These slow-cooker desserts deliver homemade sweet treats with almost no effort.
38 Easy Slow-Cooker Dessert Recipes
Updated on Jul. 22, 2025
1/38
Peachy Summer Cheesecake
Total Time
2 hours 55 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a cool, always refreshing dessert that is fancy enough to take to a gathering. You can make this ahead of time and freeze it. Make sure you cover it well in an airtight container and add the peaches only after the cheesecake thaws. —Joan Engelhardt, Latrobe, Pennsylvania
2/38
Slow-Cooker Dump Cake
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
No matter the season, this dump cake recipe is wonderful! It works well with gluten-free and sugar-free cake mixes too. —Karin Gatewood, Josephine, Texas
3/38
Slow-Cooker Pina Colada Bananas Foster
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
6 servings (3 cups)
From the Recipe Creator:
I took bananas Foster one step further and combined it with the flavors of my favorite tropical drink—pina colada. Make sure your bananas are not super ripe. You will want to choose ones that are still nice and firm, as they'll work best in this recipe. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
4/38
Slow-Cooked Gingered Pears
Total Time
4 hours 35 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My slow cooker allows me to serve a heartwarming dessert without much effort. Topped with caramel sauce, these tender pears feature a surprise filling of nuts and brown sugar.—Catherine Mueller, St. Paul, Minnesota
5/38
Amaretto Cherries with Dumplings
Total Time
8 hours
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
You can't beat the combination of almond flavor with cherries. These light and fluffy dumplings are heavenly. Topped with the sauce and ice cream, it makes for a scrumptious dessert. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
6/38
Slow-Cooker Chocolate Pots de Creme
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
These rich, custardy chocolate 'pots' are the sweetest treat! I love the ease of using a slow cooker water bath for gentle heating—no need for the oven. They're a simple, make-ahead dessert, perfect for any occasion, any time of year. —Sarah Farmer, Waukesha, Wisconsin
7/38
Tapioca Pudding
Total Time
4 hours 40 min
Servings
18 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My family loves traditional tapioca, but I don’t always have time to make it. So I came up with this simple recipe that lets us enjoy one of our favorites without all the hands-on time. —Ruth Peters, Bel Air, Maryland
8/38
Minister's Delight
Total Time
2 hours 5 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A friend gave me this recipe several years ago. She said a local minister's wife fixed it every Sunday, so she named it accordingly. —Mary Ann Potter, Blue Springs, Missouri
9/38
Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Roll Pudding
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A slow cooker turns day-old cinnamon rolls into a comforting, old-fashioned dessert. It tastes wonderful topped with lemon or vanilla sauce or whipped cream. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
10/38
Cinnamon Apples
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
6 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
If you’re feeling festive, scoop some vanilla ice cream over a bowl of my cinnamon spiced apples. They’re homey, aromatic and just plain heavenly. —Amie Powell, Knoxville, Tennessee
11/38
Butterscotch-Pecan Bread Pudding
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Bread pudding fans just might hoard this yummy butterscotch version. Toppings like whipped cream and a butterscotch drizzle make this dessert absolutely irresistible. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas
12/38
Tropical Cranberry Cobbler
Total Time
4 hours 20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The sunny island flavors of pineapple and orange go so well with the tart cranberries in this dessert. A scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it a tasty treat. —Jeanne Holt, St. Paul, MN
13/38
Caribbean Bread Pudding
Total Time
4 hours 30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A completely unexpected dessert from the slow cooker, my bread pudding is loaded with wonderful tropical flavors. I like to garnish it with a slice of fresh pineapple, whipped cream and a cherry—just like a pina colada! —Elizabeth Doss, California City, California
14/38
Slow Cooker Fruit Compote
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
18 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I use canned goods and my slow cooker to whip up an old-fashioned treat that’s loaded with sweet fruits. It makes a cozy dessert or even a change-of-pace side dish for large parties. —Mary Ann Jonns, Midlothian, Illinois
15/38
Apple Streusel
Total Time
6 hours 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Many people don't think of using a slow cooker to make dessert, but I like having this hot, scrumptious apple treat waiting to be served when we finish up our dinner. I start it in the morning and don't think about it all day. —Jacki Every, Rotterdam, New York
16/38
Slow-Cooker Bananas Foster
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
5 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The flavors of caramel, rum and walnut naturally complement fresh bananas in this version of a dessert classic. It's my go-to choice for any family get-together. —Crystal Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
17/38
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
8 servings (1-1/3 cups sauce)
From the Recipe Creator:
Savor your favorite fall flavors with this scrumptious bread pudding, served warm with a sweet vanilla sauce. Yum! —Judith Bucciarelli, Newburgh, New York
18/38
Slow-Cooker Flan in a Jar
Total Time
2 hours 25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Spoil yourself or the people you love with these delightful portable custards. They are a cute take on the Mexican dessert classic. Tuck a jar into your lunchbox for a sweet treat. —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
19/38
Coconut Mango Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
Total Time
3 hours 30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
All the fun flavors of Puerto Rico come together in a dessert that's both exotic and familiar. Topped with a brown sugar rum sauce, it's even better with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. —Jennifer Jackson, Keller, Texas
20/38
Slow-Cooker Spumoni Cake
Total Time
4 hours 10 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I created this cake for a holiday potluck one year. It has become one of my most requested desserts. If you prefer, you can use all semisweet chips instead of a mix. —Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri
21/38
Slow-Cooker Cherry Buckle
Total Time
3 hours 10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I saw this recipe on a cooking show and came up with my own version. When the comforting aroma of this homey dessert drifts through the house, it’s hard not to take a quick peek inside the slow cooker —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
