While holiday ham is definitely a staple of the season, it can be a bit of a pain to make. Fortunately, this slow cooker version for cider ham is a little bit easier and can prepare itself in a more or less hands-off manner. It also tastes incredible when it’s ready. This recipe comes from Recipe Girl and here’s how you do it:

1 1/2 cups of apple cider
1/4 cup of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon of ginger
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1 orange
1 bone-in smoked ham
1 cinnamon stick

1. Pour the cider in the slow cooker.
2. In a side bowl, mix your maple syrup, dijon, ginger and pepper together. Zest your orange into the bowl as well and mix everything up.
3. Rub one side of the ham with your marinade and put that side facing downward into the slow cooker.
4. Scoop the rest of the marinade all over the rest of the ham as well.
5. Peel your orange and chop it up roughly, getting rid of any seeds. Add the orange chunks around the ham and tuck in the cinnamon stick as well.
6. Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for eight hours or on high for four.
7. When the time is up, move the ham to a platter. Strain the extra liquid into another container and serve with the ham as gravy!

If you don’t want to do a classic ham dish but you’re still looking for some kind of pork, this bacon-wrapped version is definitely one that’s worth trying out. Obviously, wrapping anything in bacon is bound to be delicious—though there’s also a delicious glaze on top of it all that’s sure to please. This recipe comes to us from Damn Delicious and is definitely going to be a new favorite. Here’s how you make it:

1/4 cup of brown sugar
3 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
1 boneless pork loin, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
6 slices of bacon
1 sprig of rosemary
salt
pepper

1. In a bowl, mix together your fig jam, mustards and orange zest before setting it all aside.
2. In another bowl, mix your brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary. When it’s ready, rub that mixture all over the pork loin.
3. Heat your vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add your pork loin and sear it on both sides for about two to three minutes until it’s golden brown.
4. When it’s seared, take your bacon slices and wrap them around the pork, each one overlapping slightly.
5. Next, put the pork loin in your slow cooker and top it off with the jam mix.
6. Cover the slow cooker and let it cook on low heat for three to four hours.
7. Make sure the internal temperature is 140 degrees or higher when it’s done and serve immediately, garnishing with rosemary!

Even if stuffing is a little bit more of a Thanksgiving thing than a Christmas one, it’s so good that you might as well make it whenever you can. Although stovetop stuffing is pretty simple on its own, this delicious homemade version is definitely worth trying all on its own. Here’s how you make it:

1 cup of chopped onion
1 cup of chopped celery
1/4 cup of butter
6 cups of cubed, day-old white bread
6 cups of cubed, day-old wheat bread
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 can of chicken broth
2 eggs, beaten

1. In a nonstick pan, add butter, celery and onion and cook them over medium heat until they turn tender.
2. Get out a large bowl and combine your bread cubes, poultry seasoning, salt, sage and pepper.
3. Stir in your onion mix as well.
4. Mix together your broth and eggs before adding those to the bread mix. Toss everything until it’s evenly coated.
5. Next, transfer everything to a sprayed down slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for three to four hours.
6. Make sure the temperature of everything is 160 degrees Fahrenheit before taking it all out and serving.

French onion soup is so delicious but it’s also typically a pretty involved recipe. Still, it’s a great recipe to make in addition to whatever else might be on the Christmas table—and it doesn’t have to be as hard to make as it seems. If you have a slow cooker handy, you can definitely give this recipe from How Sweet Eats a try. Here’s how you make it:

4 sweet onions, sliced
3 cloves of minced garlic
4 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of flour
8 ounces of beer
64 ounces of beef stock
2 tablespoons of fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
french bread
gruyere cheese, sliced

1. Begin by setting your slow cooker on high heat. Add onions, garlics, brown sugar, butter, salt and balsamic. Mix it all up until it’s well-combined.
2. Cover the pot and let it cook for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add flour, stir everything together and let it sit for five minutes.
4. Add your beer, beef stock, thyme and pepper. Next, turn the heat down to low and cover it.
5. Let the soup cook on low for six to eight hours.
6. When the soup is ready, cut french bread into slices and top each bowl of sauce with a slice of bread with a slice of cheese on top. Broil it before serving and enjoy!

Ok, so this one is a little bit simpler than some of the other recipes on this list. Still, baked potatoes are no less a classic than any other food we’ve gone over so far—and you can make them in a slow cooker with so little effort. Once again, this delicious recipe comes to us from the Frugal Girls. Here’s how you make it:

4 Russett potatoes
sour cream
cheese
chopped chives
bacon bits
butter

1. Begin by washing and drying your potatoes.
2. Poke each one of your potatoes with a fork several times before wrapping them in foil.
3. Put the potatoes in your slow cooker and cover them, setting them to cook on high for four hours or on low for eight hours.
4. Rotate the potatoes occasionally throughout the cook time.
5. Cut the potatoes open when they’re done and top them with whatever toppings you’d like!

