Crockpot Christmas Cocoa

Skip the coffee and warm up together on Christmas morning with steaming mugs of this decadent hot cocoa. This super simple peppermint hot chocolate recipe simmers gently in your crockpot as you quickly prep last-minute holiday dishes or gather around the tree with your loved ones.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• (1) 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 6 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups of chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon pure mint extract

Gently stir the ingredients together and cook on low for 1.5 to 2 hours. Using a soup ladle, pour the hot cocoa into holiday mugs and top with generous amounts of ingredients such as whipped cream, marshmallows, and crushed peppermint patties. Include candy canes instead of spoons for stirring.

Slow Cooker Stuffing

Stuffing…dressing…whatever you call it, you can make it in the slow cooker. This slow cooker stuffing makes a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings. Pecans add a satisfying crunch, while vibrant cranberries infuse this savory dish with a hint of fruity flavor.

Ingredients

• 12 oz. bag cubed stuffing, preferably onion or chicken flavored
• 1 cup green onions or leeks, chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tsp. ground mustard
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper

Combine ingredients in a large crockpot and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Place in a serving dish and garnish with minced herbs, crushed pecans, or grated parmesan cheese.

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte

Need something to perk you up a bit more than the Christmas hot cocoa from slide #1? Start your morning with an invigorating slow cooker gingerbread latte. Warm cinnamon, earthy cloves, and velvety vanilla join forces with spicy ginger to create this caffeinated indulgence.

Ingredients

• 8 cups whole milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• 3½ cups strongly brewed coffee or espresso
• whipped cream, caramel sauce, gingerbread cookies, and graham cracker crumbs for garnishing, if desired

Combine ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally and making sure the milk doesn’t scald.

Slow Cooker Whole Roasted Chicken

Impress your holiday guests with a roasted chicken that tastes like you spent hours slaving away in the kitchen. Remove the giblets and stuff the chicken with your favorite dressing, if desired. Coat the skin of the chicken with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle on a dash of salt and pepper, then adorn with lemon or orange slices, plus your favorite herbs. Cook on high for 2 hours, then reduce heat to low and cook an additional 4 hours. Alternately, you can roast the chicken on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Slow Cooker Spiced Wine

Spiced wine, also known as mulled cider, is a festive drink for adults. Treat your guests to this warm beverage as you finish preparing the rest of your holiday brunch or dinner. What’s great about this slow cooker recipe is that it’s ready in just 30 to 60 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of red wine
• ¼ cup of brandy
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 2 cups apple cider
• 5 whole cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 whole star anise

Garnish with orange slices and cinnamon sticks.

Crockpot Candied Pecans

Few holiday treats are easier than crockpot candied pecans. Enjoy this sweet snack alone or on top of a slice of pumpkin pie.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of pecans
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsps cinnamon
• whites of 1 egg
• 2 tsps vanilla
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Combine wet ingredients until frothy. Coat pecans with mixture and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This ooey, gooey spinach and artichoke dip is the perfect accompaniment to sliced veggies, bread wedges, and crispy crackers.

Ingredients

• 8-ounce package of cream cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
• 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves, chopped, or half a package of frozen spinach
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• dash of salt
• dash of pepper

Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or high for 1 to 2 hours.

Slow Cooker Apple Spice Cake

Fill your bellies with a cake that’s not too sweet. This apple spice cake requires just 3 ingredients and is done in a couple hours.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of butter
• 2 cans of apple pie filling
• 1 box of spice cake mix (or the ingredients for a homemade cake)

Spray or grease your crockpot. Place apple pie filling on the bottom, spice cake mix in the middle, and the stick of butter on top. Cook on high for 1 to 2 hours.

Crockpot Bread Pudding

Bread pudding works equally well as a Christmas morning breakfast or a holiday dessert. Making it in the slow cooker results in a thick, moist dish packed with flavor.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 c of light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1 c of heavy whipping cream
• 1 c of milk
• 1 1/4 t of vanilla extract
• 1/4 c of butter, melted
• 1/2 c of raisins
• 1/2 c crushed or chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 20 slices of white or wheat bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

Glaze

• 1/3 c heavy whipping cream
• 1 c white sugar
• 1/2 c of butter
• 1.5 T of rum

Cook on low for 2 hours. Top with glaze, if desired, and serve warm.

Crockpot Cinnamon Roll Casserole

There are just so many reasons to love this crockpot cinnamon roll casserole. It’s easy, it tastes delicious, and it lets you pull off a made-from-scratch meal using store-bought ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 12 oz tubes of cinnamon rolls cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup whipping cream
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients except cinnamon rolls in a large bowl and mix well. Spray your crockpot with a nonstick cooking oil. Place a layer of cinnamon rolls on the bottom, then top with the mixture, followed by another layer of cinnamon rolls. Top with a packet of icing from one of the cinnamon roll packages. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours and serve hot with the remaining icing packet.

Christmas Apple Cider

Ingredients

• 1 liter apple juice, pure unsweetened
• 2 cups orange juice, pure unsweetened
• 1 liter cranberry juice, unsweetened
• ½ cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
• 3 cinnamon sticks, whole
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Cook 3-4 hours on low or until thoroughly hot.