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This Easy Crockpot Apple Butter is so simple and cooks overnight in your slow cooker! It’s creamy and sweet and a healthier alternative to jams and jellies.
Spread apple butter on toast, bagels, or homemade biscuits. It can also be used in place of oil in recipes and is especially delicious in my Apple Bundt Cake.
Table of Contents
What is Apple Butter Used For?
Apple Butter is basically a condensed applesauce that is thick and spreadable and so delicious. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- As a spread – Rolls, biscuits, English muffins, bagels, toast, or crackers.
- As a topping – Microwave it for a few seconds and use as a syrup for pancakes, waffles, or even ice cream.
- As a gift – Since it can be stored for a while in the fridge, it also makes a great holiday gift. Fill a half-pint jar, tie a ribbon around the lid and gift to friends, neighbors, co-workers and teachers.
Crockpot Apple Butter Ingredients
- Apples – You’ll need approximately 5 pounds of apples (10-12 medium size). Core them and roughly chop them; you can leave the skins off if you want, and they will just melt into the butter.
- Sugar – Made with molasses, brown sugar adds warmth to the sweetness. You’ll also add some white sugar to heighten the sweet factor. Depending on the type of apples you use, you may want to ere on the lighter side with the sugar at first.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Salt – Just a pinch. Salt helps to balance the sweetness and heighten the overall flavor of the butter.
- Vanilla extract – Also for flavor balance.
How To Make Apple Butter in the Crockpot
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Start by chopping 5 pounds of apples and add them to the slow cooker.
- Combine sugars, spices, salt, and vanilla in a bowl and mix that with the apples.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours.
- Puree the apple mixture with an immersion blender, or transfer to a regular blender and blend until smooth.
FAQs
The best apples to use for this recipe are Red Delicious, Fuji, McIntosh, or Winesap as they are softer apples. I recommend using a mix of sweet and tart apples for a well-rounded flavor, but you can use any red apples you can find. Some apples will be sweeter than others, so you may need to adjust the amount of added sugar.
Although they are not a favorite, you can also use Granny Smith for a more tart flavor or yellow delicious for a more mild sweetness.
The best part about this recipe? No peeling required! The skins will break down as they cook and they will just melt into the butter. Leaving the peels on not only makes the process much easier, the skin is the most nutritious part of the apple, so keeping it on is a win-win.
This batch will fill about four cups which can be divided into 4 half-pint jars.
To test for doneness, draw a line through it; it should hold the space without it filling back in quickly. It will also hold its shape on a spoon.
Storage
Cool completely and store in mason jars or another airtight container. This recipe will fill 4 half-pint jars, or 2 pint-size jars, or a one-quart jar.
- Refrigerate: Up to 2-3 weeks.
- Freeze: Up to a year. Make sure to leave at least 1-2 inches at the top for expansion.
- Canning: For longer-term storage, canning is a good option. Use sterilized jars and follow proper canning guidelines to ensure the butter is safely preserved. Once canned and sealed properly, it can last for up to a year in a cool, dark place.
- Label and Date: Regardless of your storage method, always label and date your containers so you know when it was made.
- Check for Signs of Spoilage: Before using, always check for signs of spoilage like mold, off smells, or changes in texture.
Expert Tips
- Cook Low and Slow: Only use the low setting on your slow cooker for this recipe – high heat will burn the sugars. Cooking the apples on low heat for an extended period is key to achieving a deep, caramelized flavor.
- Let it sit: Let your butter process in the fridge for a day or so before eating. It can have quite a sharp tang that will mellow with age.
- Stir occasionally: Lift the lid and check about halfway through. If you notice the apples sticking to the bottom of the crock pot, give the mixture a stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
- Taste and Adjust: Before canning or storing, give it a taste. You can adjust the sweetness or spices at this point.
More Apple Recipes
- Classic Apple Pie Recipe
- Slow Cooker Apple Pie Filling
- Apple Crumble Recipe
- Apple Oven Pancake
- Pumpkin Apple Bread
- Green Apple Smoothie Recipe
Easy Homemade Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 10 – 12 Medium Apples approximately 5 pounds, cored and chopped. (Leave the skins on the apples)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add chopped apples to a crockpot.
- In a medium size bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract.
- Pour the sugar mixture over the chopped apples in the crockpot and stir until well coated.
- Cover with lid and cook on low for 10 hours.
- Puree the apple mixture with an immersion blender or a in counter-top blender until smooth.
- Once the apple butter is smooth and cool, store in mason jars or an air tight jar. Store in refrigerator for up to one month or freezer for up to one year.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature on rolls, biscuits, engligh muffins, toast or crackers!
What juices everyone talking about I’m ready to take a blender to mine and was I supposed to drink strain it through a strainer first?
This recipe turned out perfectly! Just enough spice for me but not too much for my husband. And trust me on this, dip your sweet potato fries or hash browns in this! Yum!
Nice! Love the feedback Amy. Thanks for stopping by.
This is the best i have made. . Its thick and very flavorful. I did have some skin from the apple. But i dont care. It is delicious. Thanks for sharing
You are so welcome Lenora! Love the feedback, thanks for stopping by.
My husband liked this recipe the best of the apple butters I’ve made. It’s less sweet and the hint of cloves gives it that something extra.
That’s awesome Barbara! Love the feedback, thanks for stopping by.
K.
This this pretty thick? I made some usingdifferent recipe and it was good but thin
Hi Lenora, it’s fairly thick, as you can see in the photos. Definitely not thin and runny. It’s delicious!
Has anyone canned this recipe? If so, do you just put into jars while hot so it seals or some other way?
This is an awesome recipe. The hubby loved it. I was curious if I could replace the apples with peaches and still get the same great results?
Yes I think it would work well. I haven’t tried it personally though, so I can’t testify to the exact results. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out.
I have made this several times. Gets over big n my family. I am wondering if I Can use the juice that’s left in my crockpot. Seems a shame to waste it.
I was going to ask the same question! I wonder if you could add fruit pectin and make apple jelly?
Hi Kristin,
I’m hoping to make an apple butter barbecue sauce. Every recipe I see asks for apple butter as an ingredient! Is this what I would use? I don’t want to use store bought apple butter.
Thank you!
Yes you could use this. Sounds delicious!
The apple butter is in my crockpot as we speak. In the past, I have gone through the canning process but will skip that step this time around. That being said, do you sterilize the jars and lids in addition to cleaning them with hot, soapy water? Also, if you freeze the apple butter, any particular container? I’m excited about this recipe because the apples did not have to be peeled! Thanks!
Can this be canned for shelf stability?
Sure, just follow the instructions for canning on your jar packaging.
This is the second time that I am making this delicious apple butter. I was looking for a recipe where I didn’t have to peel the apples and this one is a winner! Thanks so much! My house smells so yummy!
You are so welcome Nancy! Thanks for the awesome feedback.
Doubled this recipe and made it last night to give it to friends and family for our Trick or Treat Halloween surprise. The house smelled incredible while cooking and the rave reviews are already coming in. I will be making this a lot- so happy to have a recipe that doesn’t include peeling the apples! I love all your recipes and will continue to head to your site first when I’m looking for something to try.
That’s so awesome Stephanie! Thanks for stopping by.