This is one of our favorite simple suppers during the summer – Crock Pot Baked Potatoes! Did you know you can make slow cooker baked potatoes? Same great taste as an oven baked potato without the hot kitchen!
Cooking potatoes in the crock pot is so convenient – no need to heat up the oven and make the kitchen hot! Just wrap in foil, throw potatoes in the crockpot, and make sides on the grill! If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our hearty crockpot mac and cheese!
I hate to use the oven in the summer. This is something I can throw in the crock-pot in the morning and have dinner ready in the evening. This great idea really is an easy baked potato recipe,.
How To Make Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
Wash and dry large potatoes. Give each potato a prick with a fork. Cover each potato in aluminum foil.
Now simply place potatoes in the slow cooker or crock-pot. Just as good as oven baked without using the oven.
Cook on low for about eight hours, or cook on high four hours. Easy to prep, and cleanup is a snap. Save the recipe card below for perfect, fork tender potatoes every time.
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 4 - 6 russet baking potatoes I have done 8
- 2 - 3 teaspoons olive oil optional 1/2 teaspoon per potato (I typically omit oil and salt)
- 1 - 11/2 teaspoons salt about 1/4 teaspoon per potato(optional)
- Aluminum foil
- Your choice of toppings: Grated cheese, cooked broccoli, crumbled bacon, chives, chili, sour cream etc.
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and dry completely.
- Prick each potato several times with a fork.
- Rub potatoes with a tiny bit of oil and then rub with salt. This step can be omitted.
- Wrap each potato tightly in aluminum foil. Be sure potato is completely covered.
- Place potatoes in slow cooker
- Cook the potatoes on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours, or until soft. Do not overcook or potatoes will become soggy. I cook mine about 8 hours.
- Carefully unwrap the potatoes.
- Cut potatoes open and top with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated without the toppings.
Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes
Now that you’ve got a pile of perfectly baked potatoes, let’s eat!
Load them up with your favorite toppings, serve with a big salad and dinner is served. Potatoes also go great with grilled meat, corn on the cob, and all kinds of other summer sides.
What are your favorite baked potato toppings? We like to make ours “loaded” by laying out a bunch of toppings. We have butter, sour cream, salt and pepper, cheddar cheese, bacon bits and green chives or onions handy.
In fact, a potato bar is a perfect set-up for a party. Just lay out all your toppings and let guests grab their potatoes and top them off with all the fixins!
Tips for Perfect Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
- After you wash your potatoes, make sure you dry them completely.
- Rub each potato with olive oil and rub with salt, if desired.
- Pierce the potatoes in several places with a fork. Technically, you are steaming the potatoes, and that steam needs somewhere to get out!
- Wrap the foil tightly around each potato. You don’t want it loose or open.
- If the potato is exposed, it can discolor. Darkened potato is still totally edible, though!
- Don’t overcook, or the potatoes will get soggy. You want fluffy!
- For a healthy topping, try plain nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. It adds protein and still delivers the tangy, creamy flavor you want.
- You can also smoother one of these delicious baked potatoes with Slow Cooker Chili. I think of this as comfort food add some cheese and sour cream on top – YUM!
Got any potato tips? Have you tried the crockpot baked potatoes method? I’m slightly obsessed with all things crockpot, so leave your comments and let us know how yours turned out!
For another easy dinner try our favorite crockpot mac and cheese! And for another super easy crowd-pleaser, be sure to check out our slow cooker lasagna recipe! These are perfect for busy nights or potluck get-togethers.
We have a mini crock pot with no temperature setting on it, we just wrap 2 potatoes in foil put in crock pot about 9:00 am and by 5:00 pm there done. Very simple and they always come out great.
It is so great!
I made these today with huge potatoes. I didn’t have enough time to cook them for 8 hours, so I cooked them on high for 6 hours. They turned out perfect! I will never make baked potatoes any other way! Thank you!!
When I use my larger (oval) crockpot for 4 potatoes, they turn out brown and not as good. When I use my smaller crock pot, they turn out better. I wonder if it is the extra space? I love baked potatoes in the smaller crockpot. I wash them, air dry, wrap in foil, and cook on low.
Cheryl, I think I used Russet too — but I am going to look at the store. I have learned all crockpots are sadly not created equal. I am wondering if 8 hours is too long in your crockpot. I would check them after 5 hours.
What type of potatoes were used in the examples that worked?
I tried this today. Washed and dried the potatoes, wrapped them in foil and cooked on low for 8 hours. They turned out terrible! soft and mushy on the outside and a brown color on the inside. I used the big baking potatoes (Russet). It was very disappointing.
For those that do not like the “wet or soggy” pototoes, if you are grilling, I like to put them on the grill to get that “baked” flavor sometimes when I am in a hurry and need to throw them into the micorwave, I cook them partially and finish on the grill. Cooking them in crook pot during the day would be great while at work, then give them the a quick toss on the grill for a little “baked” flavor.
Tried this exactly and the potatoes turned colors and didn’t even taste that good. Will be sticking to the oven. People who are claiming they turned out “good” are being generous. They were cooked and soft, but they had a bad flavor to them. Save 4-8 hours of your day and just bake one in the oven for an hour or whatever. Gross.
It also depends on what type of potato you use………………some bake this way better than others…………………..
I also had a crockpot crack when some water dripped out of the foil when I was removing the potatoes from the pot. Very sad & would love to hear how to avoid that again because it seemed like a great idea. I also read a suggestion somewhere else to let the potatoes dry before wrapping them in foil (after scrubbing them) to avoid getting the icky potato syndrome.
Ok I have tried these n they r awesome it worked perfectly I washed them wrapped them in foil then slit them I cooked them on high for 4 hours they were perfect I was skeptical at first I figured u would have to put water or something in the crockpot but I didn’t thanks we will b eating more potatoes now
In all the questions I did not see any answers
Some had good luck others not. Why not give suggestions
why you think they failed.
So easy! Thanks so much!
I think this is a great idea for camping.
I hate to spend the time getting dinner ready, so I can put these in the crockpot in the morning and they will be ready by the time we get ready to grill our evening meal.