These 4-ingredient slow cooker Easter glazed sweet potato coins are the kind of side dish that makes kids light up and grown-ups go back for seconds. My grandson took one bite and said they taste like candy, and honestly, he’s not wrong. Thick slices of sweet potato simmer low and slow in butter and brown sugar until they’re tender, glossy, and caramelized around the edges. This is a simple, hands-off recipe that feels special enough for Easter ham but easy enough for any Sunday dinner. It has that old-fashioned Midwestern holiday table feel—sweet, cozy, and meant to be shared.
Serve these sweet potato coins warm right out of the slow cooker, with a little of the extra brown sugar glaze spooned over the top. They’re perfect alongside Easter ham, deviled eggs, green beans, and a simple dinner roll to soak up the sauce. For a bigger spread, pair them with roasted asparagus or a fresh green salad to balance the sweetness. If you have leftovers, they reheat beautifully and even taste great next to breakfast sausage or scrambled eggs the next morning.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Easter Glazed Sweet Potato CoinsServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick coins
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or apple pie spice)
Directions
Prep the sweet potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into thick 1/2-inch coins. Try to keep the slices as even as you can so they cook at the same rate.
Layer in the slow cooker: Lightly grease a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a little butter. Arrange the sweet potato coins in the slow cooker in overlapping layers, like shingles, so they fill the bottom and slightly up the sides.
Add the brown sugar and cinnamon: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and ground cinnamon together with a fork, breaking up any clumps. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the sweet potato coins, making sure most slices get a little sugar on them.
Dot with butter: Scatter the small pieces of butter evenly over the top of the sugared sweet potatoes. As the butter melts, it will combine with the brown sugar and juices from the potatoes to create a glossy, candy-like glaze.
Slow cook until tender: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the sweet potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork but still hold their coin shape.
Gently baste with glaze: Once the sweet potatoes are tender, carefully spoon some of the brown sugar butter glaze from the bottom of the slow cooker over the top of the coins. This gives them that shiny, caramelized look and extra sweetness kids love.
Optional caramelizing step: If you want the tops extra glossy and a bit more caramelized for serving, transfer the top layer of coins with some glaze to a shallow baking dish and broil on the middle rack for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, just until lightly browned and bubbling.
Serve warm: Keep the sweet potato coins on the WARM setting in the slow cooker until ready to serve. Right before bringing them to the table, give them one last gentle spooning of glaze. Serve straight from the slow cooker or transfer to a warm serving dish, making sure to pour that candy-like sauce over the top.
Variations & Tips
For extra Easter flair, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to the brown sugar mixture before sprinkling it over the potatoes; the vanilla makes them taste even more like dessert. If your family loves marshmallows, you can transfer the cooked sweet potato coins to a baking dish, sprinkle mini marshmallows over the top, and broil just until toasted for a classic holiday twist. For a slightly less sweet version, reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and add 2 tablespoons maple syrup for a deeper flavor. Picky eaters who don’t like strong spices can skip the cinnamon altogether or cut it in half; the natural sweetness of the potatoes and brown sugar will still shine. To make this dairy-free, use a plant-based butter that’s made for baking and cooking. You can also add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts over the top during the last 30 minutes of slow cooking for a bit of crunch. If you’re cooking for a smaller group, halve the recipe and use a smaller slow cooker, checking for doneness about 30 minutes earlier so the coins don’t overcook.
