Slow Cooker Spiced Sweets
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sweet potatoes slow-cooked with a honey chili glaze thickened by cornstarch. Butter cubes melt into a spicy cinnamon-honey syrup. Mid-cook stirring adjusts texture. Bacon bits, nuts, parsley finish the dish. A versatile side that balances sweet heat and soft texture, yielding fork-tender rounds bathed in sticky glaze. Adjust chili flakes to taste. Substitute maple syrup for honey for deeper flavor. Uses cornstarch-water slurry to avoid raw starch taste. Low-and-slow cooking brings out natural sweetness, high speeds up if needed. A soulful dish with tactile and visual cues, not just timers.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#slow cooker
#sweet potatoes
#glaze
#spiced
#cornstarch
#butter
#honey
#bacon
#nuts
#parsley
Broke a few times trying sticky sweet potatoes in the slow cooker. Overcooked mush or dry edges. Learned slicing thick, uniform rounds essential — helps them hold shape while softening. Cornstarch slurry not just thickener but texture balancer. Raw starch taste? Avoid by dissolving fully and adding midway cook only if needed. Butter cubes drop slow melt, makes pockets of richness. I mix honey with cinnamon and chili flakes — combo wakes up the natural sweetness with spark and warmth. Midway stirring crucial. Smells aromatics deep into kitchen. Topped with bacon bits — salty crunch wins every time. Nuts or fresh herbs finish with texture and color contrast.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- cold water to mix with cornstarch
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes (reduce if sensitive)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter cubed
- Optional toppings cooked bacon crumbles
- Optional toppings fresh parsley
- Optional toppings toasted pecans or walnuts
About the ingredients
Peeling sweet potatoes cleanly is key; woody skins can dull glaze texture. Use sharp peeler or paring knife, takes less frustration. Cornstarch chosen over flour to avoid floury taste or color cloudiness. Cold water for slurry helps marry cornstarch without lumps or clumping. Honey gives natural sweetness and viscosity; maple syrup swap adds woodsy undertone. Butter cold, cubed allows slow release, infuses potatoes. Chili flakes adjustable — fire or mild, depending on tolerance. Salt rounds out flavor. Optional add-ons like bacon or nuts up texture layers. Parsley or other fresh herbs brighten visually and on palate. Substitutions possible but expect slight textural or flavor shifts. Timing flexible but always prioritize texture and glaze consistency over rigid clocks.
Method
- First off, peel sweet potatoes. I use a sharp peeler to keep edges clean. Slice into chunks about an inch thick. Uniform size helps even cooking, no spots mushier than others.
- Drop potato rounds in slow cooker base. Layer them evenly, but don’t cram tight. Air pockets help.
- Whisk 3 tablespoons cornstarch in about 1/3 cup cold water till smooth — no lumps. Pour this slurry evenly over potatoes. This is key for a real sticky glaze; skip and sauce will be watery.
- Next, drizzle 1/3 cup honey right on top. Sprinkle chili flakes (adjust heat; I learned the hard way with too much), cinnamon, and salt. Stir gently but thoroughly. Coats every slice with the sweet-spicy mix.
- Distribute 6 tablespoons butter cubes over top. I drop them cold so they melt slowly, seeping richness as it cooks.
- Cover, slow cook low for roughly 5 ½ to 6 hours (I round up to 5 ½ after testing doneness). Higher heat works if short on patience — about 3 ½ to 4 hours. Patience pays, though — low temp draws out sweetness and soft flesh.
- Around halfway mark, lift lid. Aromas should be warm, sweet, with chili tease. Stir carefully — potatoes fragile now but need glaze spread evenly. Sauce should look thickening, shiny. If watery, whisk another tablespoon cornstarch and tablespoon cold water. Pour in, stir. Let cook uncovered 15 extra minutes to thicken. Repeat if necessary. Raw cornstarch flavor weird; dissolve well before adding.
