Take advantage of your slow cooker and make Crock Pot Stuffing for Thanksgiving this year! With cranberries, apples, and pecans, this recipe has all the classic flavor, but keeps your oven free to make room for the Thanksgiving Turkey.
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Make-Ahead Stuffing in the Slow Cooker
Not only is crock pot stuffing more low maintenance than traditional stuffing cooked in the oven, there’s a strong argument that it actually tastes better.
- The texture is perfect! Stuffing made in the slow cooker stays more moist in the center and has more surface area for the delightfully crispy, golden edges.
- Plus, outsourcing the stuffing to the slow cooker means your coveted oven space will be free for other endeavors on Thanksgiving and beyond.
- You can make it ahead. Assemble everything in your crockpot the night before, then add the broth just before cooking.
I’ve made a dozen different stuffing varieties over the years: Chestnut Stuffing, Crockpot Wild Rice Stuffing, Stuffing Muffins, and Cornbread Stuffing. I adore each, but this crock pot stuffing is the combination of flavors I return to again and again.
5 Star Review
“EVERYONE raved!! I definitely will bring this next year AND the next! It was so easy.”
— Sandy —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Bread. High-quality artisan bread can make all the difference in a homemade stuffing recipe. Whole grain rustic bread or sourdough bread is the best bread for stuffing.
- Pecans. I love adding pecans to this stuffing recipe. They add a wonderful nutty flavor and crunch. Both walnuts and almonds would also be tasty.
- Onions and Celery. Aromatics that add flavor to classic stuffing recipes (and crock pot stuffing too!).
- Herbs. Fresh sage and thyme add a cozy, subtle earthiness that tastes like pure fall goodness.
- Apple. For the ideal texture, choose a crisp apple like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady.
- Dried Cranberries. I love the touch of chewy sweetness that dried cranberries add to the stuffing.
Recipe Upgrades
If you’d like to take this crock pot stuffing to the next level, you can add sausage (I use turkey or chicken sausage) or sautéed mushrooms.
Just be sure to watch the capacity of your crock pot. You may need to cut down on the other mix-ins a bit to ensure it doesn’t overflow.
How to Make Stuffing in a Crock Pot
Toast. Toast the bread cubes in the oven at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Add the nuts and continue toasting. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Cook the Aromatics. Sauté the onions and celery. Stir in the herbs, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
Assemble. Stir in the apple and cranberries. Whisk together the eggs and broth, then fold the mixture into the slow cooker.
Cook. Lay a towel over the slow cooker, then cover with the lid (stuffing should be cooked covered). Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Top with fresh parsley and ENJOY!
Tip!
I do not recommend cooking this recipe on HIGH, as it may not cook all the way through before the edges begin to burn.
What to Serve With Crock Pot Stuffing
- Special Occasion Mains. Like Spatchcock Turkey and Baked Ham.
- Sunday Dinner Staples. Air Fryer Whole Chicken and Instant Pot Roast give you a reason to make stuffing a great side year-round.
- Holiday Faves. Can you even have stuffing without pairing it with your Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe and Cranberry Orange Sauce?!
Leftover Ideas
Use leftovers to make these simple and delicious Cheesy Breakfast Stuffing Cakes.
More Oven Free Side Dishes
- Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Crock Pot Stuffing
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Ingredients
- 1 loaf whole grain rustic bread or sourdough bread (16-18 ounce loaf), cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
- 1 cup roughly chopped pecans walnuts, or almonds (pecans are my favorite for stuffing)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 large stalks celery diced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 6 sprigs thyme leaves stripped off (discard the tough stems)
- 1 crisp apple such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady (I left the peels on, but you can peel if you prefer), medium diced
- 1 cup reduced-sugar dried cranberries
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups reduced-sodium turkey broth or chicken broth
- Fresh parsley optional for serving
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 6- or 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on two large, rimmed baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes, then stir the bread cubes and sprinkle the nuts over the top. Continue baking until the nuts are toasted and crisp and the bread cubes are dry, about 5 to 8 additional minutes. Watch the nuts very carefully towards the end so that they do not burn. Remove from the oven and place immediately in the prepared slow cooker.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Once the oil is hot and the butter is melted, add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and continue cooking until the celery is soft and the onions are golden, about 5 to 8 additional minutes.
- Stir in the sage and thyme and let cook 1 additional minute. Add to the slow cooker with the bread cubes.
- Add the diced apple and cranberries to the slow cooker, then with a large spoon, very gently stir to evenly distribute. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and broth until well combined. Pour over the bread-cube mixture, then fold gently to combine. Let the mixture sit a few minutes, then fold again so that the bread is evenly moistened.
- Lay a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels over the top of the slow cooker so that you have overhang on all sides. This will help absorb moisture. Cover, letting the paper towel poke out the sides of the lid, and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until lightly crisp around the edges and set in the center. If desired, sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
- TO MAKE AHEAD: You can individually prep all the stuffing components (bread and nuts, vegetables, egg-and-broth mixture), then store them separately, keeping the bread/nuts at room temperature and the rest in the refrigerator. Combine just before cooking.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate stuffing in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F. You can also keep stuffing warm in a slow cooker on the “warm” setting.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze stuffing in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- I do not recommend cooking this recipe on high, as it may not cook all the way through before the edges begin to burn.
