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Our Crockpot Apple Butter is perfect for stocking the freezer and giving as gifts! Your entire house will smell like fall, the apple butter is rich and sweet, and you only need apples, brown sugar, and spices to make this one!
Visiting the local apple orchard is a favorite fall tradition in my family. We use the freshly picked apples to make all sorts of goodies, such as our Snicker’s Apple Salad or an apple galette. The fresh cider is perfect in our apple cider mimosa!
But every year we’re sure to buy plenty of apples to make this Crockpot Apple Butter.
Our kids love to spread this on toast or our homemade biscuits. It’s also perfect for placing in a jar, freezing, and then passing out at Thanksgiving or Christmas to friends and family.
???? What is Apple Butter?
Apple Butter is basically applesauce that has been cooked down until it’s extra thick, rich, and buttery. It’s been seasoned well with spices, similar to apple pie filling, and comes out smooth and creamy, much like butter.
???????? Ingredient Notes:
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Apples – You’ll use a variety of apples for the best flavor. We prefer a mix of Fuji, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, and Cortland.
Sugar – You’ll need both granulated white sugar and dark brown sugar, which has a stronger molasses flavor than light brown sugar.
Spices – We’re using traditional apple pie spices here, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Vanilla Extract – A bit of vanilla is going to add some extra flavor and it’ll help to balance out the spices.
What We Love About This Recipe:
- You can experiment with lots of different apple varieties to find a mix that perfectly suits your taste!
- It’ll level up any regular breakfast item with lots of flavor, like pancakes or waffles!
- Store bought apple butter is fine, but it doesn’t even compare to homemade!
????Helpful Tools:
Immersion Blender – This is an easy, mess free way to blend/process that works in so many great recipes and it’s perfect for pureeing the apples in this apple butter recipe!
Crockpot Recommendation!
In the market for a new slow cooker? We love this 7 quart Crockpot. It’s simple to use, cooks evenly, and is very budget friendly. Plus, it has a 4 1/2 star rating with over 5,000 reviews on Amazon!
???? How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Butter:
Prep: Rinse, peel, and chop your apples into chunks.
Season: Sprinkle the sugars and spices over the apples in the crockpot.
Stir & Cook: Stir it all up to combine until the apple slices are well coated. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours.
Puree: Use an immersion blender to puree the slow cooked apples until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
Thicken: We’re almost done but this last step is pretty important. Let the apple butter continue to cook on high uncovered this time, for about 30 to 45 minutes.
The apple butter will thicken up nicely, which makes it easier for spreading and it concentrates all that sweet apple and cinnamon spice flavor!
Helpful Tip!
If the apple butter seems like it is still too thin you can just continue to cook it for longer in the crockpot until it has reduced further. It will also thicken as it cools.
Store: This makes quite a bit so there’s a good chance you won’t be eating it all in one sitting. Which is just fine, because it stores well! Transfer the apple butter to a mason jar and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
???? What To Serve With Apple Butter:
There are so many ways you can enjoy this apple butter! I mean, pretty much anything that you’d put jam or preserves on is going pair wonderfully with this apple butter recipe. Here are some suggestions:
- Toast
- Hootenanny
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Baked Apple Oatmeal
- Grilled Cheese (just a thin layer of apple butter paired with melty cheese is delicious!)
❔ FAQs:
Apples come in many varieties with varying levels of sweetness and tartness. I like a mix of Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Braeburn or Cortland. You can experiment to find out which combo offers the best flavors!
Apple butter is essentially applesauce that has been cooked longer, often with more spices and with a lot more of a concentrated flavor. It also has a richer, buttery texture.
Keep the apple butter stored in an airtight glass jar, like a mason jar, for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
MORE EASY APPLE DESSERT RECIPES!
Crockpot Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 6 pounds apples any variety, see notes
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- Peel and core your apples and slice into ¼ – ½ inch thick slices.
