Easy root beer baked beans are full of flavor and the ultimate side dish for your next cookout or backyard BBQ. Made simple with the help of canned beans and a few pantry staples, this recipe comes together with minimal prep. Root beer adds a wonderful caramelization and sweetness to the beans that sets them apart from others.

I typically have a few bottles of root beer tucked in the back of my fridge because it’s one of my kids’ favorite “special” drinks. After seeing people make baked beans with Dr. Pepper, I thought I would try making baked beans with root beer and let me tell you, they were a hit! They are perfectly sweet and savory, with lots of flavor.

Most baked beans recipes, like these cowboy baked beans, include brown sugar but this recipe uses root beer instead to add the sweetness and caramelization. It adds a signature sweet flavor and also helps to thicken the beans. It’s such a great twist on a classic recipe and a must make for cookouts, BBQ’s, and more.

Ingredients

Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make root beer baked beans.

• Bacon – Use your favorite bacon to give these beans a delicious smoky flavor.
• Onion – Yellow or Vidalia onion add mild flavor.
• Beans – I like using Bush’s Baked Beans for the flavor. You can substitute with canned pork and beans.
• BBQ sauce – Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce is my go-to, but you can use your favorite.
• Root beer – Root beer is the star ingredient and adds a sweetness to the beans. Using the root beer means you don’t have to add brown sugar. ***Make sure to use full sugar root beer, not diet or zero.
• Seasonings – Ground mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Make root beer baked beans

Here is an overview of how to make this recipe. Scroll to the bottom for the full instructions.

Step one: Cook the bacon in a large skillet. Once cooked, remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel lined plate. Crumble the bacon. Carefully remove any excess grease from the skillet. Add the diced onion and cook about 5 minutes.

Step two: Pour in the baked beans, BBQ sauce, ground mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, crumbled bacon, and the root beer.

Step three: Spread the bean mixture in a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Expert tips

• Cook the bacon first. This step is important because it adds great flavor and helps prevent to bacon from getting soggy.
• Make sure to use full sugar root beer. The full sugar is needed for the best flavor and caramelization.
• Double the recipe for a crowd. If you are feeding a crowd, it’s easy to double the recipe. You can still use a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Can these be made in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can make these root beer beans in the slow cooker. Cook the bacon and the onions in the skillet according to the recipe. Once they are cooked, place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours. Make sure to stir occasionally.

More cookout side dishes

• Broccoli salad with raisins
• Cucumber pasta salad
• Seven layer salad recipe
• Grape salad
• Blue cheese slaw

Let me know if you made this recipe in the comments below. I love hearing from you!