11 Impressive Holiday Desserts You Can Make in a Slow Cooker

If you love frosted cookies and Christmas cakes, slow-cooker holiday desserts may not seem like the best idea. I mean, if there’s any time to go all-out on fancy dessert, it’s the holidays. Decorating Christmas cookies, putting together a gingerbread house, and soaking fruitcake with rum are all super festive ways to spend an evening—not to mention, they tend to yield delicious results.

MORE: 50 Holiday Recipes That Will Have Everyone Asking for Seconds

That said, there comes a point—probably sometime in mid-December—when you can’t bear to roll out another ball of sugar cookie dough, or pipe another line of frosting. When that point hits, you’re going to want to have these slow-cooker holiday desserts bookmarked and ready to go.

MORE: 20 Quick, Easy Holiday Cocktail Recipes That Will Win Any Party

Whether you love rich chocolate cake or see yourself as more of a fruit crisp person, there’s something here for you. All of the recipes are guaranteed easy and delicious, and can be made ahead of time for stress-free holiday party prep.

So, what are you waiting for? Add one (or all) of these 11 slow-cooker holiday desserts to your December to-do list.

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Chocolate Lava Cake

A chocolate lava cake might make people happy any time of year—but it makes for a particularly perfect easy holiday dessert.

Baking Queen 74

Gingerbread Pudding

Christmas pudding may be iffy, but gingerbread pudding is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. This one comes out perfectly textured, thanks to being gently slow-cooked.

You Baby Me Mummy

Pecan Christmas Fudge

Make a batch of pecan Christmas fudge for a post-dinner treat, or give it out as an easy, tasty, inexpensive hostess gift.

Kristine’s Kitchen Blog

Apple Crisp

Seize the end of apple season with this healthy-ish—but still absolutely sweet and yummy—apple crisp.

Mom on Time Out

Hot Fudge Turtle Brownies

These hot fudge turtle brownies are so gooey they’re almost pudding!

Baking Queen 74

Boozy Salted Caramel Fudge

Want an easy make-ahead option that will obviously pair well with after-dinner drinks? Boozy salted caramel fudge is the answer.

Crazy for Crust

Caramel Cake

You really can’t go wrong with a sweet classic like caramel cake.

 

The Gunny Sack

Apple-Walnut Bread Pudding

This apple-walnut bread pudding comes out super fancy, and is a great way to use up any days-old bread you have lying around.

Dessert for Two

Creme Brûlée

You’ll need a brûlée torch to finish off these beauties, but everything else about these simple, individual creme brûlée happens in the slow cooker.

Willow Bird Baking

4-Ingredient Coconut Cake

I don’t know if coconut cake is a part of your holiday tradition, but it’s definitely a part of mine.

Baking Queen 74

Cranberry and Vanilla Steamed Pudding

Finish on a lighter note with this cranberry and vanilla steamed pudding, which is perfectly dense and gets a bit of tang from the fruity topping.