- Place the apple slices, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves into a crockpot. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or until apples are brown and soft.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the apples and then stir in the vanilla. Alternately, transfer the mixture to a blender and carefully blend until smooth.
- Continue cooking with the lid off for 30-45 minutes to thicken the apple butter. The apple butter will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Transfer to clean jars and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, cool completely in the fridge and transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.
Sara says
The first time i made this i did not have a crock pot. I used my instapot and the consistency was off. It was more like apple sauce. This time i had a crock pot and it was so silky smooth and delicious! Now im wishing i had more. If i doubled the recipe how much longer would it have to be in the crock pot? Would the time have to be doubled as well?
Karly says
Hi Sara! I’m not sure that you’d need to increase the time, but I’ve never tried doubling this one. I’d be nervous about all of the apples fitting in the slow cooker properly.
Amanda says
Can I make this on the stove top instead of a crackpot? And how long to cook?
Karly says
Hi Amanda! I’m sure there are recipes for making this on the stove, but I’ve never tried it with this one.
Ruth says
This recipe is fantastic. Other than peeling the apples it’s a breeze.
Karly says
So glad you gave it a try and liked it! 🙂
Melanie says
Approx how many cups of apples once peeled and sliced do you use? (I have a bushel so I have no idea how many would be 6 lbs!)
Karly says
I didn’t measure it after peeling and slicing. There are generally about 3 apples per pound.
Donna says
Not a review but wondering if you can start with unsweetened applesauce instead of apples and if so how much applesauce?
Karly says
I’m really not sure how that’d work. I’ve only made this with fresh apples.
Elizabeth Oliver says
We make a similar recipe every few years! My kids will not eat store bought anymore as the taste is not the same. Suggestion – To make this easier you don’t have to peel the apples! It will all cook down and liquify with the immersion blender or a food processor then put it back in the crockpot to cook off some of the liquids.
Karly says
Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth!
L says
When you say 6pounds apples, does that mean 6 pounds cored and cleaned or before cleaning
Karly says
6 pounds apples that you then peel and core.
L says
I have a lot of apples from grocery store, I don’t have a mixture of different apples, would this still work?
Karly says
Yep, will work fine.
Denise C Gilmour says
Oh no, I added the vanilla to eveything, missed that, will it be okay?
Karly says
It won’t hurt anything, but you might add more at the end if you think it needs it. The vanilla will just cook out. 🙂
Susan says
Thank you! I want to make this for gifts for holidays! How do you freeze it? Thanks!
Karly says
Pop it in mason jars, cool, and then place in the freezer.
Kim says
Loved Apple Butter as a child. Surprised to see that there isn’t any actual butter in it. I’m going to try and make a Keto version of your recipe.
Brenda Dawson says
Can I can this in mason jars for my pantry?
Karly says
I don’t have any experience with canning, so I’m not sure what you’d need to do to do this safely.
Vickie says
I can it every year in a hot water bath! Be sure your jars seal well. I have kept it about 6 months with no issues but it is soo good that it may not last!
Bobbie Kreiling says
How long do you process when canning?
Betty says
How long do u water bath it you never said
Jackie says
Yummm
T Fitzpatrick says
It sounds to be so good!
Patty Rose says
I like your website. You have put a lot of time & effort into it & you can tell you like what you do!!
Karly says
Thanks, Patty!
Toni says
I am so excited to make this!! How many jars does it make??
Karly says
Hi Toni! It makes 4 pints. 🙂
Karen says
Going to make this, can you can this in a water bath, if so how long.
Karly says
We don’t have any experience with canning, so I’m not sure if this would be safe or not.
Heather says
Yes, you can, can this! Here are the instructions, it includes a recipe, but I like Karly’s recipe more!
https://www.simplycanning.com/canning-apple-butter/
Sara says
I have made this several times now and it is delicious. The first time i used an instapot so it was more applesauce… This time i had a crock pot to use and it was perfect and it barley filled half my crock pot before cooking down. If i was to double the recipe how much longer would it need to cook? Would the time need to be doubled?