22/38
Apple Butterscotch Crisp
Total Time
2 hours 40 min
Servings
3 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I give this classic dessert a rich twist with butterscotch pudding. The warm apple filling bubbles to perfection in a mini slow cooker. —Jolanthe Erb, Harrisonburg, Virginia
23/38
Strawberry-Banana Pudding Cake
Total Time
3 hours 45 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This luscious pink pudding cake is so easy to put together. Top it with ice cream and fresh fruit, and you have one very happy family. —Nadine Mesch, Mount Healthy, Ohio
24/38
Slow-Cooked Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce
Total Time
6 hours 10 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This tart and tangy fruit sauce is excellent over pound cake or ice cream. I have served this topping many times and have gotten rave reviews from friends and family. —Judith Wasman, Harkers Island, North Carolina
25/38
Apple Pie Oatmeal Dessert
Total Time
4 hours 15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Warm and comforting oatmeal desserts bring back memories of times spent with my family around the kitchen table. I serve this dish with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream as a topper. —Carol Greer, Earlville, Illinois
26/38
Chocolate Malt Pudding Cake
Total Time
2 hours 25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When I make this warm, comforting cake, I chop the malted milk balls by putting them in a bag and pounding them with a rubber mallet. Doing this completely eliminates the mess. —Sarah Skubinna, Cascade, Montana
27/38
Slow-Cooker Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce
Total Time
4 hours 45 min
Servings
5 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
We recently started growing our own rhubarb, and we live in a part of Oregon where strawberries are plentiful. I created this to drizzle over ice cream and filled a crisp with the rest. —Kim Banick, Salem, Oregon
28/38
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
There's nothing better than this comforting bread pudding on a cold, wintry day. The bourbon sauce tastes extravagant, but it's really simple to prepare. The slow cooker does the most of the work for you! —Hope Johnson, Youngwood, Pennsylvania
29/38
Tropical Compote Dessert
Total Time
2 hours 30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
To make a more adult version of this recipe, use brandy instead of the extra tropical fruit juice. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
30/38
Burgundy Pears
Total Time
3 hours 10 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
These warm spiced pears elevate slow cooking to a new level of elegance, yet they're incredibly easy to make. Your friends won't believe this fancy-looking dessert came from a slow cooker. —Elizabeth Hanes, Peralta, New Mexico
31/38
Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Total Time
6 hours 10 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My husband loves anything pumpkin, and this creamy, comforting pumpkin pudding recipe is one of his favorites. We make our easy pudding all year long, but it's especially nice in the fall. —Andrea Schaak, Bloomington, Minnesota
32/38
Cranberry Stuffed Apples
Total Time
3 hours 10 min
Servings
5 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts add a homey autumn flavor to these stuffed apples, while the slow cooker does most of the work. —Graciela Sandvigen, Rochester, New York
33/38
Pumpkin Spice Custard
Total Time
6 hours 10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Here’s a traditional slow-cooker pumpkin spice custard with some espresso powder for a latte effect. —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon
34/38
Slow-Cooker Strawberry Soda Cake
Total Time
2 hours 30 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When you want a sweet cake without the heat of the oven, this slow-cooked strawberry spin on cola cake comes in handy. The topping smells divinely like chocolate-covered strawberries. (Remember this one for Valentine’s Day!) Delicious served with whipped cream or powdered sugar. —Laura Herbage, Covington, Louisiana
35/38
Slow-Cooked Blueberry Grunt
Total Time
2 hours 50 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you love blueberries, then you can't go wrong with this easy dessert. For a special treat, serve it warm with vanilla ice cream. —Cleo Gonske, Redding, California
36/38
Apple-Nut Bread Pudding
Total Time
3 hours 10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Traditional bread pudding gives way to autumn's influences in this comforting dessert. I add apples and pecans to this slow-cooked version, then top warm servings with ice cream. —Lori Fox, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
37/38
Pink Grapefruit Cheesecake
Total Time
2 hours 20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Cheesecake in a slow cooker? It's true! I experimented a few times to turn this iconic dessert into a slow-cooker classic. Give it a try. I promise you'll be absolutely amazed by the results! —Krista Lanphier Milwaukee, WI
38/38
Slow Cooker Spiced Poached Pears
Total Time
4 hours 25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Some of the many reasons I love this dessert recipe are: it's on the healthy side; it's easy to make; the recipe can be mostly prepared in advance of company arriving; and the presentation is lovely.—Jill Mant, Denver, Colorado
Slow Cooker Desserts FAQ
What desserts can I make in a slow cooker?
You can make desserts in a slow cooker that benefit from being cooked gently in a steamy environment, like cakes, cobblers, bread puddings and custardy treats. The low heat will prevent eggs from scrambling in a flan recipe, but it is still strong enough to lightly caramelize fruit and sugar. You can also simmer a flavorful poaching liquid to cook pears, for a fancy-looking but easy dessert. Many of these slow-cooker dessert recipes come together with pantry staples like boxed cake mix, canned fruit or day-old bread, so you can make a treat without much planning.
How do I prevent desserts from sticking in a slow cooker?
To prevent desserts from sticking, especially recipes with a sugary layer on the bottom, coat the insert thoroughly with butter or nonstick spray. You can also try one of our favorite, helpful slow-cooker tips: Use a liner in the insert to make clean-up a snap and lift firmer desserts, like a bread pudding, out of the pot. To protect the surface of the slow cooker pot, use silicone or plastic tools since scratches will be magnets for trapped bits of food.
What are the best slow cooker desserts for parties?
The best slow-cooker desserts for parties include fruit cobblers, dump cakes and bread puddings, served warm or slightly cooled in generous scoops. These desserts can be served straight from the slow cooker, topped with whipped cream, ice cream or a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce. For smaller gatherings, try individual desserts, like flan in jars or chocolate pots de creme.
