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Slow Cooker Apple Butter will make your entire house smell like Autumn. It also makes a great gift for the holidays, or a hostess gift at Thanksgiving. YUMMO!
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Autumn is my favorite season of the year. I am a lover of all things fall – the leaves and pumpkins, cozy sweaters and Ugg boots, a roaring fire with a good book and a plate of my No Bake Cookies, 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 in the slow cooker.
WHAT IS APPLE BUTTER?
If you have never had apple butter before, you might be confused by the name.
No, it’s not apple-flavored butter. That would be weird. There’s actually no butter in apple butter at all.
Apple butter is basically just super concentrated, super smooth applesauce. It’s cooked for longer, which gives it that caramelized color and rich apple flavor, but the ingredients are nearly identical.
Apple butter is not just perfect on your morning toast (English muffin bread is my favorite!) or served on Potato Rolls at Thanksgiving, you can even bake with it.
Try subbing in Slow Cooker Apple Butter in place of jam or another fruit filling in crumb bars, such as in my Peach Crumb Bars or Raspberry Bars recipes. Or try it in an apple butter cake!
HOW TO MAKE APPLE BUTTER IN A CROCK POT
At first I was little bit intimidated by the whole homemade fruit butter thing, but really it could not have been easier!
Ingredients you’ll need
Even though the flavors of apple butter are so rich, you’ll be surprised to know that the ingredients are super simple.
You’ll need:
- 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 extract
I know that 6 1/2 pounds of apples sounds like a lot, but I’ve got a tip for making peeling them a cinch.
Helpful tools
Prepping all of those apples and turning them into homemade apple butter was a cinch thanks to my apple peeler and slow cooker.
The peeler allowed me to peel, core, and slice 6 1/2 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 autumnal scents of apples, cinnamon and vanilla wafted around the whole place for an entire day, which improved my mood immensely. I’ll tell you – if you’re having a rough day, just make some slow cooker apple butter.
It’s impossible not to feel at ease with the entire world and people in it when you’ve got these scents enveloping you each time you walk in and out of your kitchen.
Making this recipe
To make this recipe, I tossed the apples in my slow cooker. I then combined the sugars, cinnamon, and spices and tossed this with the apples.
I let the apples simmer away for the allotted 10 hours until the mixture was thick and dar brown, and in the meantime made chili, cornbread, and even prepped my jars for gift giving.
After the 10 hours, I removed the lid and let the apples keep simmering for another 2 hours. This thickens the apple butter even more.
After the second stage of cooking, it was time to puree the apple butter and jar it up! It really is the perfect way to spend a fall Saturday, I’ll tell you that for free.
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!
If you don’t have 10 hours on hand to let the apple butter simmer, don’t worry – I also have a recipe for Instant Pot Apple Butter!
BEST APPLES FOR APPLE BUTTER
Really you can use any apples you happen to have on hand for apple butter.
Generally speaking, softer varieties of apples such as Fuji, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or Jonagold work better since they cook down faster.
I used a mix of Granny Smith, Fuji and Honeycrisp in my apple butter, and even the crisper varieties broke down well for a smooth apple butter.
The real key is to use a mix of apples to get the best flavor. You can even customize your Slow Cooker Apple butter by using apple pie spice or even pumpkin pie spice instead of the blend I have here, and you could try Mexican vanilla instead of Madagascar.
It’s really easy to make it your own, and I know your family will love slathering it on toast all year long.
I’ve been told you can preserve this recipe through canning, though I haven’t tried it myself. I’d love to know if you’ve tried!
I hope you enjoy this slow cooker apple butter as much as we do.
What are your favorite fruit butter recipes? What should I try next?
FAQS
Do you use 6.5 pounds of apples before peeling and coring?
Yes! Because the ingredients say “6.5 pounds of apples, peeled and cored,” this means that you peel and core them after weighing them.
This is true for any recipe you read. For example, if a recipe calls for “1 cup pecans, chopped,” you measure the pecans and then chop them. If it reads “1 cup chopped pecans,” you chop and then measure them.
Can you can this apple butter recipe?
Yes! I recently learned how to can apple butter – it’s much easier than you might think. You won’t need to make any adjustments to the recipe itself before canning because apples are naturally quite acidic.
How long does this recipe keep in the refrigerator? Can you freeze it?
You can store this slow cooker apple butter in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
If you choose to freeze it, make sure you leave plenty of room in the jar so that they don’t crack after freezing.
How many pints does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 4 pints (8 cups) of apple butter.
How much apple pie spice would I substitute for the listed spices?
If you want to substitute apple pie spice for the spices listed in the recipe, I would use 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons, depending on how heavily spiced you like your apple butter to be.
Can I use a 3-quart or 3.5-quart slow cooker for this recipe?
Once you peel, core, and slice the 6.5 pounds of apples, they take up quite a bit of space, so I use a 6-quart slow cooker for this recipe. If you only have a smaller slow cooker, I suggest halving the recipe.
Do you have to peel the apples?
Technically no. If you don’t want to spend the time peeling the apples, you may want to run the final apple butter through a fine mesh strainer after pureeing it to make sure it is super smooth.
I prefer to just peel the apples at the beginning and save myself the work at the end, but it’s up to you and what you prefer.
I accidentally added the vanilla with the rest of the ingredients before cooking. Will the apple butter be ok?
Yes! The only reason I recommend adding the vanilla toward the end of the recipe is because vanilla doesn’t hold up to heat well and the flavor becomes weaker the longer it cooks.
If you do accidentally add the vanilla at the beginning, just add another teaspoon or so at the end to make up for the flavor that was lost while cooking.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ½ pounds apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- 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.
- Cook in slow cooker on low for about 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
- Uncover, stir in vanilla and continue cooking uncovered on low for about 2 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the apple butter until smooth.
- Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze.
- Serve on breads, muffins, pork chops or just eat it with a spoon.
Video
Notes
- I used a combination of Granny Smith, Fuji and Honey Crisp apples for this recipe.
- The sweetness of your apples will affect how much sugar you will need to add. Adjust according to your apples and preferences.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months, or learn how to can apple butter if you would like to preserve it for longer.
- Makes 4 pints.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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!!!
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.
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 :-)
This looks so yummy! I need slow cooker or crock pot in my life. Soon :D
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.
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!
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.
I love crockpot apple butter and have to make at least one batch every year. Yours looks fabulous!
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’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.
@Ann, allspice works
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!