Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sep 16, 2023Updated May 13, 2024

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A handful of sweet potatoes, maple syrup, and butter meets heavy cream, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon seasonings for the most delicious Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes ever! This is the perfect one pot side dish to whip up for Thanksgiving Day or to pair with any everyday meal. It’s sure to be a huge hit!

This super easy recipe tastes delicious with my Slow Cooker Turkey Breast or Slow Cooker Coffee Pot Roast.

close up of mashed sweet potatoes in a crockpot.

Why this mashed sweet potatoes in crock pot recipe works

Most sweet potato recipes are cooked on the stovetop or with a combination of stovetop and oven. What I love most about this recipe is that it’s cooked conveniently in the slow cooker. No boiling in a pot on the stove top or baking for hours in the oven. Instead, these sweet potatoes steam in the slow cooker with butter and a touch of water. Then I add spices, maple syrup, and a small amount of heavy cream.

Almost the entire holiday dinner can be prepared in the slow cooker. From the ham to the green beans, these mashed sweet potatoes can now join the crock pot crowd! These crock pot sweet potatoes are amazing and can be dressed in lots of ways. Check my topping suggestions below.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for sweet mashed potatoes on a table.

Sweet Potatoes: You’ll only need about 6 sweet potatoes peeled and diced. It should be roughly 7 cups when measured.
Butter: I prefer to use salted butter.
Water: Although this recipe calls for water, you can also use apple juice.
Maple Syrup: Using syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
Heavy Cream: Adding this towards the end will help cream the mashed sweet potatoes up a bit.
Seasonings: Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt are all you need to finish up these delicious sweet mashed potatoes.

Step-by-Step Directions:

Four images showing how to make mashed sweet potatoes in a slow cooker.

Step One – Add the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes to the slow cooker. Slice the butter and place it on top.

Step Two – Pour over the water or apple juice. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.

Step Three – When cooking time is complete, use a potato masher to mash and make creamy sweet potatoes. Add the remaining ingredients (maple syrup, heavy cream, and seasonings) and stir until smooth.

Step Four – Serve with additional butter slices and toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Mashed sweet potatoes with a wooden spoon in them.

What toppings to add to mashed sweet potatoes:

After you add butter, consider an extra dash of cinnamon, a sprinkle of chopped pecans, and a few mini marshmallows.
Another yummy combination is brown sugar and cinnamon or Greek yogurt (or sour cream).

cooked and mashed sweet potatoes with butter pats.

Recipe FAQs

What else can I use instead of water?

You can try coconut milk or chicken broth instead of water or apple juice.

What should I use if I don’t have a potato masher?

The next best (and easiest appliance) to use instead of a masher would be an electric hand mixer (or stand electric mixer). Either one will work fine.

How do I store leftover mashed sweet potato?

Store any remaining sweet potatoes in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

What other dishes will these potatoes go well with?

It’s a great idea to serve these alongside dishes that aren’t sweet in flavor. These sweet potatoes can almost be considered a dessert, so I would pair them with sides such as green greens, turnip or collard greens, or a salad.

Can I serve these directly from the slow cooker?

Yes. Be sure to use the KEEP WARM setting. This cook mode prevents the potatoes from burning.

Can I cook this recipe in an instant pot?

Yes. Follow the cooking directions as is. You may have to add more liquid to prevent the burn notice from going off on your instant pot. I still think slow cookers are the best option for this recipe.

Bowl of mashed sweet potatoes with butter pats on top.

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