When apple season rolls around, making apple butter in the slow cooker is a delicious way to use up a bounty of fresh apples. This homemade apple butter cooks low and slow with warm spices until the apples break down into a thick, smooth spread with a rich, concentrated flavor. Have more apples to use up? Check out my post on how to make apple cider vinegar!
I love finding ways to make the most of seasonal harvests, and this easy crock pot apple butter recipe is a great way to enjoy fresh apples long after fall. With minimal hands-on time and the help of an immersion blender, making homemade apple butter is easier than you might think! You can also use fresh apples to make my spiced apple cider!
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What is Apple Butter?
Apple butter is a thick, concentrated apple spread made by slowly cooking apples until they are soft, smooth, and deeply flavorful. Despite its name, it doesn't contain any butter! Cooking apple butter in a slow cooker over a long period concentrates the apples' natural sweetness and gives the spread its rich flavor and smooth, almost buttery texture. It's delicious on toast, biscuits, pancakes, and more!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Apples: 3 ½ lbs of apples. I used Wealthy apples, picked from a friend's tree.
- Sugar: Brown sugar is added to sweeten the spread. You can add more or less, depending on how sweet the apples are.
- Seasoning/Spices: Cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ground cardamom, sea salt, and one vanilla bean.
- Optional Ingredients: You can add a splash of lemon juice, especially if using sweeter apples. Instead of water, you can use apple juice or apple cider. Some recipes also call for apple cider vinegar.
*See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Apple Butter in the Slow Cooker
- Wash, peel, and core apples, then chop into evenly sized pieces and add to a slow cooker.
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, ground cardamom, ground cloves, salt, freshly grated nutmeg, and 1 vanilla bean, slit down the middle.
- Cover and cook for two hours on low. Stir after two hours and add ½ cup of water if the mixture is too dry.
- Cook for two more hours, then remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
Pro Tip: For extra smooth apple butter, run the apple mixture through a food mill!
- Continue cooking with the lid slightly ajar or completely off, stirring occasionally, until the apple butter is thick, dark, and spreadable. This can take up to 3 to 4 more hours.
How to Store Apple Butter
Let it cool before transferring it into clean, airtight, refrigerator-safe or freezer-safe containers.
Canning Instructions
To can, ladle the hot apple butter into sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth, then add the lids and bands. Tighten the bands until fingertip-tight and place the jars in a boiling water bath canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 to 2 inches.
Process half-pint or pint jars for 15 minutes, adjusting the processing time for altitude.
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet: Process for 20 minutes
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet: Process for 25 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: Process for 30 minutes
When the time is up, turn off the heat and leave the cans undisturbed in the canner for another 5 minutes. This prevents siphoning (liquid boiling out of the jars).
What to Serve with Apple Butter
Serve this delicious spread on toast, biscuits, English muffins, or pancakes. You can also stir it into oatmeal, spoon it over yogurt, or use it as an ingredient in cakes, muffins, and other fall baking recipes.
FAQ
What's the difference between applesauce and apple butter?
Apple butter is cooked longer than applesauce, allowing more moisture to evaporate. The result is a thicker, darker spread with a more concentrated flavor.
Can you use any variety of apples for apple butter?
Many apple varieties work well for apple butter. Sweet apples may need less added sugar, while tart apples may need more. You can also combine varieties to balance the flavor.
Do you have to peel apples to make apple butter?
Peeling the apples helps produce a smooth texture, especially when using an immersion blender. Leaving the peels on is another option, although the finished texture may vary depending on the apples and blending method.
Pro Tips
- If possible, use a mixture of apples. Combining sweet and tart varieties can give your homemade apple butter a more balanced flavor.
- Adjust the sugar to taste. Apples vary in sweetness, so start with less sugar and add more after the apples have softened.
- Don't rush the cooking process. Apple butter develops its rich flavor and dark color as it cooks down. Allow extra time for moisture to evaporate after blending.
- Once the apples are blended, uncover the slow cooker to help excess moisture to evaporate. Stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking around the edges.
- Check the consistency before calling it done. Apple butter should be thick and spreadable, not watery like applesauce. Remember that it will thicken a little more as it cools.
More Canning Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Apple Butter in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 3½ lbs apples (peeled and cored)
- ⅔ cup brown sugar (or more if needed)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground)
- 1 vanilla bean (split down the middle)
- ½ cup water (optional)
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and core apples, then chop into evenly sized pieces and add to a slow cooker.
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, ground cardamom, ground cloves, salt, freshly grated nutmeg, and 1 vanilla bean, slit down the middle.
- Cover and cook for two hours on low. Stir after two hours and add ½ cup of water if the mixture is too dry.
- Cook for two more hours, then remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Continue cooking with the lid slightly ajar or completely off, stirring occasionally, until the apple butter is thick, dark, and spreadable. This can take up to 3 to 4 more hours.
Notes
- See post for canning instructions.
- If possible, use a mixture of apples. Combining sweet and tart varieties can give your homemade apple butter a more balanced flavor.
- Adjust the sugar to taste. Apples vary in sweetness, so start with less sugar and add more after the apples have softened.
- Don't rush the cooking process. Apple butter develops its rich flavor and dark color as it cooks down. Allow extra time for moisture to evaporate after blending.
- For extra smooth apple butter, run the apple mixture through a food mill!
- Once the apples are blended, uncover the slow cooker to help excess moisture to evaporate. Stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking around the edges.
- Check the consistency before calling it done. Apple butter should be thick and spreadable, not watery like applesauce. Remember that it will thicken a little more as it cools.
Hilda Sterner says
Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think!