When it’s particularly cold outside, few things are as satisfying as a nice hot cup of hot chocolate. Adding a little bit of peppermint for kick can take the drink to a new level and give it some Christmas spirit—which is exactly what we want to do here! As it turns out, slow cookers aren’t only good for savory dishes on Christmas. Put them to use for your desserts as well! Here’s how you do it:

3 cups of confectioner’s sugar
2 cups of unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups of whole milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of salt
8 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed
3 cups of mini-marshmallows
2 cups of peppermint schnapps (optional)

1. Whisk your sugar and cocoa powder together in your slow cooker.
2. Turn the heat on high and gradually whisk in the milk.
3. Add vanilla and salt before covering it up and letting it cook for an hour and a half.
4. Next, whisk in the chopped chocolate gradually until it melts and incorporates.
5. Cover the pot again and let it cook for another 30 minutes.
6. Turn the cooker down to warm and serve with peppermint candies and schnapps.

If you’re looking for a dessert that’s a little more substantial, you can’t really go wrong by making some truly sumptuous chocolate brownies. While you can always bake them in a pan as well, there’s something so gooey and satisfying about making them in a slow cooker. Fortunately, the recipe also couldn’t be easier to make. Here’s how you do it:

2 1/2 cups of brownie mix
1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of hot water
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons of melted butter
1 package of instant chocolate pudding mix
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

1. Begin by spraying down your slow cooker.
2. Combine your brownie mix, chocolate chips, brown sugar, water, eggs, butter, pudding mix and cocoa directly in the slow cooker.
3. Stir everything up to combine before covering it and letting it cook on high for two hours.
4. Turn the heat off and let the brownies sit for 30 minutes.
5. When they’re done, scoop them into bowls and top with whipped cream or ice cream.

Toffee pudding is not a dessert you’re all that likely to make throughout the year. Still, it can really hit the spot after a big Christmas dinner! Fortunately, we have yet another delicious and easy-to-make slow cooker recipe for just that occasion. Here’s how you make it:

Pudding:
1 1/2 cups of pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 1/4 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
zest from an orange
Sauce:
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

1. Simmer your dates and milk in a saucepan over medium heat for about three to four minutes.
2. Take everything off the heat and stir in baking soda, setting it aside to cool.
3. In another bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Whisk together your sugar, butter, eggs and zest in another bowl until it all turns smooth.
5. Add the date mixture as well until combined. Then, add in your flour mixture.
6. Line your slow cooker with a double layer of aluminum foil, pressing it down evenly.
7. Spray it down with cooking spray before pouring in your batter.
8. Cover and let it cook on low for four hours (fold some paper towels and put them just under the lid to absorb extra moisture as well).
9. When the cake is done, let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Make the sauce by bringing your sugar, cream and butter to a boil in a small saucepan on medium-high heat.
11. Keep stirring and cooking until smooth, approximately five minutes. Add your nutmeg.
12. Next, poke holes your cake with a skewer and pour half of the toffee sauce on top. Let it absorb before pouring on the rest.

If you’re looking for something that will warm the party up while everyone waits for the main course, you definitely can’t go wrong with a creamy and delicious spinach dip. As with most of these recipes, all you really have to do is throw everything together, set it and forget it. Here’s how you make it:

8 ounces of cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup of whipping cream
1 package of frozen spinach
2 tablespoons of chopped pimento
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of grated onion
1/4 teaspoon of thyme

1. Start by mixing your cream cheese and cream in the slow cooker.
2. Cover it and cook on low for one to one and a half hours.
3. In the meantime, cook the spinach as directed on the package and strain the results through a colander.
4. Once the cheese melts, add your spinach, pimento, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, parmesan cheese, grated onion and dried thyme.
5. Cover everything again and cook on low for 45 minutes.
6. When it’s done, serve the dip hot from the slow cooker with crackers, chips, bread cubes or other dippable snacks.

Last but not least, a slow cooker version of chicken pot pie is perfect to make for the holidays and is sure to be a family favorite. As always, the end result is delicious and it’s very easy to throw together. Here’s how you make it:

3 cups of cooked chicken, diced
2 cans of chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1 bay leaf
3 cups of cubed potatoes
1 package of frozen vegetables
1 cup of milk
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 pie crust

1. Put a liner in your slow cooker. Combine your chicken, chicken broth, salt, pepper, celery, onion, bay leaf, potatoes and mixed veggies in the slow cooker as well.
2. Cover your slow cooker and set it to cook on low for seven to nine hours or on high for three and a half to four and a half hours. Take the bay leaf out as well.
3. Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
4. In a small bowl, mix your milk and flour in a small bowl before adding that to the slow cooker.
5. Stir in your pepper, poultry seasoning and salt.
6. Take the liner out of the slow cooker and set your pie crust on top of it.
7. Put the entire thing in the oven and bake it for 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered.
8. When it’s done, take it out and enjoy!