Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Corn on the Cob

Sweet summer corn is one of my favorite side dishes, but I don’t love boiling a big pot of water on a hot day. Cooking corn on the cob in the slow cooker keeps things cool and easy. This garlic butter version adds even more flavor, it's perfect for weeknights, cookouts, or any summer meal.

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What You'll Need

• 6 ears of corn, husked

• 6 tablespoons garlic herb butter (or your favorite compound butter)

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 1 inch of water in the bottom of the slow cooker

• Heavy-duty aluminum foil

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How to Make It

1. Prep the foil packets
   Tear six large squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil—enough to completely wrap each ear of corn.

2. Season the corn
   Place each ear of corn on a piece of foil. Spread about 1 tablespoon of garlic herb butter over each one, then season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Wrap and seal
   Fold the foil around each ear, sealing tightly so the butter stays inside. Place the wrapped corn in your slow cooker, seam side up.

4. Add water and cook
   Pour about 1 inch of water into the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the corn is tender.

5. Serve and enjoy
   Carefully open the foil packets (watch for steam!) and drizzle any melted butter from the packet over the top.  

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💡 Tips & Variations

• For a lighter version: Brush with olive oil instead of butter and season with salt and pepper.

• Add a kick: Mix a little chili powder or smoked paprika into the butter before spreading.

• Cooking time: For crisp-tender corn, start checking around 3 hours; for softer corn, go closer to 4 hours.

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If you try this Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Corn on the Cob, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a rating and comment below.

For more easy summer sides, check out my Creamy Jalapeño Corn, Grilled Potatoes and Peppers, or Green Bean and Potato Salad.

Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Corn on the Cob

Ingredients

• 6 ears corn, husked

• 6 tablespoons garlic herb butter (or your favorite compound butter)

• Water

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Rip off squares of heavy duty aluminum foil, making sure they are large enough to completely enclose corn. Lay an ear of corn on the foil and add 1 tablespoon of the garlic butter. Bring ends of foil up and fold over until it is secure. Twist the ends of the foil and fold them upwards. Place in slow cooker. Repeat with remaining ears.
2. Add water to the bottom of the slow cooker until it is about 1" deep. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the corn is tender. Carefully open packets, place corn on serving plate and pour any excess butter over the top.  

Other recipes you may enjoy:

Cherry Tomato Corn Salad

Chive Cheese Cornbread

Southern Fried Chicken Strips

slow cooker, corn,

Vegetables, slow cooker, side dishes

American

This recipe combines my earlier Slow Cooked Corn on the Cob method from 2015 with my Garlic Butter version from 2018. The garlic butter adds so much flavor, but you can still keep it simple if you prefer the plain style. Either way, it’s one of the easiest and most reliable ways to make corn on the cob for a crowd.

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Updated in 2025 to combine my original 2015 and 2018 slow cooker corn recipes into one easy version.