I am a lover of all things fall – from the leaves and pumpkins to cozy sweaters and Ugg boots, I adore it all – especially apple season.
A neighboring city hosts an Apple Butter Festival every October. It’s full of holiday crafts, historical reenactments, and of course amazing food. Although I love meandering through the aisles of vendors, I really go for two very important reasons: caramel slathered apples and homemade apple butter.
Unfortunately, I’ve missed this festival two years in a row – last year because I was in San Francisco and this year because I simply forgot about it. I sulked for a hot minute, but decided that I’d get my yearly apple butter fix by making my own.
At first I was little bit intimidated by the whole homemade fruit butter thing, but really it could not have been easier thanks to my apple peeler and slow cooker. The peeler allowed me to peel, core, and slice 6 ½ pounds of apples in a matter of minutes. I tossed everything into the slow cooker, set the timer for 10 hours and went about my day.
The result was a delicious, velvety smooth apple butter that definitely rivals any of the jars that I’ve purchased at the Apple Butter Festival and the best part is – I made it myself!
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Yield: 4 pints
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 hours
Ingredients:
6 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extractDirections:
1. Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well.
2. Cook in slow cooker on low for about 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
3. Uncover, stir in vanilla and continue cooking uncovered on low for about 2 hours.
4. Use an immersion blender to puree the apple butter until smooth.
5. Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze.
6. Serve on breads, muffins, pork chops or just eat it with a spoon.Notes:
- I used a combination of Granny Smith, Fuji and Honey Crisp apples for this recipe.
- The sweetness of your apples will depend on how much sugar you will need to add. Adjust according to your apples and preferences.
- I have not canned this recipe.
- The jars used in the photos are from Weck (900 - 1/5 L Mold Jars)
- The labels in the photos were made using my Silhouette machine.My Baking Addiction adapted from allrecipes
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{ 77 comments… read them below or add one }
Finally, something to use up all my apples! Thank you
Can this be frozen in the glass jars? Or would you suggest plastic?
Chelsea-
Thanks for stopping by, I would definitely recommend plastic.
Jamie
Yum, that looks so good! I think a slow cooker is going to have to be on my wish-list for Christmas this year!
Very sensitive subject….have to say, seeing this recipe was like pouring salt in an open wound!!!! Last week, with a ton of apples and 9 months pregnant, I decided to make slow cooker apple butter overnight and can it in the morning. In my pregnancy brain exhaustion, I forgot to turn it to low and woke up to fried apple butter and a very sticky substance all over the counters and floor….not good for a hormonal girl! One day it will be funny but not yet!
Aww hun! I know how you feel. last night i put on some tea and took a shower, when i got out it was burnt……i burnt tea. Its funny because its not the first time.
I don’t have a slow cooker, so I don’t have any tried-and-true recipes to share. I have been drooling over all the wonderful slow-cooker recipes I come across lately (& that Party Grill is awesome too!!). That’s why I need this slow cooker
My first thing to make would be Barbecued Ribs (got the instructions from a friend – it sounds easy!).
Barbecued Ribs
*Spice Rub (paprika, cayenne, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, & brown sugar)
*Baby Back Pork Ribs
*Barbecue Sauce
1) Rub spice mix all over ribs & stand them up in the slow cooker. Cover with barbecue sauce & cook for about 7 hours on low.
2)
Sorry! I hit submit on accident!!
2) Remove ribs & place on baking sheet. Turn up the heat on slow cooker & reduce the sauce (10-15 minutes).
3) Brush sauce on ribs, and broil for a few minutes. Flip ribs, brush on more sauce, & broil a few more minutes.
4) Enjoy!
Mmmm…. As a mom of 5 littles, I have so many favorite crock pot recipes. Guess right now it’s Stephanie’s (from crockpot365.blogspot.com) Azorean Beef Stew. It’s smells heavenly all day, and is perfect for a crisp fall evening. Thanks for this opportunity!!
Fabulous recipe! Such a cute Christmas gift too…with a little recipe label!
Jamie, I’m going to add this recipe to my holiday gifts to give along with pumpkin breads and banana breads. Do you know how long it will keep in the freezer?
I never thought of cooking fruit in the crock pot. Thanks for sharing.
That party grill looks AWESOME!! I’ve never seen anything like it!
Another way to make apple stuff easy is to core the apples, them – I use the simple corer that cores and slices, I then put them in a large stock pan and add a small amount of water, cinnamon and sugar =-== let cook till mushy — then either foley — or send thru the sive attachment on the kitchen aide mixer — I like cooking with the skins on as the color from the skins goes into the apple sauce –
BEAUTIFUL! I loooove apple butter, especially on waffles.
