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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!
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 crockpot
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
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.
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.
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.
This recipe makes 4 pints (8 cups) of apple butter.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Regarding the use of pectin: It shouldn’t be necessary as apples are loaded with pectin. You do reduce it somewhat by peeling the apples before you cook them, but they should cook down just fine without the peels. When I make mine, I wash the apples, cut and core them and cook them with the skin on. Then I use a food mill to remove the skins. The slow cooker is a great idea! As applesauce/apple butter thickens, it can create a huge mess unless you watch it closely, because it tends to form large bubbles that explode all over the place if you don’t. “The voice of experience!” … Been there.
Thanks so much for your input, Elaine!
Hello! I saw several comments asking if this recipe for apple butter could be canned. It’s my understanding (from having canned apple butter before) that you must use vinegar in order for the acidity to be right for preserving. I have never used a recipe that doesn’t include vinegar (5% acidity vinegar). I admit that I didn’t read every single comment as there are a lot to go through, but I did read quite a few! If you’re in doubt and would like to preserve it in jars that will last a year or more, please call your county extension office and ask their advice. Chances are, they’ll have some great info for you. I can a lot of jams and pickles primarily and most call for at least some lemon juice even in the jams. Be safe! Canning is wonderful, but please be informed!.
Thanks, Elaine!
I have NEVER used vinegar when canning fruit. You just need to check the acid level of the fruit your are canning. Typically you use lemon juice for fruit and the vinegar for veggies.. ‘Although tomatoes usually are considered an acid food, some are now known to have pH values slightly above 4.6. Figs also have pH values slightly above 4.6. Therefore, if they are to be canned as acid foods, these products must be acidified to a pH of 4.6 or lower with lemon juice or citric acid.’ Apples are usually at the lower end of the fruit acid level, so for ‘safe’ canning you should prob add lemon juice.
If you put this in jars hot and then seal them in a water bath will they be considered canned and be good up to a year unopened?
I am not much of a canner or resource for canning, but there are a ton of great comments on this post that discuss canning. Thanks for stopping by!
-Jamie
My mother and grandmother always made apple butter outside in a large brass kettle. When it reached desired thickness they put in jars straight from the kettle, put on lids and it seals without water bath. I have some that II bought 3 years ago and it is as good as when I bought it. It can also be made with unsweetened applesauce instead of fresh apples.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Betty! I love the idea of using applesauce!
Just made this and it’s wonderful!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Jamie! Thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
Do you have a file for those adorable labels that say home made apple butter or remember the fonts you used? Thanks!
Mia-
Hello! I just spent about 15 minute searching for the font names, but I am coming up empty handed, sorry! Thanks for stopping by!
-Jamie
How many apples woulmd you say you use?
Amber-
It varies quite a bit depending on the size of the apples, so I typically just weight them at the grocery store or orchard. Thanks for stopping by!
-Jamie
How long to cook using unsweetened applesauce?
I love this recipe! ❤️ I canned my apple butter and it turned out perfect!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Sherri! I love that you canned it – so awesome!
-Jamie
If u core and peel your apples can u add pectin for it to thicken, like u would use to make jellies or other stuff. If so what kind? And does that change flavor or just helps to thicken?
Sami-
I don’t have much experience with pectin, but hopefully someone that does will chime in.
-Jamie
I have used this recipe for 2 years and the apple butter is always so good. I use honey crisp apples that i peel and core. Then let them cook down for about 12 hours, then cool and give a quick whirl in the blender to make it really smooth. Once poured back into the pot, I add Sure Gel in the pink box mixed with a 1/4 cup of sugar. I bring it back up to a boil and then simmer another 3-4 hours. Longer if you want it even thicker. I pour it boiling hot into sterile jars and turn them upside down to seal, works everytime. Sometimes I use the water bath for 10 minutes but not always. Taste like cracker barrel apple butter.
I also use this same recipe to make apple pie filling in a jar. I use the same recipe and ingredients but only cook until the apple slices are tender. Then I spoon into a jar and seal with a water bath. So easy to use for apple pie or apple strudel.