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Judy John

Sweet Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe

Sweet cowboy baked beans blend tender beans with a rich sugary smoky sauce. This crowd-pleasing side dish bakes thick, glossy, and deeply comforting.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 298
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beans
  • 3 15-oz cans pinto beans drained
  • 2 15-oz cans navy beans drained
Sweet Sauce
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium onion finely diced

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Baking Dish
  • Saucepan
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Measuring Cups
  • Can Opener
  • Oven
  • Freezer
  • Tray
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a baking dish.
  2. Combine barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, vinegar, paprika, and pepper in a saucepan.
  3. Cook sauce over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture looks glossy.
  4. Stir beans and diced onion into the sauce until fully coated.
  5. Transfer mixture to baking dish and spread evenly.
  6. Cover and bake 40 minutes so flavors meld and beans soften.
  7. Uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes until thick bubbles form and edges caramelize.
  8. Rest 10 minutes before serving for best texture.

Notes

For softer texture, keep covered longer. For crispier sticky edges, uncover earlier and bake longer. Freeze cooled portions up to 2 months. Stir gently during assembly to avoid breaking beans. Add bacon, jalapeno, or maple for flavor changes. Store refrigerated up to 5 days.