35 Easy Christmas Crock-Pot Recipes to Free Up Your Oven
Make mac and cheese, holiday ham, and even candy.
Between all the holiday appetizers, sides, and desserts, planning a Christmas menu for a crowd can overwhelm both you and your oven. That's where a slow cooker comes in! This kitchen appliance is perfect for preparing hearty comfort foods throughout the week, so it's a natural choice for holiday cooking as well. Ahead, you'll discover easy Christmas Crock-Pot recipes that will let you kick back and relax while your appliance takes over.
The slow cooker is great for cooking up some seriously tasty holiday dishes like easy appetizers, scalloped potatoes, and creamy mac and cheese. But that's not all a Crock-Pot can do: Pull it out to make your main dish, too! Whether your family is a stickler for fall-apart-tender pot roast, brisket, or Christmas ham, you'll find plenty of inspiration here.
If you want to get a head start on the day, put together the breakfast casserole for an easy Christmas morning, or whip up a batch of hot chocolate to keep everyone happy until it's time for the big meal. Of course, it'll also come in handy for sides like green beans and mashed potatoes! And don't forget about the Christmas desserts either—there's even a loaded chocolate candy for a sweet ending to your holiday.
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Tender, juicy chicken thighs cook low and slow alongside baby potatoes and carrots. A quick skillet sear gives the skin a golden finish, but the slow cooker does the heavy lifting—plus it leaves you with a flavorful sauce you can thicken into gravy.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs recipe.
Little Smokies
Warm up your party spread with this crowd‑favorite appetizer! Cocktail franks bathe in a rich, tangy‑sweet sauce spiked with chipotle peppers. Just toss the sausages and sauce into your slow cooker, and you've got flavorful, fuss‑free finger food.
Get Ree's Little Smokies recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
Cozy up on Christmas with this creamy comfort classic. It blends tender chicken, rich heavy cream, and pasta―no boiling required! Topped with parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley, it's nearly hands‑off and totally satisfying for a holiday dinner.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo recipe.
Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip
Everyone will want a scoop of this melt‑in‑your‑mouth dip. Loaded with cream cheese, pepper jack, feta, parmesan, spinach and artichokes, it's rich, indulgent, and utterly crave‑worthy. Serve with warm pita wedges, tortilla chips, or crackers.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe.
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Elevate your Christmas dinner with this warming centerpiece. To make it, tender brisket is slow‑cooked with carrots, potatoes and savory herbs until it melts in your mouth. With minimal hands‑on time, you'll have a rich, comforting dish ready as guests arrive.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Beef Brisket recipe.
Easy Queso Dip
Packed with white American and pepper‑jack cheeses, jalapeños, and green chiles, this is the perfect make‑ahead appetizer to keep bubbling in the Crock‑Pot while you mingle. Top with diced tomatoes and cilantro, then serve it hot with tortilla chips.
Get the Easy Queso Dip recipe.
Slow Cooker Chili
Add a bowl of warm comfort to your Christmas spread with this one! It's loaded with juicy beef, beans, and smoky spices, then simmers quietly while you wrap presents or prep dessert. Set it out with toppings and let guests help themselves.
Get the Slow Cooker Chili recipe.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
Who says you have to keep your Christmas meal classic? With these tacos, tender pork shoulder simmers away, then gets piled into warm tortillas with pineapple, pickled onion, lime, and fresh cilantro for a dish that's both cozy and crowd‑pleasing.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
A unique make‑ahead main to keep your kitchen calm and your guests full of cheer, these drumsticks are tender, flavorful, and totally effortless. A sticky‑sweet soy‑and‑honey glaze simmers all day, then the meat finishes under the broiler for golden, caramelized skin.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Stir up the season with this soup that's loaded with tender shredded chicken, colorful bell peppers, black beans, and smoky chipotle‑spiced tomato broth. Serve it topped with avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, and crunchy tortilla strips.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.
Slow Cooker Ham
Once you cook ham in a Crock-Pot, you'll never look back! All the juices stay in one place, so your ham turns out extra moist. Plus, the prep time is just 15 minutes.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Ham recipe.
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Save some of that Christmas ham and make this cozy soup. Unlike other dried beans, peas don't have to be soaked before cooking. That means an easy ten-minute prep!
Get the Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.
Slow Cooker Bolognese
If you've got a lot of mouths to feed, make a giant batch of bolognese in the slow cooker. Then all you have to do is boil some pasta and you'll leave everyone satisfied.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Bolognese recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
You'd be hard-pressed to find something as comforting as classic chicken and dumplings. And making it in a slow cooker is "a lot more fun than standing over a simmering pot" according to Ree, especially on a busy holiday.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings recipe.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
A hearty beef stew is a wonderful way to kick off your holiday feast! Just throw in a couple of simple ingredients, like beef, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and wine, and you'll have this classic soup made in a cinch.
Get the Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe.
Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate
If hot cocoa is a hot commodity in your household, you'll want to add this big-batch, slow-cooker hot cocoa recipe to your repertoire! You can even spike it with Irish cream for a comforting, grown-up treat.
Get the Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate recipe.
Crock-Pot Scalloped Potatoes
Thinly sliced potatoes covered in rich, velvety cheese sauce are made right in the Crock-Pot for the ultimate Christmas side! The recipe calls for two types of cheese—sharp white cheddar and gruyère—which thicken to the perfect consistency as the dish cools after cooking.
Get the Crock-Pot Scalloped Potatoes recipe.
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
A warm bowl of chili is the ultimate respite on a chilly day—even on Christmas! This recipe is simpler than ever but still delivers that classic flavor you adore, featuring a hearty blend of beans and ground turkey seasoned with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and other spices.
Get the Slow Cooker Turkey Chili recipe.
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
Creamy broccoli cheese soup will warm everyone right up. The Crock-Pot not only cooks the savory soup, but it also keeps it warm until guests arrive.
Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole
Let this loaded breakfast casserole cook in the Crock-Pot while you indulge in the magic of Christmas morning with the kiddos! It's chock full of eggs, shredded hash brown potatoes, cheese, and veggies.
Get the Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes
Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
Slow Cooker Freezer Meals Make Dinner So Easy
