Every Thanksgiving and Christmas afternoon hits the exact same bottleneck around 2:30 PM: the roast turkey is hogging the middle oven rack, casseroles are waiting in line on the counter, and someone is desperately trying to boil five pounds of potatoes on a crowded back burner without scorching the gravy. Moving both your crockpot mashed potatoes and your herb butter slow cooker stuffing onto the sideboard completely frees up your oven and stovetop—and keeps both holiday classics piping hot on the WARM setting for up to two hours until the turkey is carved.
While I still adore our classic stovetop ultra-creamy homemade mashed potatoes on quiet Sundays, this no-boil, no-drain slow cooker method lets Yukon Gold potatoes steam directly in rich chicken bone broth and garlic-infused butter, so zero potato flavor gets poured down the colander sink—leaving your oven wide open for homemade green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole!
Why Crockpot Mashed Potatoes and Slow Cooker Stuffing Save Your Holiday Oven
When you boil diced potatoes in a giant stockpot of water, bloated starch cells absorb plain water that dilutes the buttery flavor. In a covered stoneware slow cooker, cubed Yukon Golds braise gently in just 1.25 cups of savory chicken broth and melted butter. Once mashed right inside the warm crock with softened cream cheese and sour cream, they hold an airy, velvet-smooth texture that never turns gluey. Right beside it in a second crockpot (or prepped back-to-back!), day-old artisan bread cubes sautéed with sweet onions, celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme bake up moist inside with golden, crisp-caramelized edges against the stoneware walls.
Best Potatoes & Bread for Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes and Herb Stuffing
- Yukon Gold Potatoes (4 lbs): Thin-skinned, naturally buttery yellow Yukon Golds have the ideal medium-starch balance for slow cooking—Russets break down unevenly at the edges before the centers soften, while waxy red potatoes can turn pasty when mashed.
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese + Sour Cream: Stabilizes the potato emulsion so your mash stays cloud-soft on the WARM buffet setting for 2+ hours without weeping liquid.
- Day-Old Sourdough & Brioche Cubes (For Stuffing): Stale or oven-toasted 3/4-inch bread cubes soak up herb butter, sautéed mirepoix, whisked eggs, and chicken stock like little savory sponges without collapsing into mush.
- Fresh Poultry Herbs (Never Just Dried Dust!): Finely chopped fresh sage leaves, rosemary needles, thyme, and flat-leaf parsley make your entire house smell like Thanksgiving morning by noon.
Step-by-Step Timing Blueprint for Two Side-by-Side Slow Cookers
Whether you borrow a second 6-quart slow cooker from a family member (my favorite Thanksgiving move!) or bake one ahead and rewarm, the hands-on prep takes barely twenty-five minutes:
- Start Crockpot #1 (No-Boil Mashed Potatoes — 3.5 to 4 Hours on HIGH): Toss peeled, evenly cut 1-inch Yukon Gold cubes into a buttered crockpot with chicken broth, smashed garlic cloves, salt, and half the butter. Cook covered until a paring knife slides in with zero resistance—do not drain the remaining concentrated broth! Mash directly in the pot with warm butter, softened cream cheese, sour cream, and warm milk.
- Start Crockpot #2 (Herb Butter Stuffing — 3.5 Hours on LOW): Sweat diced onion, celery, and fresh herbs in a whole stick of real butter on the stove for 7 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Toss gently over oven-dried bread cubes, drizzle gradually with whisked egg-and-stock mixture until moistened (not swimming), transfer to a generously buttered crockpot, and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes then LOW for 3 hours.
- The Paper-Towel Lid Trick for Stuffing: Drape a clean kitchen towel or double layer of paper towels tightly underneath the slow cooker lid during the last hour of cooking your stuffing—it catches condensation droplets before they drip back onto the bread, giving you light, fluffy stuffing instead of soggy tops!
Only Have One Slow Cooker? Use This Stress-Free Schedule
If you only own a single slow cooker, make the crockpot mashed potatoes the day before Thanksgiving, cool, and refrigerate in a buttered dish (rewarming with a splash of cream covered in a 325°F oven while the turkey rests for 30 minutes!), and dedicate your slow cooker on Thanksgiving Day to the herb butter slow cooker stuffing—or vice versa! You can also browse more hands-off inspiration in our 25+ easy crockpot dinners guide.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Leftover Tips
- Cube Bread 2 Days Early: Cut crusty country sourdough or French bread into 3/4-inch cubes and leave uncovered on baking sheets overnight (or toast at 300°F for 15 minutes) so every cube dries evenly.
- Avoid Food Processors on Potatoes: Never blitz slow-cooked potatoes with an immersion blender—high-speed blades shred swollen starch granules into wallpaper paste. Use a classic hand potato masher or potato ricer!
- Leftovers: Both sides keep beautifully in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (leftover stuffing crisped in a waffle iron topped with poached eggs or gravy the next morning is pure holiday magic).
Easy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes & Herb Butter Slow Cooker Stuffing
Save precious holiday oven space with ultra-creamy no-boil Yukon Gold crockpot mashed potatoes and golden-edged fresh herb butter slow cooker stuffing—two foolproof Thanksgiving & Christmas side dishes that stay warm for hours!
Equipment
- Two 6-quart slow cookers (or 1 slow cooker using the staggered make-ahead note)
- Handheld potato masher (never a blender)
- Large skillet & mixing bowl (for sautéing stuffing aromatics)
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Cook the No-Boil Crockpot Mashed Potatoes: Grease a 6-quart slow cooker with butter. Add the cubed Yukon Gold potatoes, smashed garlic, 1.25 cups chicken broth, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and kosher salt. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3.5 to 4 hours (or LOW for 6.5 hours) until completely fork-tender.
- 2Mash Straight in the Pot: Do NOT drain the liquid. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter, softened cream cheese, and sour cream directly to the hot potatoes and mash by hand until velvety smooth, folding in warm milk/cream to reach your ideal cloud-like consistency. Switch to WARM and top with fresh chives and a pat of butter.
- 3Prep the Herb Butter Stuffing Aromatics: For the stuffing slow cooker, melt 0.75 cup (1.5 sticks) butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion and celery for 7–8 minutes until tender and translucent, then stir in the fresh chopped sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 4Toss & Hydrate the Bread Cubes: Place the dried bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the warm herb-butter vegetables over top, tossing well. Whisk 2.25 cups chicken stock with the 2 beaten eggs, salt, and pepper, then drizzle gradually over the bread while folding gently until evenly moistened without pooling liquid at the bottom.
- 5Slow Cook the Stuffing: Transfer to a generously buttered 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes, then reduce to LOW for 3 hours (tucking a clean kitchen towel under the lid during the final hour to catch steam), until set inside with golden toasted edges.
Notes
- Single Slow Cooker Option: Make the crockpot mashed potatoes 1 day ahead, refrigerate in a buttered baking dish, and rewarm covered at 325°F for 25 minutes while your roast turkey rests under foil—freeing your slow cooker on Thanksgiving Day for the stuffing!
- Keep-Warm Limit: Both dishes hold wonderfully on the slow cooker WARM setting for up to 2 hours; stir a 2-tablespoon splash of warm milk into the mashed potatoes right before serving.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Side Dish, Holiday
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Keyword: crockpot mashed potatoes, slow cooker stuffing recipe, crockpot thanksgiving sides