- Final test: slices should give easily to fork but hold shape. Glossy glaze clings to surface, syrupy not soupy.
- Serve straight from pot, spooning slices with extra glaze. Toss on cooked bacon crumbles if you want salt crunch. Fresh parsley adds green brightness, nuts for texture contrast. I like toasted pecans here for slight bitterness.
- If glaze too thick after resting, stir in a splash hot water. Too thin? Short 10-minute simmer uncovered on stove or higher slow cooker setting.
- Leftovers reheat well in microwave or skillet. Add splash water to loosen glaze.
- Avoid over mixing early— breaks potatoes too much and turns sauce chalky.
- Substitute maple syrup for honey for earthier note, or brown sugar if pantry low. Butter can be replaced by coconut oil for dairy-free option, changing mouthfeel but still rich.
- Chili flakes can be swapped for cayenne or smoked paprika depending on mood.
- Avoid covering with tight foil if cooking in oven alternative — traps steam but dries glaze out fast. Slow cooker locking lid best.
Cooking tips
Skipping rigid times, focus on glazed potato slice texture — tender but intact. Add cornstarch slurry twice if needed, but dissolve well to avoid graininess. Stirring midway troubleshoot glaze thickness and flavor balance. Butter on top melts slowly offering richness pockets instead of overblending fat early. Slow cooker seals moisture, slowly caramelizes sugars in honey to deepen complexity. Aromas give early hints — cinnamon should be warm, chili flickering spice. Rely on fork test more than clock. Toppings elevate final dish — not just garnish but texture contrast. If glaze over-thickened after resting, loosen with splash hot water, quick stir. Avoid overmixing potato slices to minimize mush. Alternative cooking methods possible but watch moisture loss closely.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Slice potatoes uniform about 1 inch thick. Thickness matters — thick enough hold shape but not raw center. Uneven chunks cause mushy bits or uncooked edges. Use sharp peeler to avoid ragged edges; skin bits dull glaze texture.
- 💡 Cornstarch slurry key for glaze. Mix cold water with cornstarch until smooth—no lumps or clumps allowed. Pour on potatoes early. Keep some slurry ready for mid-cook fixes if sauce thins out; stir in dissolved slurry quick to avoid raw starch grit.
- 💡 Butter dropped cold and cubed. Melts slow, pockets of richness inside slices. Don’t overmix early or fat blends into sauce, ruining texture. Butter last layer on top; slow cooker heat seeps butter flavor gently.
- 💡 Midway stirring crucial. Lid lift, smell warm cinnamon and chili teasing kitchen. Potatoes fragile now; stir gently but evenly to spread thickening glaze. If watery, whisk more slurry immediately. Leave uncovered 15 minutes afterward for thicker finish.
- 💡 Substitute maple syrup for honey if want woodsy deeper flavor. Butter swap possible for coconut oil dairy-free, changes mouthfeel but still rich. Chili flakes adjustable—use cayenne or smoked paprika for different fire profiles depending on mood or guests.
Common questions
Why use cornstarch slurry?
Avoid raw starch taste by mixing with cold water till smooth. Slurry thickens glaze slowly while cooking. Add slurry mid-cook if sauce too thin. Skipping slurry makes glaze watery; ruins texture and shine.
Can I skip butter cubes?
Butter adds richness pockets slow-melted inside slices. Without it glaze less rich, flavor flat. Alternative is coconut oil but texture shifts. Adding cold butter last prevents fat blending too early and breaking sauce.
How to fix watery glaze?
Whisk more cornstarch with cold water then stir in. Let cook uncovered 15 extra minutes to thicken. Repeat slurry add if slimy starch flavor appears, dissolve better next time. Short uncovered simmer critical for thick gloss.
How to store leftovers?
Cool completely then fridge in sealed container. Reheat in microwave or skillet with splash water to loosen glaze. Doesn’t reheat well dry; water splash restores sticky texture. Can freeze but glaze may separate on thaw.
