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These Coca Cola Ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, slow cooked low and slow until they are glazed in a sticky, sweet cherry cola barbecue sauce. The slow cooker does all the work, then a quick trip under the broiler caramelizes that glaze into pure magic. Serve them with crispy fried pickles for the ultimate cookout plate.
With baby back ribs, cherry cola, and your favorite barbecue sauce, these Coca Cola ribs are unbelievably easy and deliver big, finger-licking flavor with hardly any hands-on work.
Coca Cola Ribs Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 6 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 807kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Fall-off-the-bone ribs in a sticky cherry cola BBQ glaze
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, slow cooker
Quick Answer
To make Coca Cola ribs, season baby back ribs with garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika, then place them in a slow cooker. Stir together barbecue sauce, cherry cola, brown sugar, and maraschino cherry juice, pour half over the ribs, and cook on low for 6 hours until tender. Simmer the reserved sauce on the stovetop until it reduces into a glossy glaze, brush it over the ribs, and broil for a few minutes until caramelized. Serve immediately.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The slow cooker does all the work. Low and slow cooking breaks down the ribs until they are meltingly tender with almost no effort on your part.
- Cola tenderizes and sweetens. The cherry cola helps tenderize the meat while adding a sweet, caramel-like depth to the sauce.
- A reduced glaze means big flavor. Simmering the reserved sauce concentrates it into a thick, sticky glaze that clings beautifully to every rib.
- Broiling adds the finishing touch. A few minutes under the broiler caramelizes the glaze into that signature sticky, lacquered barbecue finish.
- Maraschino cherry juice is the secret. A splash of cherry juice deepens the cola flavor and gives the glaze a gorgeous color and subtle fruity note.
- It is a hands-off crowd-pleaser. Just season, pour, and walk away, which makes these ribs perfect for parties, game day, and easy weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are fall-off-the-bone tender with a sticky, sweet cherry cola barbecue glaze.
- The slow cooker does almost all the work with just 15 minutes of prep.
- They are the ultimate easy cookout main, right alongside our classic BBQ ribs and all your favorite sides.
Key Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make these sticky slow cooker Coca Cola ribs. Just a few simple ingredients deliver huge barbecue flavor.
- Baby Back Ribs: Tender and meaty, they are perfect for the slow cooker. A 3-pound rack feeds about four.
- Cherry Cola: The star of the sauce, it tenderizes the ribs and adds sweet, caramel-cola depth.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade sauce. It is divided between the braise and the glaze.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of extra sweetness and helps the glaze turn sticky and glossy.
- Maraschino Cherry Juice: The secret ingredient that deepens the cola flavor and gives the glaze a beautiful color.
- Seasonings: Garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika season the ribs with savory, smoky flavor.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Coca Cola ribs are easy to make your own. Here are a few favorite ways to switch them up.
- Use regular cola: Classic Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, or root beer all work in place of cherry cola.
- Make them spicy: Add a spoonful of chipotle in adobo or a few dashes of hot sauce to the glaze.
- Try a different cut: Use spareribs or St. Louis style ribs, like our honey chipotle slow cooker ribs, adjusting the time as needed.
- Add a dry rub: Coat the ribs in your favorite barbecue rub before adding the seasonings for even more flavor.
- Finish on the grill: Instead of broiling, glaze and finish the ribs on a hot grill for a smoky char.
- Double the glaze: Make extra sauce for serving on the side, because everyone will want more.
How to Make Coca Cola Ribs
- Place the baby back ribs in the slow cooker and season them all over with the garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
- Stir together 1 cup of the bbq sauce, the cherry cola, brown sugar, and maraschino cherry juice. Pour half of the mixture over the ribs and reserve the rest.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours, until the ribs are tender and pulling away from the bone.
- Add the reserved cola mixture and the remaining 1 cup of bbq sauce to a saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat until it bubbles and cooks down into a thick, glossy glaze, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking sheet, brush them generously with the glaze, and broil for a few minutes until caramelized. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs for the most tender, fall-off-the-bone results.
- Do not skip reserving half the sauce; reducing it separately gives you a thick glaze instead of a thin braising liquid.
