12 Spooky Slow Cooker Party Recipes

Let your slow cooker do the haunting. These 12 spooky slow cooker party recipes — bubbling dips, eerie chilis, and witches' brews — stay warm all night long while you enjoy the party. Set it, forget it, and let the compliments roll in.

1. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Creamy, spicy buffalo chicken dip with a sour-cream spiderweb on top.

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken breast
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup buffalo sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 1 cup sour cream (for spiderweb)

Instructions

1. Place chicken in the slow cooker; top with cream cheese.
2. Pour over buffalo sauce.
3. Cook on low 3-4 hours.
4. Shred chicken and stir in cheddar and ranch.
5. Pipe sour cream in a spiderweb pattern.
6. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

2. Crockpot Mummy Meatballs

Sweet-and-tangy meatballs dressed as mummies with candy eyes.

Ingredients

• 2 lb frozen meatballs
• 1 cup grape jelly
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 32 candy eyes
• 16 toothpicks
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Whisk grape jelly, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce in the slow cooker.
2. Add meatballs and stir to coat.
3. Cook on low 3 hours, stirring once.
4. Transfer to a platter.
5. Press candy eyes onto each meatball.
6. Sprinkle with sesame and parsley.

3. Spooky Slow Cooker Chili

Thick, smoky chili — serve with ghost-shaped sour cream dollops.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup shredded cheddar

Instructions

1. Brown beef with onion; drain fat.
2. Transfer to the slow cooker.
3. Add beans, tomatoes, spices, and broth.
4. Cook on low 6 hours.
5. Ladle into bowls.
6. Top with cheddar and sour cream ghosts.

4. Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Hot, creamy spinach artichoke dip that stays perfect for hours.

Ingredients

• 2 blocks (16 oz) cream cheese
• 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 baguette, sliced

Instructions

1. Combine everything in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low 2 hours, stirring once.
3. Stir until smooth and creamy.
4. Keep on warm for serving.
5. Serve with baguette slices.
6. Add a plastic spider for spooky flair.

5. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders

Melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork sliders — the party platter that vanishes first.

Ingredients

• 3 lb pork shoulder
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 12 slider buns
• 2 cups coleslaw
• 1/2 cup pickles
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Rub pork with brown sugar, paprika, and salt.
2. Place in slow cooker; pour vinegar around.
3. Cook on low 8 hours.
4. Shred and toss with barbecue sauce.
5. Pile onto slider buns.
6. Top with coleslaw and pickles.

6. Witches' Brew Hot Cider

Spiced hot cider with a caramel rim — serve in a cauldron for full effect.

Ingredients

• 8 cups apple cider
• 2 oranges, sliced
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup caramel sauce (for rimming)

Instructions

1. Add cider, oranges, and spices to the slow cooker.
2. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla.
3. Cook on low 3 hours.
4. Strain out the spices.
5. Rim mugs with caramel sauce.
6. Ladle in the hot cider.

7. Crockpot Queso Dip

Velvety beefy queso with an olive-spider garnish — dangerously scoopable.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Velveeta, cubed
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 lb ground beef, browned
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 1 can black olives, sliced

Instructions

1. Combine Velveeta, tomatoes, milk, and beef in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in cumin until smooth.
4. Keep on warm.
5. Top with cilantro and olive-slice spiders.
6. Serve with tortilla chips.

8. Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

Warm spiced wine that makes the whole house smell like the holidays.

Ingredients

• 2 bottles (750 ml) red wine
• 1 orange, sliced
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 8 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brandy (optional)
• 1 tbsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Pour wine into the slow cooker.
2. Add orange, spices, and honey.
3. Cook on low 2 hours (never boil).
4. Stir in brandy and vanilla.
5. Strain into mugs.
6. Garnish with orange slices.

9. Crockpot Caramel Apple Dip

Warm caramel-cheesecake dip with apple slices — fall's favorite dessert dip.

Ingredients

• 2 blocks (16 oz) cream cheese
• 1 cup caramel sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 apples, sliced
• 1 cup pretzel sticks
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth in the slow cooker insert.
2. Stir in caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
3. Cook on low 1 1/2 hours, stirring once.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl.
5. Top with peanuts.
6. Serve with apples and pretzels.

10. Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Thick, cheesy loaded potato soup — ladle into bread bowls for the party.

Ingredients

• 3 lb potatoes, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 6 strips bacon, cooked
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Add potatoes, onion, broth, and garlic powder to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low 6 hours.
3. Mash roughly with a potato masher.
4. Stir in cream and cheddar.
5. Ladle into bowls or bread bowls.
6. Top with bacon and green onions.

11. Crockpot Little Smokies

Sweet-and-smoky cocktail sausages — hollow out a pumpkin to serve them in.

Ingredients

• 2 lb cocktail sausages
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup grape jelly
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 24 toothpicks
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 small pumpkin (for serving)

Instructions

1. Whisk barbecue sauce, jelly, mustard, and paprika in the slow cooker.
2. Add smokies and stir.
3. Cook on low 2-3 hours.
4. Keep on warm with toothpicks nearby.
5. Hollow a small pumpkin for serving.
6. Pile smokies inside and sprinkle with parsley.

12. Spooky Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Rich, creamy hot chocolate with a candy-cane rim — the coziest party sip.

Ingredients

• 6 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Whisk milk, cocoa, and sugar in the slow cooker.
2. Stir in chocolate chips, vanilla, and cinnamon.
3. Cook on low 2 hours, whisking once.
4. Keep on warm for guests.
5. Rim mugs with crushed candy canes.
6. Top with whipped cream.