Crock-pot Apple Butter~a smooth, cinnamon-y, delectable spread.
Apple Butter conjures up visions of fall when the leaves swirl around chasing each other and a crispness descends on the day, and yet, I am not ready to say farewell to summer. But when you have apples beckoning, you must answer the call. And this call was for apple butter!
Making apple butter (or apple sauce, for that matter) is a great way to use the undesirables~the apples that have been scarred with the realities of aging. I really have a hard time with waste, so often I will even pick up apples off of the ground if there is a good portion left on them. Yep. I admit it. There’s good stuff next to those blemishes. I just chop off those not-so-beautiful spots, peel, core and cook ’em down into oblivion. Then I am left with this gorgeous, deep-colored, luscious spread of apple buttery goodness spiced to perfection.
The variety of apples you use does affect the amount of sugar you will want to use. Just like my apple sauce, I really aim to add no sugar. I usually use homegrown apples of unknown varieties, but I will use any apples I can get my hands on. So many different types of apples may go into one batch of apple butter. My apples tend to be tart, but I have tart-lovers in my home, so making this without sugar totally works for us. I dare you to make this without sugar…at first. At the end of cooking, take a taste, stir in a tablespoon of sugar if needed (I use evaporated cane juice or coconut sugar) and repeat until you get the desired sweetness.
This recipe is really as easy as throwing in the peeled and cored apples into the crock, cooking, stirring, cooking some more, adding the spices, cooking some more, and then you are set. Super simple. Super scrumptious. You could make this even easier with using pre-made apple sauce and start at step #4 in the instructions. But making apple sauce is so easy, so you may as well use homemade. Unless you don’t have access to fresh apples. Then definitely use apple sauce.
Apple butter makes a great homemade gift. I freeze apple butter in a jar with about one inch of room at the top for expansion.
Crock-pot Apple Butter
Ingredients
- approximately 8 cups of apples
- 2 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t cloves
- 1/4 t nutmeg
- optional sugar 1 tablespoon at a time to taste(we use organic evaporated cane juice or coconut sugar)
Instructions
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Place peeled, cored, and sliced into a 2-4 quart crock-pot.
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Cover and cook on low for about 3-4 hours, stirring about every hour (don't worry if you are gone and can't get to it).
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At this point you have apple sauce, and feel free to steal a taste.
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Continue cooking for another 8 hours or so with the lid slightly ajar (about an inch-I use a wooden spoon in-between the lid and crock to keep it slightly ajar) to allow moisture to escape. Stir every hour or two until you reach the desired thickness (I've let it go overnight without stirring before).
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Add the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and taste. Add more spices if desired. Add sugar at this time, if desired.
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Cover and cook another 30 minutes, and enjoy!
Have you made pumpkin butter? Just as easy and tasty.
Or for a cooked apple sauce, try slow cooker apple sauce. I do this with big batches of apples before it turns into apple butter.
For more slow cooker inspiration, check out my Cookin’ with the Crock-pot Board on Pinterest.
I <3 apple butter!! Your photos are awesome. Your apple butter looks amazing:) Pinned
Thanks so much Michele! I am making more tomorrow, we love it so much! Thank you for visiting!!
Hi Laura. If you have 8 cups of apples, you usually end up with about 1-2 cups of apple butter. It really cooks down. I hope this helps!
Hi, just wondering how much the recipe yields…and I apologize if I missed this in the blog before the recipe! Thanks:-)
Have you ever tried canning this? If so, how long for processing time?
Hi Lauren. I haven’t tried canning this. I just freeze it in glass jars leaving 1 inch of space on the top for expansion.
I have never tried apple butter but was just looking at another crockpot recipe for it and wondering if I could cut down on the sugar. I always hate adding a bunch of sugar to any kind of fruit spread! This is definitely on the list of things to try with the surplus of apples in my freezer right now!
Hi Stacey. I hope you enjoy the butter. It’s such a special treat and so easy to make! Thank you for visiting!
I love things like this, that are so easy and SO good.
Hi Melissa. I totally love it, too! Nothing like easy and good!
I’ve never had apple butter before. What types of things do you put it on? Do you use it like a jelly spread?
Hi Sarah. Yes, you use the apple butter like a jam. I put apple butter on my waffles, pancakes, and toast. Hope this helps!
I have made fruit butters in my crock-pot for years! They are so simple and the smell that fills your home is wonderful. If you have figs here is a recipe I use every year. http://oursimplelife-sc.com/fig-butter-recipe/
I have some apples and a girls who informed me this week apple butter was the best! Pinning to make next week.
Hi Linda, I hope you enjoy! WE LOVE apple butter.
This looks delicious! I’m hoping to make some apple butter this weekend.
Hi Sarah. Thanks so much. It’s so easy. I hope you enjoy!
How much sugar do you use? Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Farah. Above the recipe I said I don’t add any because my family loves tart and it really doesn’t need any. But feel free to add sugar tablespoon by tablespoon to taste if your apples need it. I will add that in the instructions. I hope this helps, and thanks for visiting!
Apple butter is one of those foods that bring back sweet memories of when I was a kid. Love apple butter.
Pinning this to try! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Bobbi. Sweet memories! I hope you enjoy, and thank YOU for sharing!