When most people think of preparing a dish in a slow cooker, they don't think of desserts. There are, however, ways to make delicious Crock-Pot® desserts, which can spend a few hours baking in the slow cooker and will be ready to eat when dinner is done. Making Crock-Pot® desserts can be a great way for cooks to prepare desserts all year, too; in the summer, they prevent the kitchen from getting hot from having to turn on the oven, and in the winter, they can make the whole house smell delicious. Desserts such as warm pudding, cobbler and even cakes can be made with a little effort in the slow cooker.
Puddings are some of the easiest and most popular Crock-Pot® desserts to make. Bread pudding, tapioca pudding and even specialty seasonal recipes such as pumpkin pie pudding can be made in a slow cooker. More basic recipes, such as simple chocolate or vanilla pudding, can be made more exciting with additions such as chocolate chips or peanut butter.
Rice pudding also is a great choice for making in a Crock-Pot®. Cooks should be sure to look for a pudding recipe that is designed for a slow cooker. The ingredients will cook down over time, so it's necessary to adjust the measurements.
Fruit cobblers also can be great Crock-Pot® desserts. These take a bit more effort than pudding, but they are very flavorful because the fruit gets to stew in the juices all day. The batter can be cooked on top of the fruit, right in the slow cooker, just as it would be baked in the oven. For an easier option, yet a similar taste, baked apples or pears can be prepared in the slow cooker using ingredients such as maple syrup, apple juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. These are a bit of a healthier option as well, although they are excellent when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It is even possible for a cook to make a moist cake or cheesecake in a slow cooker. These Crock-Pot® desserts might take a bit more preparation time than others, but the resulting cake is often worth the effort. It generally involves mixing a boxed cake mix and instant pudding mix, as well as other ingredients such as milk and butter to make sure that the cake bakes properly yet remains moist.
