Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Make the most of apple season with this easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter recipe that requires less apples than most apple butter recipes, no peeling and can be slathered on just about anything! It’s great on toast, on pancakes, and even swirled into your flavored bread recipes.
And an added bonus? Everything is done in the bowl of the slow cooker if you have an immersion blender!
This is the perfect Fall recipe to make because while it is a delicious addition to your everyday meal options (goodbye, boring ole toast), it’s also great as an afternoon snack topped on graham crackers or even an apple. You know what they say, “an apple a day….”, well how about a double dose of apple goodness?
The homemade Apple Butter simmering in the slow cooker fills your kitchen with the most delicious aroma. But perhaps why I love it so much, is it makes just enough for indulging and sharing!
Most recipes call for upwards of 5-7 pounds of apples, but not this one.
Homemade Apple Butter makes for the most delightful hostess gift as we head into the holiday season and os perfect to have on hand for any unexpected gift exchanges that arise.
Before you get going, here’s some commonly asked questions:
What kind of apples should I use? I used Hunneyz because I had them on hand for this Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake recipe. Hunneyz are a cross between a Honey Crisp and a Crimson Crisp. You can use just about any variety of apple in this recipe, you can even use a combination if you’d like, I’d just stick with sweetly flavored apples that do well in baking recipes. I’d probably steer away from firmer apples like the Granny Smith apples as also they tend to be more tart than sweet.
Do I have to peel the apples first? No! That’s the beauty of this recipe. Minimal prep and no peeling required. The peels of the apples are rich in vitamins and minerals so save yourself the time it takes to peel the apples. The peels will break down during the long cooking process.
How is it butter, if there’s no butter in the recipe? It’s actually not “butter” at all, but it gets its name for its butter-like smooth consistency. Think jazzed up applesauce rather than butter.
So is it applesauce, then? No. Apple butter is generally more sweet, more flavorful and thicker than applesauce. It’s also much darker because of all the added spices and longer cooking time.
How do I use the apple butter? I’m so glad you asked! I love it as a spread on toast, sandwiched inside a biscuit, but you can use it instead of syrup on your pancakes or waffles, too. Need a quick afternoon snack? Slather it on an apple, or use it as a dip for graham crackers. Apple butter + peanut butter is also a fantastic lunch option. The sky is the limit!
What do I do with extra apple butter? Store the apple butter in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last for about 7-10 days. You can also freeze what you know you won’t use right away. Leave about an inch of headspace at the top of an airtight, freezer-safe jar. You can store in the freezer for up 3 months.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Make the most of apple season with this cinnamon packed apple butter made in the slow cooker. Great on toast, pancakes, or swirled inside bread recipes.
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds apples (about 8 medium sized apples)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Core and cut apples into 1-inch cubes.
Add the apples to a 6 quart slow cooker. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt and stir to combine.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours; until apples are very soft.
After the apples have cooked, uncover the slwo cooker and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth. *See notes below for pureeing in a blender if you do not have an immersion blender.
Spoon mixture into sealed containers to store in refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
Pureeing: If you do not have an immersion belnder, pour the softened apples into a blender and puree until smooth. You may need to work in small batches depending on the size of your blender.
And since we are talking about apples, I’d be remiss if I didn’t send you to these other Fall favorite recipes:
I have always wanted to make apple butter but was not sure how to make it. Your recipe was so easy to make and everyone loved the finished butter. Thank you for the recipe!!
This apple butter tastes as good as it looks