My grandmother learned this from an Amish family decades ago. The subtle sweetness is absolutely addicting and everyone always asks for the recipe!
Lightly grease a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker crock with a bit of butter to help keep the potatoes from sticking too much.
Scrub the potatoes well and pat them dry. Leave the skins on for that old-fashioned farmhouse texture, and cut each potato into thick wedges, about 6–8 wedges per potato.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the molasses, melted butter, and salt until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Place the potato wedges into the slow cooker in an even layer, spreading them out as best you can so the glaze can reach all the pieces.
Pour the molasses-butter mixture evenly over the potatoes, using a spatula to scrape out every bit. Gently toss the potatoes in the crock with a wooden spoon or your hands until they’re all lightly coated.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
About halfway through cooking, gently stir the potatoes from the bottom up to re-coat them in the molasses-butter mixture. This helps them caramelize more evenly and keeps the edges from drying out.
During the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking, crack the lid open just a bit with a wooden spoon handle or heat-safe utensil to let some steam escape. This helps the glaze thicken and cling to the potatoes, giving them that deep amber, slightly sticky coating and caramelized edges.
When the potatoes are tender and coated in a shiny, syrupy glaze, taste and add a pinch more salt if needed. Serve straight from the slow cooker on the warm setting, spooning some of the thickened molasses-butter over the top of each serving.
If you prefer a slightly less sweet dish, reduce the molasses to 1/3 cup and add 2 extra tablespoons of melted butter to keep the potatoes well coated. For a deeper, more old-fashioned flavor, you can use dark or robust molasses; for a gentler sweetness, use regular unsulphured molasses. A small pinch of black pepper or a light sprinkle of smoked salt at the end adds a nice contrast to the sweetness without changing the spirit of the recipe.
If your slow cooker tends to run hot, check the potatoes early so they don’t overcook and fall apart; every slow cooker has its own personality. To avoid any food safety issues, keep the potatoes out of the temperature “danger zone” by refrigerating leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and reheating them until steaming hot before serving again.
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. When reheating, you can add a spoonful of water or a pat of butter to loosen the glaze if it has thickened too much. For a slightly crisper edge, you can spread reheated potatoes on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for a few minutes, watching closely so the sugars in the molasses don’t burn.
