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Thanksgiving is a period for kinship, thankfulness, and undeniably, a plentiful banquet. However, orchestrating such an impressive meal might seem daunting, particularly when simultaneously dealing with several dishes.


Introducing the Crockpot, the secret weapon in your kitchen that can create sumptuous meals with ease. Whether it’s for a grand feast or a cozy dinner, utilizing slow-cooked recipes could be the key to transform your Thanksgiving from stressful to effortlessly smooth.
Using a Crockpot for Thanksgiving brings immense delight, as it allows for the creation of dishes with deep, rich flavors that evolve over several hours.
The gradual process of slow cooking lets the ingredients blend seamlessly, establishing a balance of flavors that cannot be hurried. Visualize succulent turkey, velvety mashed potatoes, or a decadent pumpkin spice dessert—all flawlessly cooked with minimal preparation yet abundant patience.
Thanksgiving Crockpot Recipes
21. Glazed Ham from Creme de la Crumb
This slow cooker ham recipe creates a tender, flavorful main dish with a sweet glaze made from brown sugar, pineapple, and mustard. The ham cooks low and slow, ensuring it stays moist and perfect for holiday meals or casual dinners.
Using a precooked ham, the recipe is simple to assemble by layering the ingredients in a large crockpot and letting it cook for several hours. Leftovers can be enjoyed cold, in sandwiches, or added to soups, making it a versatile option for feeding a crowd or meal prepping.
20. Brown Sugar Ham from The Magical Slow Cooker
This slow cooker ham recipe creates a tender, flavorful main dish by cooking a pre-cooked ham with a glaze made from brown sugar, mustard, and pineapple.
The slow, low-heat method ensures the ham stays moist and infused with a sweet, tangy sauce that complements holiday meals or casual dinners.
The recipe is simple to prepare, requiring just a few ingredients and a large slow cooker. It yields plenty of servings, making it ideal for gatherings, with leftovers perfect for sandwiches or adding to soups.
19. Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham from 4 the Love of Food
This recipe demonstrates how to prepare a tender, flavorful ham using a slow cooker with simple ingredients like brown sugar and pineapple. The ham cooks slowly for several hours, allowing the sweet glaze to infuse the meat, resulting in a juicy and easily shreddable dish.
The process requires minimal hands-on time, making it convenient for holiday meals or large gatherings. The combination of brown sugar and pineapple creates a caramelized crust that enhances the natural savory taste of the ham.
18. Fall Off The Bone Ham from Something Sweet, Something Salty
This slow-cooked ham recipe delivers tender, flavorful meat that easily falls off the bone after hours in a crock pot. It uses brown sugar to create a sweet glaze while allowing the ham to cook gently without drying out, freeing up oven space for other dishes.
The method works well with bone-in ham portions, especially the butt cut, which adds richness from the fat and bone. Leftover ham can be saved for quick meals like sandwiches, omelets, or soups, making it a versatile option for year-round cooking.
17. Best Christmas Ham from Delish
This item demonstrates how to prepare a honey-glazed ham using a slow cooker, allowing the ham to cook slowly and absorb a flavorful glaze made from brown sugar, honey, apple cider, and spices.
The process involves heating a fully cooked spiral-cut ham with the glaze for several hours, resulting in a juicy, tender main dish with a smoky, homemade taste.
The method also includes tips on selecting the best type of ham, cooking times based on weight, and how to carve the spiral ham for serving.
Suggested side dishes and wine pairings are provided to complement the sweet and smoky flavors of the ham, making it suitable for holiday meals or family dinners.
16. Maple Brown Sugar Ham from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
This slow cooker ham recipe delivers a juicy, flavorful main dish glazed with a sweet blend of maple syrup, brown sugar, and pineapple juice. The ham cooks gently over several hours, allowing the glaze to infuse deeply while keeping the meat tender and moist.
Using a slow cooker frees up oven space and simplifies the cooking process, making it ideal for holiday meals or any special occasion. The glaze is basted onto the ham during cooking to enhance its rich, caramelized flavor and create a beautiful, sticky finish.
15. Best Slow Cooker Ham from True Aim
A slow cooker transforms a spiral-sliced honey ham into a tender, flavorful dish by cooking it low and slow with brown sugar and optional pineapple slices.
The result is a sweet and salty ham that melts in your mouth, perfect for holiday meals or special occasions.
This method requires minimal effort, simply layering brown sugar beneath and on top of the ham before cooking for 6 to 8 hours on low. Leftovers stay juicy when kept with the cooking juices and can be repurposed in soups or casseroles.
14. Turkey Breast from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
This slow-cooked turkey breast recipe produces tender, juicy meat that easily falls off the bone, making it perfect for a hassle-free meal. The turkey is cooked on a bed of fresh vegetables and seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices that enhance its natural flavor.
The method requires minimal hands-on time and cleanup, allowing the slow cooker to do the work while keeping the meat moist. Leftover turkey can be stored for several days or frozen, and the flavorful cooking juices can be used to make gravy or add moisture to the slices.
13. Juicy Turkey Breast from RecipeTin Eats
A slow cooker turkey breast is cooked gently over several hours, resulting in tender, juicy meat without the need for brining. The turkey is placed on a bed of onion and garlic, which flavors the cooking juices and keeps the meat elevated to prevent it from sitting in liquid.
After slow cooking, the skin is crisped under a broiler or grill to add texture and color. The flavorful juices left in the slow cooker can be used to make a rich, homemade gravy that complements the moist turkey perfectly.
