8 Thanksgiving Classics You Can Make In Your Slow-Cooker

The slew of pots, pans, roasting dishes, and mixing bowls that will inevitably overtake your kitchen space next week would be enough to make any cook frustrated. Even if you prepare the minimum — the classics in the fastest way possible — Thanksgiving is still a multi-dish affair that creates kitchen chaos.

Most dishes parade in and out of the oven, taking turns in the heat, and theoretically showing up hot and cooked perfectly at the table. The stovetop stays busy, too, with pots of boiling potatoes and simmering gravy bubbling away.

Even one slow-cooker dish could give you just enough space on your stove or in your oven to make your Thanksgiving a shred easier. You can even use your slow-cooker to keep already-prepared side dishes warm while you wait for the turkey to cook.

Revolutionize your holiday cooking by breaking out the slow-cooker and using the spare minutes (and space) to enjoy time with friends and family.

Apples tossed with sugar and cinnamon bake down to create a delightfully sweet and thick sauce. Also, the allure of the crispy and flavorful oat crumble is impossible to deny.

Click here for the Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp recipe.

You can make irresistible cranberry sauce, like this Kicked-Up Cranberry Sauce With Chipotle Pepper, by simply spraying the inside of your slow-cooker with cooking spray and dumping in all the ingredients to cook on high for five hours, or on low for eight.

This dish works best with thicker, sturdier pasta shapes that will hold up to the prolonged heat and moisture. The result will be an incredibly tender and cheesy mac and cheese that you can set proudly on your table this year. For this Slow-Cooker Mac and Cheese recipe, click here.

Do you find mashed potatoes — the most popular Thanksgiving side dish — to be a hassle, but you can't resist their buttery taste? You could make these buttery mashed potatoes the day before. Your sweet potato casserole can be made in a slow-cooker, too. Although the marshmallows won't get toasty brown, they will melt down into soft marshmallow fluff.

Put your slow-cooker to work making this slow-cooker mulled apple cider for your guests to enjoy as a delightful aperitif before the main feast. Reinforce the apple flavor with a touch of Applejack Whiskey to kick-off the meal with a bang. Other warm punches like glögg and mulled wine are also indelible options.

Making cheesecake in the slow-cooker produces wonderful, creamy results. Omit the graham cracker crust for a great gluten-free dessert option.

Click here for the Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake recipe.

Warm, cheesy, and perfectly seasoned, this dish will be the talk of your table. Cooked over low, gentle heat for three hours, these potatoes emerge soft and delicious. Click here for the Slow-Cooker Scalloped Potatoes recipe. 

To make this easy cornbread stuffing, all you need is a can of cream of chicken soup, plenty of diced and dried cornbread cubes, and a sprinkle of sage. Throw it all into a slow-cooker and the rest is up to the machine. Take this technique and apply it to your favorite stuffing recipe.