Thanks for this awesome recipe, which sounds so simple and do-able! I would love to try this right before Halloween!
I’ve not participated with a recipe….but I have to say, I’m enjoying everyone’s participation! This apple butter looks lovely….I’m allergic to cinnamon and it’s obviously a main ingredient. I wonder how it would taste with a substitution of cardamom and nutmeg? Hmmmm….
Ann, you can still make the apple butter, simply substitute with some nutmeg (yeah, cardamom would work too), and a tiny bit of ground clove. Have a sibling who’s allergic to cinnamon also and Mom used to make 2 different lots of Apple Butter, one with cinnamon and one without and she used nutmeg and cloves…it was different obviously but it was still delicious and there was never any left for long.
I have never had apple butter, does it taste similar to applesauce??
Pat-
Apple Butter is definitely quite a bit deeper and richer than applesauce.
-Jamie
I love crockpot apple butter and have to make at least one batch every year. Yours looks fabulous!
My mom used to make something called “Stay-a-Bed Stew” in the oven. I’ve adapted it some and make it in a slow cooker/crockpot. It’s a great recipe because you can basically do anything you want. It’s fool-proof!
Layer vegetables (I always have potatoes, carrots, and onions on hand–you can add whatever you like) in pot. Put stew meat (as much as you can afford) on top. Cover all with your favorite condensed cream soup (Mom’s recipe called for Cream of Celery; however, I use Cream of Mushroom–only Campbell’s). Season as desired (maybe adding a Bay Leaf–be sure to remove before serving). Cook all day. Enjoy!
Thanks for the giveaway.
This post made me realize that I haven’t made any apple butter yet this year. I need to fix that very soon. Yours looks so lovely!
This looks so yummy! I need slow cooker or crock pot in my life. Soon
KIRAN, CHECK OUT ANY THRIFT STORES YOU MAY HAVE IN YOUR AREA. IN LAST 2 YEARS i’VE BOUGHT 3 SLOWCOOKERS , AND ALL OF THEM WORK, VERY WELL (ONE DOES NOT HAVE THE WARM SETTING WORKING ANY LONGER), AND 2 ARE DIGITAL, THEY ARE A GREAT INVESTMENT. ESP. SINCE I ONLY PAID $15.00 FOR ALL 3, THEY JUST NEEDED A GOOD SCRUBBING, AND I USE A BIT OF BLEACH AND LET THE CROCK AND COVER SIT IN HOT SOAPY, BLEACH WATER FOR 2 HOURS, WASH THOROUGHLY, DRY AND VOILA. REGULAR PRICE IS ABOUT $40 TO $50 FOR ONE LARGE. THE 3 i BOUGHT AT THRIFT STORES ALL TOTAL COST 1/2 WHAT ONE 5 QT, COOKER WOULD HAVE COST NEW.
i GAVE ONE TO MY 41 YR. OLD SON AND HE MAKES POT ROASTS IN HIS AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE EVERY MONTH. HE HAS A SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM, SO THE S.C. MAKES IT VERY EASY FOR HIM TO COOK HIS ROASTS WITHOUT HEATING HIS ENTIRE APARTMENT UP, AND HE CAN TAKE A LONG NAP WHILE FOOD COOKS. HE TELLS EVERYONE TO BUY A S.C., HE LOVES HIS.
I love that you mixed with the immersion blender – I have almost the same recipe up on my site too, beautiful!! I’m working on a Crock Pot Post & will be linking up to this contest too. Thanks for a great post here
I really love making smothered pork chops. Season chops. Place in crock pot. Cover in cream soup and some stock until covered about halfway full. Leave on low all day and enjoy!. I love it with mashed potatoes.
Came to your website in search of a good scone recipe to try this weekend. HOW THE HECK DID I MISS THIS EARLIER THIS WEEK, OR ON FB!??? Don’t know, don’t care.. it’s serendipity. This looks AMAZING!!!
This is cooking in my crock pot right now, yum! will feature on my blog soon! thank you!
I cannot wait to try this! How many cups of apple butter do you end up with when all is said and done? Thanks!
I actually made this recipe a couple of weeks before this post was put up…it’s delicious and super-easy. The butter has beautiful colour, smooth consistency, and wonderful flavour. Highly recommended!
My family loves this recipe I edited from Rachael Ray Show last year.
Honey-Lemon Chicken wiith Potatoes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
4 to 5 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
Preparation
In a skillet, heat EVOO over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides.