- Cut the rack if needed so it fits comfortably in your slow cooker, standing it up around the edges works well.
- Cook low and slow; 6 hours on low yields more tender ribs than rushing them on high.
- Watch the broiler closely; the sugary glaze can go from caramelized to burnt in under a minute.
- Let them rest a few minutes after broiling so the glaze sets before serving.
- Save extra glaze to brush on or serve alongside, because these ribs disappear fast.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Coca Cola ribs are best served hot, right after broiling, while the glaze is sticky and caramelized. Pile them on a platter with extra sauce on the side and plenty of napkins.
They are the perfect cookout centerpiece. Serve them with crispy fried pickles, golden fried okra, and tangy fried green tomatoes for a true Southern barbecue spread.
For a bigger feast, add our pulled pork sandwiches or slow cooker BBQ beef sandwiches so there is plenty to go around.
Leftover ribs reheat beautifully, so pull the meat for sandwiches or pile it onto loaded nachos the next day.
Coca Cola Ribs FAQs
Absolutely. Classic Coca-Cola works perfectly in place of cherry cola, and so do Dr Pepper or root beer. Cherry cola plus a splash of maraschino cherry juice gives a slightly fruitier, deeper flavor, but any cola will tenderize the ribs and create a delicious sweet glaze.
Broiling is not strictly required, but it is highly recommended. The slow cooker makes the ribs tender, but they come out pale and saucy. A few minutes under the broiler caramelizes the glaze into that signature sticky, lacquered finish. You can also finish them on a hot grill instead.
Baby back ribs need about 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high to become tender. Cooking on low gives the most tender, fall-off-the-bone results. The ribs are done when the meat is tender and starting to pull away from the bones.
Yes, removing the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs is worth the extra minute. It lets the seasonings and sauce penetrate the meat and gives you more tender, less chewy ribs. Slide a knife under it, grab it with a paper towel, and peel it off.
Yes. You can slow cook the ribs a day ahead and refrigerate them in their liquid. When ready to serve, reduce the glaze, brush it on, and broil until hot and caramelized. This actually makes them great for entertaining since most of the work is done in advance.
Classic barbecue sides are perfect here. Think mac and cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and potato salad. For something crispy, serve them with fried pickles, fried okra, or fried green tomatoes to balance the sticky, sweet ribs.
Craving more barbecue? Try our classic BBQ ribs next.
Slow Cooker Coca-Cola Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds baby back ribs
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups bbq sauce divided
- 2 cups cherry cola
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup maraschino cherry juice
Instructions
- Place the ribs into the slow cooker.3 pounds baby back ribs
- Sprinkle the garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder and smoked paprika over the ribs.1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- In a bowl combine 1 cup of bbq sauce, the cherry cola, the brown sugar and the cherry juice.2 cups bbq sauce, 2 cups cherry cola, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, ⅓ cup maraschino cherry juice
- Pour half of the mixture over the ribs, reserve the other half for later.
- Cook the ribs on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours until the ribs are tender.
- In a skillet or saucepan add the remaining cherry cola mixture and the remaining 1 cup of bbq sauce.
- Whisk over medium high heat until the sauce comes up to a bubble and cooks down until nice and glazy, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the ribs and place on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Once the sauce is glazy and thick brush the sauce onto the ribs.
- Place the ribs under the broiler until lightly caramelized. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Trim the Inner Skin: Sometimes ribs have a thin membrane on the back (the “silver skin”). Slide a paper towel along the edge to grip and pull it off—it helps the rub penetrate better.
- Use Non-Stick Spray: Lightly coat the bottom of the slow cooker with cooking spray so your ribs and sauce don’t stick.
- Finish on a Cookie Sheet: After slow cooking, lay the ribs on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Then pour barbecue sauce on top and broil for a few minutes to caramelize.
- Test for Doneness: Ribs are done when they reach about 190°F to 200°F internally.
- A Little Liquid Smoke Goes Far: If you add some, just a few drops will give you that smoky goodness of a summer barbecue without overwhelming the sauce.
- Experiment: Next time, try different flavors—like a teaspoon of pepper flakes or a shallow bowl of marinade with herbs.
Nutrition
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