It’s funny attitudes change over the years. I grew up on stuffing, which was stuffed into the bird – and nobody ever got sick or died from it. That said, I’m not sure I’ll ever have the need to cook a whole turkey, so I would need to make my stuffing/dressing separately. This recipe sounds like a real keeper, so I’m saving it. (Thanksgiving falls during my husband’s week to cook this year, so I’m not going to worry about any of it) ?
Susan, I hope you both enjoy it if you do give it a try! :)
Suggestions on putting this in Dutch oven and in the oven instead? My crock pot bit the dust and I’m dying to make this! Temps or how long? Thanks!
I think that should work, Gretchen! I’d try 350*F, and I’d start checking for doneness between 30 and 40 minutes. It may take longer to set—I haven’t tried this recipe in the oven, but that’s where I would start.
Hi Erin.. thank you for all the great recipes you share with us. I am a stuffing lover, and this sounds delicious. However, the finished product looks dry. I like stuffing that holds together… This looks like it’s loose. Maybe just the pictures?
Hi Cat! This is very moist and holds together nicely, with crispy edges as described. It might just be the pictures, because it’s not crumbly at all. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
This recipe really sounds good. The family really likes a little sausage in their dressing. Could you put cooked sausage in this recipe? I have made many of your delicious recipes. Thanks
Hi Rosemary, yes I think you could add in cooked sausage! I hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much for your kind comment!
This came out excellent! I totally should have checked how much it made, but if I was a snacker the amount of leftovers wouldn’t have been a problem anyway. :D
Jessi, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
Hi Erin this recipe sounds good but could it be made ahead and then reheated in the oven day of. Louise.
Hi Louise, I haven’t tried this myself, but it should work to reheat the stuffing in the oven the day of. I’d put it in a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake until warm. You can take the foil off for the last few minutes if you’d like it to crisp up a bit. I hope you enjoy!
Hi Louise, I had another thought/recommendation! If I were you, I would add everything to the slow cooker dry the day before, except the liquid. You could then stir together the liquid and pour it in just before cooking. I probably wouldn’t recommend cooking it all the way through then reheating it because of the shape—the outsides will be crispy, so it would be oddly shaped transferred out of the crock pot and into a pan to reheat. I hope that helps!
Erin, took this in my Crock Pot, (started at home & completed at families home) and EVERYONE Raved!! I definitely will bring this next year AND The next along side someone else’s traditional dressing! It was so easy. I bought an inexpensive artisan bread, let it dry (cubed) over night and it was so moist and delectable after ‘testing’ in Crock Pot, just an hour after cooking. Did do it on LOW, and I coulda eaten the whole Pot by myself; but what’s the fun in that..if you don’t get to hear the ‘yummy noiss’ Everyone makes when they try it?! ?
I’m so glad to hear this recipe was a success too, Sandy! Thanks so much for sharing how it went!
Thoughts on adding Italian sausage to this and subbing with cornbread? Please let me know what you think regarding moisture. Thanks!
Hi Jacqueline, that would be a major experiment, and I’m afraid I don’t have any specific guidance. You may also be interested in this cornbread stuffing (you could omit the sriracha if you want): https://www.wellplated.com/cornbread-sausage-stuffing/
Thanks for the rec, Erin!
Made this for Thanksgiving using GF bagels for the bread. It was fantastic. It had the most delicious aroma and had everyone asking when dinner would be! Was easy to do most of it before today, and freed up the stove and oven for other things. Definitely will be making it again.
Thanks for reporting back, Valeri! I’m happy to hear it was a winner!
I have an instant pot. I don’t think it will close with the towel to absorb the moisture. Any ideas or thoughts? Thank you!
Hi Nat! I’ve only tried to make this recipe in the slow cooker, so I’m afraid I don’t have any specific advice to offer for the Instant Pot. I hope you love the recipe if you try it!
LOVE this recipe! I do however add a sage flavored sausage and reduce the sage a bit, it is a family hit every year. Easy to make and more oven space for other things.
Thank you for this recipe <3
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Maria! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Had this on Thanksgiving after doing the prep ahead steps to help make day-of easier. It was delicious!! Full of flavor and moist ??
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Megan! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I’m making this now, it smells heavenly! Question — do you stir this halfway through to redistribute the liquid or does that disrupt the brown edges?
Hi Diane! No need to stir halfway through! Hope this helps!
I have vegetarians coming for Thanksgiving. Will this work with vegetable broth and still be flavorful?
Definitely Lois!! Hope you all love it. I’d use veggie stock vs. broth if you can find it because stock has a bit more flavor.