Scatter the potatoes, onion, garlic, thyme and lemon slices in the bowl of a crock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the browned chicken over the veggies and drizzle with honey. Add stock, cover and cook, undisturbed, for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low
Thanks for the chance to win.
So I just got done putting mine in jars… Not only is it delicious, but my house smells divine! This was my first time making a fruit butter. Thanks for the recipe.
My favorite slow cooker recipe is for Hot Beef Sandwiches (this has been lovingly named “burn your face off Beef” but it’s really not that hot.
So you take a beef roast and trim the fat (if you like) place it in your crock pot. Take 1 large jar of Pepperoncini’s and pour over beef. Cook on low 10-12 hours. Shred and serve on buns.
Thanks for the chance to win some great prizes!
I made this – let the slow cooker cook all night long. My house smelled AMAZING this morning. I laughed at the, “Eat with a spoon” part of the blog, but I wanted to!
Also, for anyone who is interested in canning – I followed the recipe exactly and came out with 3 half pint jars (8 oz) and 2 pint jars (16 oz)
Miranda, how long did you process yours in canning?
8 ounces elbow macaroni
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Cook the macaroni and drain in a colander and rinse with hot water. Drain well.
Butter the sides and bottom of a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker (I use about 2 tablespoons of butter). Combine the macaroni with the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker and blend well. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, stirring a few times. If desired, spoon the cooked macaroni and cheese mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle with a little more cheese and some breadcrumbs, and put under the broiler for a minute or 2, just until cheese is melted.
Mmmmmm, delicioso!!!!
I made this today. My house smells fantastic. This recipe reminds me of the apple butter we’d get at the orchard when I was a kid. I canned it for 10 minutes in a hot water canner, and it worked fine. I plan to share some with my friends. Thanks!
Oh, Jamie, I just LOVE this photo. Love it.
love it.
love.
it.
Jamie,
I hope you respond to this because I REALLY want to make your applebutter! I know nothing about apples [sweet to tart] but I LOVE me some Applebutter! I wondered how many of each you recommend in your mixture/recipe.
Thank you in advance.
Katie
Katie-
Honestly, I just threw in what I had I had on hand. I think you’ll be fine with any combination – or by just using one type of apple. Hope this helps.
-Jamie
I made this apple butter a few days ago. Because I don’t have an apple peeler/corer/slicer, I simply washed and sliced the apples into the crock pot. Cooked on low for the 10 hours (after adding the other ingredients), let them cool some and put through my foley food mill, then back in the crock pot for another 4 hours on low until desired thickness. I could not believe how little waste there was doing it this way and it could not have been easier! This apple butter is the best!! I am so happy to have this recipe! Thank you!! Several of my friends that received small jars of “my” apple butter thank you too.
This is the best Apple Butter! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I like it because I can keep some and make small gifts for my paraprofessionals that help me everyday in my very busy classroom.
I made this recipe this weekend and it turned out SO AMAZING!! I got 7 half pint jars out of it. The taste is like no other apple butter taste in the world, and this is a must make recipe every year from now on. I canned mine and am sending my cute little tagged apple goodness jars to various family members across the USA. My husband loves it and I thank you so much for sharing it!
I have the smallest slow cooker they make – most of my friends say it’s a cheese warmer for Superbowl parties.
I would love to make this recipe but don’t want to mess it up. I would guess that my slow cooker holds about 5-6 cups. How do I adjust the receipe for my little cooker? Just slice and add apples until mostly full (3/4?) and add 1/2 cup of each sugar and then spice to taste? I’m perfectly OK with playing w/ the spices but don’t want to mess up the sugar part.
Thanks!
Do you have any other jar ideas that would work with this for a gift basket?? I would love to make this for some gift baskets this year but would love to add a second jar of something with it…. what do you think?
Chellie-
I love recipes for homemade spice mixes, here is my version of pumpkin pie spice: http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/pumpkin-pie-spice-recipe/
Thanks!
Jamie
I was hoping the adorable tag you made to go with the apple butter would be printable. Is that possible? Please?
Karen-
I used my Silhouette to make the tags. I don’t think the Silhouette file is compatible elsewhere. Do you have a Silhouette?
