This little slow cooker dish is what I reach for when the day’s been long and I still want something that tastes like it’s been fussed over. It comes straight from the way my mother used to soften garden sweet potatoes and windfall apples together on the back of the woodstove, only now the slow cooker does the watching for us. With just three simple ingredients, you get a pan full of tender orange sweet potatoes and soft golden apples in a dark, sticky-sweet glaze that smells like home and feels like a hug in a bowl.
Spoon these sweet potatoes and apples into warm bowls and serve alongside roasted chicken, pork chops, or a simple baked ham—anything that likes a touch of sweetness on the plate. They’re also lovely on their own with a dollop of plain yogurt or whipped cream for a cozy dessert, or piled next to scrambled eggs and toast for a hearty farmhouse-style breakfast. If there are leftovers, they reheat beautifully and can be mashed lightly and spread over oatmeal or tucked into a warm biscuit.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Sweet Potatoes and ApplesServings: 6
Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
4 medium firm apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
1 cup packed brown sugar
Directions
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly 1-inch chunks so they cook evenly and stay in nice bite-size pieces.
Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1-inch chunks to match the sweet potatoes. Firm baking apples hold their shape best.
Lightly butter or spray the inside of your slow cooker to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
Scatter half of the sweet potato chunks in an even layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add half of the apple chunks on top.
Sprinkle half of the brown sugar evenly over the apples and sweet potatoes, letting it fall down between the pieces.
Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes and apples, then sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar evenly over the top so everything gets a chance to bathe in the syrup as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the sweet potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork and the apples are soft and starting to break down.
Once everything is tender, gently stir from the bottom to coat the sweet potatoes and apples in the dark, sticky glaze that has formed. Be careful not to mash them unless you prefer a softer texture.
Taste a piece of sweet potato and apple; if you’d like it sweeter, you can sprinkle a tablespoon or two more brown sugar over the top while it’s still hot and stir gently.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the dish sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This rest lets the glaze thicken a bit more and gives the flavors time to settle together.
Serve the sweet potatoes and apples straight from the slow cooker, making sure to spoon some of the rich syrupy glaze over each serving.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like a little more depth without adding extra ingredients, choose darker brown sugar for a richer, more molasses-like glaze, or use a mix of sweet potatoes and yams for slightly different textures. For a less sweet version, reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and cut your apples a bit smaller so they break down more and naturally sweeten the dish. You can also play with texture by stirring more vigorously at the end for a softer, mash-like consistency that’s wonderful spread over toast or stirred into hot cereal. To make this ahead for a busy day, prep the sweet potatoes and apples the night before, store them together in the refrigerator, and in the morning simply layer them in the slow cooker with the brown sugar and turn it on. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days and can be gently reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water if the glaze has thickened too much.
