Four hands-off holiday recipes from Fork To Spoon that cook away from the stovetop, freeing your burners and oven for the main event. Three run in a slow cooker; the carrots use an Instant Pot, which still keeps them off the stove.
A note on swaps: Fork To Spoon doesn’t currently have slow cooker versions of mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, or mulled wine. Each is replaced below with the closest match on the site, and the original dish is noted in each section.
1. Slow Cooker Ruth’s Chris Creamed Corn
A copycat of the steakhouse side: frozen corn cooked low and slow with cream cheese and butter until rich and silky.
Why it’s hands-off: The corn goes in straight from the freezer bag, so there’s no thawing. Cubing the cream cheese and slicing the butter helps them melt evenly while you work on other dishes.
Make-ahead tip: Load everything into the slow cooker insert the day before, cover, and refrigerate. On the holiday, just set it in the base and turn it on.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Ruth’s Chris Creamed Corn
2. Easy Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
Thinly sliced potatoes and onions layered with cheddar and seasonings, then finished with heavy cream and butter. The slow cooker turns it all tender and creamy.
Why it’s hands-off: After layering, it cooks on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours with no stirring. Add fresh parsley or thyme just before serving.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
Still want mashed? Fork To Spoon’s Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes skip the boiling pot. Its FAQ suggests holding the finished mash in a slow cooker on Warm, with plastic wrap pressed on the surface, for up to 3–4 hours.
3. Instant Pot Brown Sugar Carrots
Tender carrots in a sweet, glossy glaze of honey, brown sugar, and butter, with an optional pinch of cinnamon.
Why it’s hands-off: It’s not a slow cooker recipe, but the Instant Pot still keeps this side off the stove. It also cooks quickly, so you can start it while the turkey or ham rests.
Serving tip: Spoon the leftover glaze from the pot over the carrots for extra shine.
Get the recipe: Instant Pot Brown Sugar Carrots
4. Slow Cooker Almond Joy Chocolate Clusters
Chocolate, coconut, and almonds melted together in the slow cooker, then spooned into clusters to set.
Why it’s hands-off: The gentle low heat melts chocolate without scorching it. Everything melts together in about 2–3 hours on low, so it’s easy to make the day before.
Holiday bonus: The clusters double as homemade gifts for neighbors and hosts.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Almond Joy Chocolate Clusters
Holiday-day timeline
This assumes dinner at 5 PM. Times are approximate, so check each recipe.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Day before | Make the chocolate clusters. Load the creamed corn into its insert and refrigerate. |
| 10:00 AM | Layer the scalloped potatoes and start them on low (6–7 hours). |
| 1:30 PM | Start the creamed corn. |
| About 4:15 PM | Cook the carrots in the Instant Pot. |
| 5:00 PM | Serve. Switch the slow cookers to Warm to hold everything. |
Slow cooker tips
- Keep the lid on. Every peek lets heat escape and adds cooking time.
- Prep the night before. Slice, cube, and measure ahead, then just assemble and switch on.
- Count your outlets. Two slow cookers plus an Instant Pot can overload one circuit, so spread them out.
Source: all recipes from Fork To Spoon.