12. Turkey with No Fuss Gravy from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
This slow cooker turkey breast recipe delivers moist, flavorful meat with minimal effort. The turkey cooks slowly alongside a simple vegetable-based gravy that thickens as it simmers, creating a rich sauce without extra steps.
Both bone-in and boneless turkey breasts work well, with slight adjustments to cooking time. The method frees up oven space and suits everyday dinners or special occasions, making it a versatile choice year-round.
11. Kielbasa Bites from Mom on Timeout
These Slow Cooker Kielbasa Bites combine smoky sausage with a tangy, sweet sauce made from barbecue sauce, grape jelly, and chili sauce. The slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld, creating a tender and flavorful appetizer that’s perfect for parties or casual dinners.
The recipe offers versatility by serving as a snack, appetizer, or meal when paired with rice or a salad. It also allows for easy preparation with minimal hands-on time, making it convenient for busy days or entertaining guests.
10. Crispy Turkey Breast from Dinner Then Dessert

9. Turkey Breasts and Stuffing from Shugary Sweets
This recipe demonstrates how to prepare a juicy turkey breast and flavorful stuffing together in a slow cooker, making mealtime simple and hands-off. The stuffing is layered directly on top of the turkey, allowing both to cook simultaneously and infuse with savory flavors.
The method uses basic ingredients like bread cubes, apple, celery, and seasonings, creating a classic stuffing that complements the turkey perfectly. Cooking low and slow for several hours ensures tender meat and a well-cooked stuffing, with minimal cleanup since everything cooks in one pot.
8. Turkey Breast and Gravy from The Magical Slow Cooker
This slow cooker recipe features a boneless turkey breast cooked gently in a mixture of turkey gravy, chicken broth, and cream of chicken soup. The turkey becomes tender enough to shred easily, allowing it to soak up the rich, flavorful gravy while cooking.
The method simplifies traditional turkey preparation by combining cooking and gravy-making in one pot, freeing up time and stove space. Variations include adding sautéed vegetables or different herbs, and the dish pairs well with classic sides like mashed potatoes or rice.
7. Thanksgiving Dinner from Mostly Homemade Mom
This Crockpot Thanksgiving Dinner combines a boneless turkey breast with sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, and cornbread stuffing, all cooked together in one slow cooker. The ingredients simmer slowly, allowing flavors to meld while freeing up oven space for other dishes like pies.
The recipe offers a simple, hands-off way to prepare a complete Thanksgiving meal with minimal effort. It’s designed to serve a small group and provides a comforting, home-cooked dinner with tender turkey and flavorful sides ready at the same time.
6. Turkey Breast and Cranberry Sauce from The Creative Bite
A tender turkey breast is slow-cooked in a Crock Pot atop a homemade cranberry sauce infused with orange juice, Chambord, and spices. The turkey is first brined for 24 hours to lock in moisture and flavor, resulting in a juicy, flavorful main dish perfect for holiday meals.
The cranberry sauce develops richness from the turkey drippings and can be served chunky or blended smooth for dipping. Allowing the turkey to rest after cooking helps the juices redistribute, ensuring each slice remains moist and delicious.
5. Slow Cooker Stuffing from Cooking Classy
This crockpot stuffing recipe combines fresh bread, vegetables, butter, and herbs to create a flavorful, homemade side dish. Cooking the stuffing in a slow cooker frees up oven space and requires less attention, making it ideal for busy holiday meals.
The slow cooker method produces a stuffing with a soft, buttery center and crispy edges, balancing texture and taste perfectly. It also allows for preparation ahead of time, including drying bread cubes and sautéing vegetables, which helps streamline holiday cooking.
4. Cranberry and Pecan Stuffing from The Creative Bite
This recipe creates a flavorful cranberry pecan stuffing cooked entirely in a slow cooker, freeing up oven space during busy holiday meals. It combines dried cranberries, golden raisins, leeks, and pecans with cubed stuffing bread, resulting in a moist and textured side dish.
The preparation involves mixing the ingredients with a broth and egg mixture before slow cooking for several hours until fully heated through. The slow cooker also keeps the stuffing warm and moist without drying it out, making it convenient for holiday gatherings.
3. 3 Ingredient Stuffing from Recipes that Crock
This slow cooker stuffing recipe offers a simple way to prepare a classic holiday side dish without using the stove. It combines just three pantry ingredients—Stove Top stuffing mix, cream of mushroom soup, and low sodium chicken broth—and cooks them together in a slow cooker for a hands-off approach.
The result is a moist, flavorful stuffing that frees up stove space for other dishes during busy holiday meals. This method is convenient for anyone looking to save time while still serving a comforting, traditional favorite.
2. Slow Cooker Stuffing from One Sweet Appetite
This slow cooker stuffing recipe offers a hands-off way to prepare a classic holiday side dish using just nine simple ingredients. The slow cooker handles the cooking, resulting in fluffy, well-seasoned stuffing without needing oven time.
The recipe uses dried bread cubes, onions, celery, herbs, and broth to create a moist and flavorful dish. It also includes tips for adapting fresh bread by drying it first to maintain the ideal texture during slow cooking.
1. Cornbread Stuffing from A Year of Slow Cooking
This item demonstrates how to make cornbread stuffing using a crockpot, combining baked cornbread, toasted bread, vegetables, eggs, and seasonings for a flavorful side dish. The recipe includes instructions for preparing gluten-free options and adjusting the moisture level by adding broth during cooking.
The slow cooker method allows the stuffing to cook evenly over two hours, freeing up oven space and simplifying meal preparation. The result is a moist, savory dish with a balance of textures, perfect for holiday dinners or any occasion where a comforting side is desired.