Crockpot Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Butter

 These easy 5 ingredient crockpot mashed sweet potatoes are a simple one pot side dish that is sure to please any time of year.

It can be hard to get toddlers to eat vegetables. Especially at the holiday table when rolls seem to be the preferred kid food.

My two have pushed their plates or my ill-fated fork airplane away while saying “no” more times than I can count.  Even these took a bit of negotiating to get them to try the first bite.

But once they tried it?  Magic.  When we ran out of the leftovers three days later, my son cried.

This simple side dish is a great alternative to a traditional sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving dinner, since it doesn't take up that valuable oven space. You can even top it with mini marshmallows if you're so inclined.

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Why You’ll Love These Mashed Sweet Potatoes

• One-pot
• Kid-friendly
• Doesn’t use your oven (great for summer and holiday dinners)
• Easy dump-and-go, just mash at the end

Let’s get started!  Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes - these are orange sweet potatoes, also known as yams.
• Butter - salted butter or unsalted butter will work fine.
• Brown Sugar - this is just regular sugar and molasses mixed together, you can substitue pure maple syrup if you're trying to limit processed sugar.
• Cinnamon - pairs with the sugar and natural sweetness of the potatoes so well.
• Salt - this helps balance the other flavors- you'll want to use ¼ teaspoon more if you used unsalted butter.

Equipment

To make these slow cooker sweet potatoes you'll need your trusty slow cooker, a vegetable peeler, knife, and cutting board at the get-go.  Then at the end, you'll need a potato masher.

Instructions for 5 Ingredient Crockpot Sweet Potatoes

Step 1: Peel and Cut

Rinse and peel your sweet potatoes.  Once peeled, cut them into quarters.  Or halves if they’re small, or half and cut each half into quarters if they’re huge.  You want them small enough that they layer ok in your crockpot, but there is no need to make them bite size. They’ll have plenty of time to cook through and we’ll be mashing them later, so excessive dicing is just unnecessary work.  And, in case my website name choice wasn't a tip off, I dislike unnecessary work.

Tip: Peel your sweet potatoes over a kitchen towel, and then you can pick the entire towel up from the corners to take it to the trash.  This is a great way to keep them out of your sink- potato peels are terrible for garbage disposals, so make sure to toss them.

Step 2: Layer and Season

Put about two-thirds of your cut raw sweet potatoes into the crockpot, arranging them to minimize open space between the sweet potato pieces.  Slice half of the butter stick into pats and place them on top of the potatoes, then sprinkle on roughly half of the cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt.  Add the rest of the sweet potatoes, then before topping them again check that the lid fits.  Once you have the potatoes arranged so the lid fits go ahead and top them with the remaining butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 3: Slow Cook and Mash

Turn your slow cooker onto the low setting for 6 hours.  Once they’ve cooked, remove the lid and mash them right in the ceramic crock.  You can also use an electric mixer or immersion blender if you don't have a masher. Viola, they’re ready!

Yum!

Questions about Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I work outside the home and need this to cook more than 6 hours.  Will these sweet potatoes be ok?

Yes, they should be fine to go longer than 6 hours.  If you'll be gone over 8 I would recommend using a crockpot that switches to warm automatically when done.  You could also use a smart plug to turn them on 6 hours before you'll be home instead- since there is no meat in this dish it can sit on the counter for a few hours before cooking.

Can I make these in the instant pot instead?

I haven't tried it yet, but you'll need to add liquid for the instant pot to come to pressure- one way to do this would be to substitue heavy cream for the butter.  No liquid is needed for this crock pot recipe.

What should I serve with my crockpot mashed sweet potatoes?

Honestly they go well with most proteins, but I think they're the perfect side dish when pork is the main meal.  If you have a second crockpot you can make these 3 ingredient ribs and come home to a full meal!

Is this dish gluten free or dairy free for special diets?

This sweet potato recipe is one of those side dishes that is naturally gluten free.  To make it dairy free you can use a butter alternative or coconut milk in place of the butter.

I want to make more than 3 pounds- can I?

This round crock pot is pretty near the limit at 3 pounds, but you can of course use a larger one.  My oval crock pot handles 5-6 pounds of sweet potatoes.

Other Kid Friendly Easy Recipes You’ll Love

• Roasted Sweet Potato Slices
• Easy Crescent Sandwiches
• Crockpot Chicken Potato Chowder

Let Me Know Below How Your Creamy Sweet Potatoes Turned Out!

📖 Recipe