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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!

Open glass jar of apple butter set next to a slow cooker on a wooden tabletop.
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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.

Hand holding up a slice of baguette spread with slow cooker apple butter.

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!

Ingredients for slow cooker apple butter set on a wooden tabletop.

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.

Sliced and peeled apples in the crock of a slow cooker.

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.

Sliced apples tossed with sugar and spices in the crock of a slow cooker.

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.

Cooked apples and spices being stirred in the crock of a slow cooker.

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!

Open glass jar of apple butter set on a wooden tabletop, surrounded by whole apples and spices.

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?

Small bowl of apple butter on a platter, surrounded by sliced apples, cheese, and slices of baguette.

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.

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Slow Cooker Apple Butter

By: Jamie
4.49 from 2317 ratings
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 12 hours
Total: 12 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 32
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!

Ingredients

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

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 0.2g, Saturated Fat: 0.04g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.05g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 21mg, Potassium: 110mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 51IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

4.49 from 2317 votes (2,298 ratings without comment)

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856 Comments

  1. Jackie says:

    hi im giing to try the apple butter now is it 6.5ibs of apples total

    1. Jamie says:

      Jackie-
      I hope you love it as much as I do! Have a delicious day!
      -Jamie

  2. Lisa says:

    I have seen recipes for Apple/Pear butter. Do you think I could mix apples and pears in your recipe? I also plan to water bath for storage.

    Thanks

    1. Jamie says:

      Lisa-
      I think that would be a delicious combination! Thanks for stopping by!
      -Jamie

  3. amanda says:

    I just finished canning my first batch of this recipe yesterday, and it is amazing! Very interested in making another batch, but don’t have enough apples for a whole batch…if I just half the recipe, how long would you recommend cooking it for?

    1. Jamie says:

      Amanda-
      I am so glad to hear it worked so well for you. Personally, I would just cook it with a watchful eye until it looks done. Sorry I am not more of a help in regards to the time. Have a great day!
      -Jamie

  4. Sarah says:

    This recipe is wonderful! I was intimidated at first but it turned out great!! Did it over night and finished it this morning! Looks and tasted so good!!! Thank you!!

    1. Jamie says:

      Sarah-

      You are very welcome! I’m so happy to hear that you had a good experience with the recipe. Thank you so much for stopping in to share, and have a lovely day!

      -Jamie

  5. Lori says:

    I don’t have an immersion blender…would a regular blender work as well?!?!

    1. Jamie says:

      Lori-

      A regular blender will work just fine! Thanks so much for stopping in and have a lovely day!

      -Jamie

  6. Emily says:

    Hi! A couple of weeks ago my mom and I peeled a bunch of apples and covered them with that freshener stuff, and put them in the freezer. I want to make your apple butter, do you think I should thaw the apples first or can I put them in frozen? Thanks for the great sounding recipe!

    1. Jamie says:

      Emily-
      I think the frozen apples would be just perfect. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do!
      -Jamie

  7. Elise Logan says:

    I’ve canned apple butter a number of times, and it is perfectly acceptable to do the boiling water canner. The apples are acidic enough and cooked long enough that boiling water canning is fine. The recommendation is (at lower altitudes) 5 minutes processing for pints, 10 minutes for quarts. You can see more on the process at the National Center for Home Food Preservation, here: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/apple_butter.html

    The canning directions are not specific to their recipe, they apply to any long-cooking apple butter recipe. Hope that helps.

  8. Heather says:

    Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe!!! I used ~5 pounds, cut back a bit on the sugars and spices to compensate and ended up with 5+ half pints that I water bathed for 10 minutes. The flavor is so good that I keep sneaking into the kitchen and eating a spoonful. That jar will be empty in no time.

    1. Jamie says:

      Heather-
      This is one of my favorite fall recipes, I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it – I’m definitely guilty of sneaking spoonfuls while mine simmers away too!
      -Jamie

  9. Sharyl says:

    Had a Good time making this recipe. I peeled my apples around 9 pm and cooked them over night. Around 5:15 am I was surprise on how well everything did. However I am a bit concern on how thin the batch is. I am hoping that it start to thicken as 9 am comes around. I will do this recipe again, but I do think I will not use so much white and brown sugar that is called for. May be half next time around.. Thank you for the good recipe. I will forwarding it to my other canning friends on FB.

  10. Elizabeth says:

    So I don’t have to can it to be able to keep it in the freezer for 6 months?

    1. Jamie says:

      Hi Elizabeth,
      That’s correct. You can keep many fruit butters and jams in the freezer without canning them. Just remember that once they’ve been thawed even once, they should be used within about 10 days.
      -Jamie