-Jamie
Wonderful! I absolutely love my slow cooker…might have to pull it out for this
I’ve run across this website for the first time… I thought I’d give everyone a no-sugar version. I just wash/scrub a bag of Gala apples well, core, cut apples into quarters, and throw in a 6 quart crock-pot, skins and all. I also throw a few Jonathan apples as well. I add a splash of apple cidar vinegar, and I let it cook overnight. In the morning, I take the lid off and let it totally cool down. By the afternoon, I take my hand blender (the immersion kind) and blend the entire apple mixture down in the crock pot. That’s it! I don’t add any extra sugar, because it’s already very sweet, and the mixture is light and tasty. I’ve tried it without vinegar, but it’s truly better with a splash. I have a family member who is allergic to cinnamon, so I don’t add any… but then add a dash or two of cinnamon to a jar or two, and mix well, if I really want to spice it up. This recipe is so tasty and easy… and a good way to use up extra apples before they go bad.
Can I process the slow cooker apple buter. Would like to make it for gifts.
Rachel-
Unfortunately, I am not much a canner, so I can’t really tell you if this is able to be processed or not. Thanks for stopping by.
Jamie
How long will this last on the shelf, in the fridge, and in the freezer?
Christine-
Since this recipe is not canned, it needs to be refrigerated. It will last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
Not sure if I have an immersion blender, will my regular blender work?
Mia-
Hi! Yes, you can certainly use a regular blender, just do it in batches and make sure you vent the top if you are blending it while it’s still hot. Best of luck!
-Jamie
Hi!
I love the idea and am going to work on it right away! One question, could you use other fruits to make other kinds of butter? Mangos, apricots, berries?
Thanks!
Anel-
I have not tried this recipe with other fruits, so I am unable to tell you if this method works. Have fun experimenting.
-Jamie
Seems easy enough- looking for a way to use up a batch of apples I bought at an orchard in Pennsylvania on a recent trip.
Could this recipe be made and then canned like regular jams, or does it need to remain refrigerated?
thanks for any tips!
Ellen-
I am not much of a canner, so I honestly have no idea if it’s able to be canned. As the recipe is written, it will need to be stored in the refrigerator and will last for about 2 weeks. Thanks for stopping by.
-Jamie
I live in the Channel Islands and have missed this fall treat for the last couple of years. Made this over the weekend and it tastes like home! Thank you for this recipe
.
I just made this and it was so easy and turned out AMAZING! and My house smells like heaven! Thank you so much! I love Apple Butter and this was my first attempt to make it myself!
Kimberly-
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe – thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback! Have a great day.
-Jamie
Looks delish! What kind of apples did you use?
Lydia-
Thanks for stopping by. I used a variety of apples from the orchard – Honey Crisp, Granny Smith and one other that I can’t remember, I hope this helps.
-Jamie
I made this recipe and it was a hit with everyone! My kitchen smelled wonderful-thanks!
Leslie-
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Jamie ~
This recipe cans beautifully…I love the twist with vanilla and brown sugar….It tastes great and is so simple. Thanks for the lovely recipe!!
alicat
Allison-
Thanks so much for the feedback! I so wish I was a canner! I’d love to hear your tips on canning this recipe as it’s such a frequently asked question. Have a great day!
-Jamie
Thank you for this recipe! I am anxious to try it but would like to can it so i can make a big batch since i have SO many apples. Any ideas on how long to process and if I need to tweak the recipe in order to can it? thank you!
Alana-
Unfortunately, I am not much of a canner so I cannot advise on this question. Feel free to stop back and let us know the outcome – have a great day!
-Jamie
how many apples is 6 pounds?
Judy-
I’m sorry, I cannot give you an answer to that because apples vary so much in size. I would suggest weighing them on a scale and that should give you the best estimate.
-Jamie
Jamie, I would like to try your recipe of Slow Cooker Apple Butter. I would like to know what an immersion blender is? Could you just use a portable mixer?
Pat-
An immersion blender is a hand held device that is used for pureeing or emulsifying. A portable mixer will simply mix and not actually blend the food. Good luck and have a great day!
-Jamie
I used to work for a couple up in N.C. that made their own apple butter outside in a large black kettle over a fire. They would stir and stir nice & slow for hours with a big wooden stirrer. It was really delicious!
I made this for Christmas gifts, and it’s WONDERFUL! My apple peeler/slicer/corer made short work of the prep work, and I tried canning it in wide mouth 8 oz. jars (followed instructions for canning jam). All the jars sealed, and I’ll use this recipe again…a lot. Thanks so much!!
This apple butter is in my crock pot right now. My house smells SO amazing! I’m making several batches so I can give them out as Christmas gifts. The divine smell is definitely making up for all the weird looks I got when I was buying 20 pounds of apples at the grocery store!
I am planning on making this this weekend – did you weigh the apples to be 6.5 pounds before or after you peeled and cored them? Thank you!! I’m excited to make this!!
Sasha-
I typically weigh the apples before peeling and coring them. Good luck and have a great day!
-Jamie
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