11 Thanksgiving Crock Pot Recipes We Tried & Liked

Vanessa M.:  Cheesy, gooey macaroni and cheese straight from your crockpot - that's the dream, right? This take on homemade mac & cheese is one of the most kid friendly crock pot meals. Many versions involve boiling the macaroni ahead of time, but this shortcut recipe skips that step.

Shila:  If you think you don't have time to make a soup course, this will be one of your new favorite Thanksgiving crock pot recipes! Made out of seasonal ingredients, the secret touch is adding coconut milk. It adds the perfect level of cream and richness, and the end result is a velvety-smooth and elegant Thanksgiving side dish. Depending on what time you eat Thanksgiving dinner, this would also make a nice hands-off lunch.

Shila:  Skip the stovetop and get your crock pot going instead for rich and buttery mashed potatoes! What I love about this crock pot recipe for Thanksgiving is the ability to set the slow cooker to "keep warm" until you're ready to serve the rest of the meal.

Shila:  I love green bean casserole any night of the week, but for Thanksgiving we kick up our "healthy" recipe with cream cheese, sauted buttered mushrooms, and fried onions. Throw it in the crock pot for a few hours and top it off with the fried onions. It'll be one of your family's go-to crockpot Thanksgiving recipes for years to come - or on any weeknight!

Shila:  These melt-in-your-mouth carrots not only free up the oven on Thanksgiving Day, they taste so yummy the kids may think they're eating dessert. This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving crock pot recipes! Throw in a bag of baby carrots, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and a few more spices to taste for a knock-out vegetable side dish. Set it and forget it, until it's time to eat.

Shila:  Desserts are perfect Thanksgiving crock pot recipes because they make the house smell heavenly! Pumpkin pie is always on our Thanksgiving dessert table, and this slow cooker version makes it so easy.

Shila:  One of the easiest ways to make cranberry sauce from scratch is with this Thanksgiving crockpot recipe that uses 5 simple ingredients: fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, an orange, a bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick. Set these all up in the slow cooker and it'll ready for its final stir in 3 hours!

Katie G.:  Free up some oven space to save room for the bird by making your stuffing in the crock pot. This recipe requires a little prep work in advance and can also be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Once done, leave in the crock pot on warm until ready to eat.

Kelly R:  When we're hosting for the holidays, I love to have a warm beverage going in the slow cooker so people can help themselves as they please. This mulled cider makes the house smell amazing, and is great for both kids and adults (who can spike it if they wish).

Shila:  Sweet potatoes are a kid-favorite holiday side because they can feel a lot like dessert! This easy Thanksgiving crock pot recipe is a good way to reserve more space in the oven. A few ingredients simmer together in the slow cooker for around 4 hours. Top with marshmallows, of course!

Shila:  If you're looking for seasonal crockpot Thanksgiving recipes for people who need vegan or gluten free options, this one is perfect!