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Slow Cooker Apple Butter

[heart_this] · Dec 9, 2016 · 31 Comments

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

A thick and intense apple flavoured ‘butter’ with cinnamon spice!

Homemade apple butter is the best! That thick ‘butter’ like consistency apple sauce spread all over some cinnamon toast in the morning is simply amazing! Apple butter is basically an apple sauce that is reduced to a thick butter like consistency so that it can be spread, like butter, on things like toast, bagels, pancakes, waffles, etc. The apple flavour is concentrated as the apples are reduced and this really intensifies the apple flavour! Apple butter is pretty easy to make but when making it on the stove top it requires some attention and so the slow cooker is a great alternative as you can place the apples into the slow cooker and let them go, unattended! You just cook the apples in the slow cooker until tender, puree them and then crank up the heat, remove the lid from the slow cooker and cook until the apple sauce has reduced to a nice thick ‘butter’. This intensity of the apple flavour in the apple butter also makes it perfect for adding apple flavour to other recipes including quick breads, cookies, soups, etc.
With the holiday season here, this apple butter makes for a great homemade gift! (And you certainly don’t need to mention how easy it is to make!)

Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Feel free to skip reducing from a sauce to a butter and enjoy a really nice homemade apple sauce!

Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 hours Total Time: 10 hours 10 minutes Servings: 16(~2 cups or 16 1 tablespoon servings)

A thick and intense apple flavoured ‘butter’ with cinnamon spice!

ingredients
  • 3 pounds apples, peeled and cored
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
directions
  1. Mix everything, place in a slow cooker and cook, covered, until the apples are nice and tender, about 6-10 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
  2. Puree the apples with a blender or food processor.
  3. Cook in the slow cooker on high, without the lid, until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency, about 2-3 hours.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 39, Fat 0.1g (Saturated 0, Trans 0), Cholesterol 0, Sodium 2mg, Carbs 10.3g (Fiber 1.1g, Sugars 8.8g), Protein 0.1g

Nutrition by: Nutritional facts powered by Edamam
Use in:
Caramel Apple Snickerdoodles

Similar Recipes:
Apple Butter
Roasted Apple Sauce
Pumpkin Butter
Roasted Apple Barbecue Sauce
Slow Cooker Pear Butter
Roasted Garlic Gorgonzola Butter
Roasted Garlic and Porcini Mushroom Goat Cheese Butter
Slow Cooker Roasted Garlic

6 Ingredients, Condiment, Crockpot, Food, Gluten-free, Recipe, Slow Cooker, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maria Lichty says

    December 10, 2016 at 12:07 am

    I can think of so many things to spread this delicious apple butter on!

    Reply
  2. Unknown says

    December 10, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    This looks awesome, I am going to make this as gifts. Can you tell me what apple works best?

    Reply
  3. kevin says

    December 10, 2016 at 2:51 pm

    Unknown: Any apple works; I like macintosh or honey crisp.

    Reply
    • Lynn Davis says

      November 3, 2021 at 10:00 pm

      I am single and don’t eat jelly very often. How can I store it? Can it be frozen?
      thanks!
      Love your recipes!
      Lynn Davis

      Reply
      • kevin says

        November 8, 2021 at 2:43 pm

        If you are not going to use it all quickly, store it in the freezer. Enjoy!

        Reply
  4. Heather Christo says

    December 10, 2016 at 8:55 pm

    This looks incredible! I want it on everything!

    Reply
  5. Michal Phillips says

    December 11, 2016 at 2:18 am

    Hi Kevin, I made this tonight. I used Granny Smith. I also added juice from half a Meyer lemon and omitted the nutmeg. It is sooooo delish!

    Reply
  6. We Are Not Martha says

    December 11, 2016 at 9:58 pm

    I feel like I really need to make my own apple butter this winter. This looks and sounds delicious!

    Sues

    Reply
  7. Alma Vorrei says

    December 12, 2016 at 6:48 am

    This recipe is absolutely excellent. First time I've made this recipe and it turned out perfect. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants great apple butter. It makes a lot.

    Reply
  8. Elizabeth says

    April 25, 2017 at 3:35 am

    How long does this last? I expect I'd give some away, but it would still likely last me quite some time…

    Reply
    • Diane G says

      October 15, 2018 at 5:28 pm

      I’ve frozen mine for over 6 months. Each container was as good as the first.

