cup water (or more) for Instant Pot only
Instructions
- Add cocktail sausages, fresh cranberries, and BBQ sauce to the slow cooker. Mix until well blended.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.
- Add fresh cranberries, BBQ sauce, and water to to the pressure cooker. Mix until well blended. Stir in the cocktail sausages. If you’re using a thick BBQ sauce, use 1/2 cup of water.
- Close lid & seal valve. Cook high pressure for 3 minutes. When done, quick release the pressure.
- Stir & serve.
Notes
I used 2 14-ounce packages of cocktail sausages
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