Crockpot Apple Butter
This crockpot apple butter recipe slow cooker style turns a pile of apples into a thick, spiced spread with almost no stirring. Cook the apples all day and finish with the lid off so it thickens.
16
servings20
minutes12
hoursApples cook slowly with sugar and spices until dark and thick. Blend and finish uncovered for a spreadable butter.
Ingredients
5 lb mixed apples such as Honeycrisp, Gala and Granny Smith, peeled, cored and sliced
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
- Toss the sliced apples with both sugars, cider, spices, salt and lemon juice in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours or HIGH 5 hours, until the apples are very soft and dark.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth, or work in batches in a regular blender with the lid vented.
- Cook uncovered, or with the lid propped open with a wooden spoon, on HIGH 1 to 2 hours.
- Stir every 30 minutes so it does not scorch.
- It is done when a spoonful holds its shape on a cold plate.
- Taste and add more cinnamon or sugar if you like.
- Cool completely.
- Spoon into clean jars and refrigerate.
Notes
- Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer. For canning, follow tested home canning guidelines for processing times, since slow cooker recipes are not automatically safe to can. Use as a spread, stirred into oatmeal or on pork chops.
Why apple butter is easy in a slow cooker
Crockpot apple butter is the simplest way to turn a bag of apples into a jar of spiced spread. The cooker holds a low heat for ten hours, and the apples break down into a dark, thick, caramelized butter without much stirring. On the stove it needs constant watching to keep it from scorching.
The house also smells wonderful. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger warm up slowly in the apples and cider, and the sugar caramelizes into a deep brown color. A final hour with the lid cracked open cooks off the extra moisture and gives you a spreadable butter.
Ingredient choices that matter
Apples: 5 pounds of a mix. Honeycrisp and Gala add sweetness, and Granny Smith adds tartness and pectin. Peel, core and slice them. A mix gives a more complex flavor than one variety.
Brown and white sugar: 3/4 cup brown and 1/2 cup granulated give sweetness and a caramel note. You can reduce the sugar if your apples are very sweet.
Apple cider: a half cup adds liquid at the start and a fruity depth. Apple juice works as a substitute.
Spices: cinnamon is the lead, with nutmeg, cloves and ginger as backups. Fresh ground spices have more flavor than old jars.
Lemon juice and vanilla: lemon brightens and keeps the color, and vanilla stirred in at the end rounds it all out.
Salt: a quarter teaspoon is all you need. It does not make the butter salty, it just sharpens the sweetness and the spice.
Tips for thick, spreadable butter
Blend until smooth: the most common mistake is skipping the blending. An immersion blender takes a minute and makes the butter silky. If you use a regular blender, work in batches and keep the lid vented. Use a deep bowl or the cooker insert itself if it is safe to blend in, so you do not need to transfer hot butter.
Cook with the lid cracked: after blending, prop the lid open with a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 hours on HIGH. This lets steam escape and the butter thickens. Stir every 30 minutes so it does not scorch.
Test on a cold plate: put a spoonful on a plate that has been in the freezer. If no liquid rings form around the edge, it is done.
Substitutions and what to skip
Use pears for part of the apples, or add a pinch of cardamom. Maple syrup can replace the brown sugar for a different sweetness. For less sugar, cut it by a third and add a splash more lemon juice. A tablespoon of bourbon adds depth.
Skipping the peeling does not work well. The skins stay in tough bits even after blending, so peel the apples first.
What goes with it
Spread it on toast, biscuits or English muffins, stir it into oatmeal, or serve it with pork chops and sharp cheddar. It is also good on a cheese board and as a gift in a pretty jar. Warm a spoonful over vanilla ice cream for a quick dessert.
Storage and reheating
This apple butter is not shelf-stable as written. Refrigerate it in clean jars for up to 3 weeks. Because it is cooked in a slow cooker and not processed in a water bath, do not store it at room temperature.
For longer storage, freeze it in freezer-safe jars with an inch of headspace for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. If you want to can it, follow a tested canning recipe and process it properly in a boiling water bath.
Crockpot Apple Butter at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 12 hours
- Servings: 16 servings
- Ingredients: 11, led by mixed apples such as Honeycrisp, brown sugar, granulated sugar, apple cider
Tips for Crockpot Apple Butter
Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer. For canning, follow tested home canning guidelines for processing times, since slow cooker recipes are not automatically safe to can. Use as a spread, stirred into oatmeal or on pork chops.
Crockpot Apple Butter FAQ
How long does Crockpot Apple Butter take?
Crockpot Apple Butter takes 12 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Apple Butter serve?
This recipe makes 16 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Apple Butter?
11 ingredients, led by mixed apples such as Honeycrisp, brown sugar, granulated sugar, apple cider. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