      Reply
  9. kevin says

    April 26, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    Elizabeth: You can keep this in the fridge for a week or two, or in the freezer for longer. You can also use proper canning process to keep it longer. Enjoy!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 7, 2018 at 9:50 am

      What would the canning steps be?

      Reply
      • Stephanie says

        October 15, 2018 at 5:08 pm

        Sara–you can apple butter pretty much the same way you can applesauce. Process jars for 10 minutes in a water bath canner. The time is the same in a pressure canner, but you increase the pressure at higher altitudes.

        Reply
  10. Molly Shores says

    November 19, 2017 at 9:21 pm

    Mine turned out good but it wasn’t nearly as dark as the picture on here. Did I do something wrong? It looks too light

    Reply
    • Gene Matson says

      August 17, 2021 at 5:43 pm

      I think the color is determined by whether you use light or dark brown sugar. Both should taste the same. Hope this helps.

      Reply
  11. kevin says

    November 21, 2017 at 5:32 pm

    Molly Shores: The lighter colour is perfectly fine! I'm glad you like it!

    Reply
  12. Brigitte Grov says

    September 16, 2018 at 11:11 am

    Hi! Are the 3 pounds of apples after they are peeled and cored?

    Reply
    • kevin says

      September 18, 2018 at 3:00 pm

      Yes they are! Enjoy!

      Reply
  13. Jenna says

    September 18, 2018 at 10:22 am

    This looks delicious, thanks for sharing! I don’t have a food scale- approximately how many apples are in 3 pounds?

    Reply
    • kevin says

      September 18, 2018 at 2:59 pm

      I usually just grab a 3lb bag of apples; about 6-7 small apples or 5-6 medium or 3-4 large apples. Enjoy!

      Reply
  14. Stephanie says

    October 15, 2018 at 4:59 pm

    When it comes to apple butter (or really, ANY fruit butter; I do apple, pear, peach and cherry, and occasionally pumpkin), the slow cooker is the ONLY way to go. Don’t bother with the stove; you’ll just burn it.

    Reply
  15. rm johnson says

    September 10, 2019 at 4:34 pm

    Made exactly as given. Kind of blah. Added a 1 T. of lemon juice, 1/8 tsp of cloves and 1/8 tsp allspice to knock it up a notch.
    I’m sure the type of apples would have a tremendous effect on outcome. Nice starting point recipe for the apples in my yard.

    Reply
  16. Christina Marraccini says

    October 28, 2019 at 2:27 pm

    Ive seen a lot of apple butter recipes call for lemon juice in some form or fashion. As I hear this takes away the bitter taste. Is this the same for this recipe? Especially for canning? Do I need to add lemon juice to this in any way? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • kevin says

      October 29, 2019 at 9:23 am

      I do not add lemon and I do not get a bitter taste. I like to use sweeter apples like macintosh and I remove the seeds and skins; the next batch I make I will have to try with a tarter apple like a granny smith and see if that comes out bitter. I also do not can (as my place is too small to store large quantities of preserves) and I would recommend looking up proper canning procedures to see if adding lemon is required for canning. As for adding lemon, a hint of fresh brightness from lemon would be a nice addition to apple butter! Test the sweetness vs tartness and adjust the amount of sugar added.

      Reply
  17. Judy says

    October 16, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    Hi Kevin, long time. I hope you’re well.
    How do I make this on the stove. I don’t have a slow cooker? thank you.

    Reply
    • kevin says

      October 17, 2022 at 8:45 am

      Step 1 will take about an hour and step 3 will take 1-2 hours on stove top. Enjoy!

      Reply
  18. Deb says

    October 16, 2022 at 7:39 pm

    What bread is it served on in the picture?

    Reply
    • kevin says

      October 17, 2022 at 8:42 am

      The bread is Stonemill Cranberry Pumpkin Seed

      Reply
  19. Kathy says

    October 17, 2022 at 8:29 pm

    Thank you for the wonderful recipe, Kevin. I had forgotten about this favorite treat so went to the store & bought a bag of honey crisp and started peeling and coring. I mistakenly added regular sugar by mistake so added about 4 more apples and then added dark brown sugar. Didn’t have allspice, so just added a little more cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground cloves. It smells so good!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 30 Sweet And Savoury Vegan Apple Recipes - Eluxe Magazine says:
    September 5, 2022 at 3:15 am

    […] Get the recipe here. […]

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