Grits are a classic southern staple. These easy Crock Pot Southern Grits are creamy, buttery and come out perfect every time!

A SOUTHERN BREAKFAST STAPLE

Crock Pot Southern Grits are a wonderful comfort food any time of year. Although we mostly think of it as a breakfast food, grits work great for lunch or dinner too and they’re really easy to make! All you need are some stone ground grits, butter, salt, pepper, water and a bit of cream. When the ingredients come together in the crock pot, they create the creamiest and most flavorful grits you’ve ever had in your life!

A spoon holding a bite of crockpot grits.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S):

What are grits?

Grits are generally made from dried white corn kernels that are ground up. Sometimes they can be made with yellow corn kernels as well. A lot of people compare grits with polenta. They are similar in some ways but polenta is made strictly from dried yellow corn kernels. Also the way they are prepared is usually pretty different but I suppose the concept is still the same.

What is the secret to great grits?

The secret is cooking low and slow. Even with stovetop grits, it takes about 20-30 minutes (unless they are instant grits). That’s why using the Slow Cooker is a perfect cooking tool for grits!

Can I make Southern Grits ahead of time?

These work great as an overnight recipe that saves time in the morning. It’s best if you are able to stir them regularly but they will still come out delicious (you may just find that some have stuck to the sides and darkened a bit).

What else can I add in to grits?

Most folks like their grits with either salt, sugar and/or cheese. I’m in the salt and butter category. But if you want to “fancy” them up I suppose you could add spicy elements like jalapeños or hot sauce to give your grits some kick! For those who like it sweet, instead of sugar you could add honey butter in place of the unsalted butter in the recipe. You can top them with ham and bacon or you can use them as a base for shrimp and grits.

I prefer sugar in my grits not salt, how do I make this work for me?

There is only one Tablespoon of salt in this entire recipe and it is necessary to help the grits soak up that water. I also only use unsalted butter and this is just going to help the grits become super creamy. Once these are finished cooking, you can then mix in the sugar or let people add in whatever they want to mix in.

How to store?

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or you can freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

How to reheat?

To reheat, you have three options – slow cooker, microwave, or stovetop. Once the dish cools down, it can solidify, so I recommend adding water or cream to loosen it up before serving.

Is Stan holding some crockpots up and grits over the crockpot.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • stone ground white grits – these are not quick cooking grits or instant grits. If you use those, this won’t turn out right. Stone ground grits are a lot less processed than quick cooking or instant and they have much more flavor. If you live outside of the south, grits can sometimes be hard to find. The ones I used are here on amazon.
  • water – I would not substitute milk for water to make these. I know it seems like it would make them creamier but it’s not necessary. Plus, that would be a lot of milk to use. Grits cook best in water and it soaks up easier. We add the heavy cream at the end to give it that super creaminess.
  • salt and pepper – I keep my seasoning simple with grits. But they are your grits so you add in whatever seasoning you enjoy!
  • unsalted butter – I don’t like to add a lot of salt when making these. Just enough to help the grits soak up all that water. When I am making a big pot like this and serving to a group of people, I think it’s best to let folks season it themselves and how they like it. As I said above, someone may want to add sugar instead of salt. But if you know everybody wants salt in their grits, you can add more salt after it’s done cooking and season to your liking.
  • heavy cream – you could also use milk. I like the creaminess of heavy cream but milk will do. Just don’t use a low fat milk. It will add zero creaminess.
Ground grits, butter, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and water.

HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT SOUTHERN GRITS

Place the grits, water, salt, and pepper into a 6-quart or similar-sized slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the butter and place on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to an hour if possible.

a collage of two photos: uncooked grits, water, salt, and black pepper in a crock pot and pats of butter added on top of the grits in the slow cooker.

Once done, stir well, then stir in the heavy cream. Continue to cook for 15 more minutes to warm up the cream.

A crock pot with grits being made and pads of butter.

Serve immediately with more butter and season with more salt, if desired.

A bowl of southern grits with a spoon holding a bite above it.

Crock Pot Southern Grits

Grits are a classic southern staple. These easy Crock Pot Southern Grits are creamy and buttery and come out perfect every time!
Prep Time: 5minutes 
Cook Time: 8hours  15minutes 
Total Time: 8hours  20minutes 
Servings:  servings

Ingredients

    • 2 cups stone ground grits
    • 7 cups water
    • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ cup unsalted butter, sliced
    • ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

    • Place 2 cups stone ground grits, 7 cups water, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper into a 6-quart or similar-sized slow cooker, and stir to combine.
      Grits, water, salt, and black pepper in a crock pot.
    • Top with 1/2 cup unsalted butter, sliced and place on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to an hour, if possible.
      Grits, water, salt, butter, and black pepper in a crock pot.
    • Once done, stir well, then stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Continue to cook for 15 more minutes to warm up the cream.
      Heavy cream being poured in grits.
  • Serve immediately with more salt, pepper and butter, if desired.
    A spoon holding a bite of crockpot grits.

Notes

  • Please refer to my Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
  • You can also stir in cheese right at the end for cheese grits.
  • Reheat in the slow cooker, microwave, or stovetop. They will solidify as they cool down, so I suggest adding more water or cream to loosen them up.
  • Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, freeze for up to 3 months.
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 592mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.5g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.