Can you just use the traditional bagged cubed stuffing? I really don’t want to make my own using bread due to time constraints
Hi Natasha, I haven’t tried it with bagged stuffing but it might work. The only issue I see is that sometimes the bagged stuffing cubes are smaller pieces than the ones you see here. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Not a single quantity of anything is listed except 1 apple.
You mention adding broth.
Which one ? How much ?
Onion- White ? Yellow ?
Eggs- How many ?
I’m sure this is delicious, but I can’t make it with the information provided and I’m not going to guess at it.
I’m sorry to hear you are having trouble, Julian. It seems like you are only looking at the blog post. You’ll need to go to the recipe card for the entire recipe. You had to scroll past it to comment, or you can click the “jump to recipe” button that is provided at the top of the screen. Hope this helps!
My son can’t have onions and celery. Last yr did some cornbread and cranberries. Soso.
This time maybe 2 breads, cranberry, apple, and mushrooms. Maybe sweeten the mushrooms a tiny bit? What do u think?
Sage, thyme, parsley? Salt and pepper. Egg and chicken broth.
It will lost some flavor without the onions and celery, so I’d then recommend increasing the amount of herbs. You can experiment with 2 different types of bread (though cornbread will get soggy). I’ve only tested the recipe as written, but it you try some substitutes, I’d love to hear how it goes!
For some reason this recipe did not work for me. I used a sourdough artisan loaf, dried it in the oven etc. Everything was made as written. The stuffing more or less congealed into a goopy mass and turned grayish color. I think it would have been better in the oven. Possibly?
I’m sorry to hear this BSD. I have no idea what could of caused it to turn gray, maybe the type of broth used? The oven works great too!
Hi Erin, can I combine everything in slowcooker the night before and cook next day.
Betty, I haven’t tried this but I think it would work! I’d refrigerate the insert, then let it come to room temperature before cooking the stuffing.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe! I tried it today and plan to make it again for Thanksgiving. It’s perfect—simple to prepare and absolutely delicious. It’ll definitely help ease the stress of Thanksgiving cooking!
Glad to hear, thank you Laura!
Hi Erin, your stuffing has become our Thanksgiving favorite! Most of my family isn’t a fan of traditional homemade stuffing and usually prefers Stove Top, which I get. But this recipe strikes the perfect balance between the two. The stuffing purists love it, and the Stove Top fans do too—it’s a win-win! 😂
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Mara!
Hi Erin,
This recipe sounds wonderful! Can it be made without the eggs? Thanks!
Hi Annie, I’ve not tested this without the egg, so I can’t say. My recommendation would be to make it as is. Enjoy!
Would you expect a double batch to cook in a similar time or would you suggest a Sec nd Crock-Pot? Anyone tried it?
Hi Alissa, I haven’t attempted to double it this so it would be hard for me to say. I imagine that the crock pot would need to be a large one in order to double. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Hi,
Can you leave out the pecans for family that does not want nuts ? Would you need to sub anything for flavor ? Or not necessarily?
Thanks!
Hi Kate, yes you can leave them out, and it’s not necessary to substitute them with anything else if nuts are not being used. Enjoy!
This was my first time making stuffing in a Crock Pot, and I’m hooked! It came out so flavorful and cooked evenly. I loved being able to prepare it early and let it cook while I focused on the turkey. My family couldn’t stop talking about how delicious it was. Thank you!
Yay! Thanks Paula!
Thinking of trying this in place of Grammie’s traditional stuffing.. Do you think I could add cooked sausage to this?
Yes, I think it would work! Thanks Jane!
I am excited to make this for a Friendsgiving! How much sausage would you suggest adding? Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Eileen, going just based off my sausage stuffing recipe, I’d use a pound. Hope this helps and let us know how it goes!
I love this idea. I have very limited oven space and cooking additional stuffing has been a problem. My recipe includes ground turkey in the stuffing. Can this be done in the crock pot or am I asking for trouble with a low temperature. I always sautee the turkey until very browned before adding.
Hi Nancy! I’d saute the ground turkey before adding it. Let us know how it goes!
This sounds delicious for Thanksgiving! Do you think you could toast the bread & nuts the day before? Oven space is at a premium so toasting on the day of would be a challenge.
That should work! Enjoy Rachel!
Is it okay to substitute the reduced fat/reduced sodium ingredients for the standard versions?
Sure!
Made this for Friendsgiving and everyone kept asking who made the stuffing. It was simple but really tasty. I liked that it didn’t get soggy, and the edges got a little crispy which I love. I used homemade bread cubes because I had some leftovers, and it turned out perfect.
Yay! So glad to hear, Giselle!
Made this stuffing today as a test run before the holidays. It’s so much easier than baking it, and I liked that I didn’t have to keep checking on it. It came out moist and flavorful, not mushy like I was scared it might be.
So glad to hear, Alaina! Thank you for reporting back!
This recipe saved me so much stress during the holidays. Honestly, it was so convenient and still tasted homemade. The herbs made the whole house smell like the holidays. It was a little on the dry side at first, but I added a splash more broth and it came out just right.
So glad to hear, Brittany! Thank you!