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.
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
- 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:
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!
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).
Recipe FAQs
You can try coconut milk or chicken broth instead of water or apple juice.
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.
Store any remaining sweet potatoes in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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.
Yes. Be sure to use the KEEP WARM setting. This cook mode prevents the potatoes from burning.
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.
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Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 6 sweet potatoes peeled and diced (this was about 7 cups, measured)
- 1/2 cup salted butter 1 stick
- 1/4 cup water or apple juice
Add these items at the end
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions:
- Add the peeled and diced sweet potatoes to the slow cooker. Slice the butter and place on top. Pour over the water.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- When the cooking time is done, add the maple syrup, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth OR use a potato masher and mash by hand.
- Serve with additional butter if desired.
- Enjoy!
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
- Store any remaining sweet potatoes in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- 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.
- You can keep these potatoes on warm for a few hours. You may need to add a splash of water to keep them moist; be sure to stir occasionally.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Suzanne Stewart says
Just tried this to test ahead for Christmas. THIS IS THE BEST!! THANK YOU! SOOOOO delicious! I need to make a double batch though for our guests. Can I double everything and could I use a 7 quart crock in that case? Same amount of cooking time? Can’t wait to serve this with our baked ham. Thanks!
Sarah Olson says
I think a half hour more would be perfect. I’m glad you liked it!
Jb says
The sweet potatoes turn brown with this recipe. The key is covering them with water while cooking THEN add the sauce.
Karen says
I made this recipe last Thanksgiving and it was a HUGE hit! Making it again this year. the hardest thing for me was to not open that lid until the potatoes were done. So delicious and so easy to make.
Laura says
If you want to cook on low, double the high time. So 4 hours on high is 8 hours on low.
I’m making this now and was having trouble dicing the sweet potatoes. So I wrapped one in a wet paper towel and nuked it for 2-3 minutes depending on size. MUCH easier to peel nooks and crannies and to dice. Don’t know if I’m the last person on the face of the Earth to figure this out, so I thought I’d share.
Happy cooking.
Laura
Laura Hatcher says
Would you adjust the cooking time if you halved the recipe?
Sarah Olson says
You will probably only need to cook for 3.5 hours if this was cut in half.
Michelle Englefield says
how could I put a brown-sugar pecan topping on that?
Sarah Olson says
I would just sprinkle on after mixing, would be great!
Shari says
can you freeze? is so how long and best way
Sandra K Rogers says
what can I use to substitute heavy cream?
Sarah Olson says
Half and half or whole milk should work fine too.
Jz says
I need this dish for a school thanksgiving dinner at 11am so I need it to be done at 10. Could I cook overnight on low instead of cooking in high for four hours? Or do I have to get up early and put it on by 6am?
Karin says
I actually have a timer plugged into my strip outlet. I plug the slow cooker into it and set the time I want it to start & stop. It’s awesome for when I’m at work but need it to start later then 8:00 am
Amber says
I’m new to being dairy free – do you think I could use coconut cream rather than heavy cream?
Kris Sather says
The recipe sounds great. However I am not a big fan of maple; any other suggestions? Or is not too maple-y? 🙂
Diana says
I am out of maple syrup at the present time, and I am thinking about using honey instead.
Claire Vericker says
A few years ago I tried coconut yogurt in my sweet potato casserole. It was so good, I use it every year now. I also use a little pineapple juice, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and sometimes marshmallows if my grandchildren will be with us.
I have loved my West Bend slow cooker for at least 40 years. I love your blog. Thank you for being so generous with your recipes.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Claire