Make a big batch of Slow Cooker Apple Butter for a fraction of what it costs at the store. Makes plenty to give as gifts and enough to stock your freezer.
I’ve rarely buy apple butter at the store, the price is always through the roof. With my easy recipe for apple butter in the slow cooker, you will never have to buy it again! This recipe freezes great and makes a great gifts. This is not a canning recipe, so be sure to refrigerate or freeze.
How to make Apple Butter:
- Peel, core and slice five pounds of apples and add to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Add 1 cup of brown sugar, one tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of cloves and two dashes of salt.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 10 hours.
- When the cook time is up place the apple butter into a blender, place on the lid. Also place a towel over the top of the lid in case the blender lid leaks. Hold the lid and pulse until smooth. Or if you have an immersion blender, place right into the slow cooker and blend until smooth.
- To thicken apple butter up, turn the slow cooker back to low and leave the lid off for about 45 minutes to let some of the moisture evaporate.
What is the difference between applesauce and apple butter?
- Applesauce is runnier and not blended up to smooth consistency like apple butter.
- Apple butter has a richer dark color and is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Apple butter is similar to a jam and great on toast or even in recipes.
How to store:
- Store in small plastic or glass containers and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freeze what you know you won’t use right away, leave about an inch of room at the top of your containers or jars. Freeze for up to a year.
- Thaw in the fridge the day before you need to use it.
Recipes to use up your apple butter:
- Apple Butter Little Smokies
- Slow Cooker Apple Butter Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Cider Braised Pork Roast
- Apple Butter Snickerdoodles
- Apple Butter Bread
- Apple Butter Old
Fashiond Cocktail
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 10 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 15
Calories: 138kcal
Equipment
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. apples
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 2 dashes salt
Instructions
- Peel, core and slice the apples.
- Add the apples into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the brown sugar (make sure to break up any hard clumps with your fingers). Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- Stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours or HIGH for 5 hours.
- After the apples have cooked, place them and any liquid that the apples made into a blender, cover with lid, and a towel on top of that (to prevent burns, in case the lid flies off). Hold the lid on while the blender is on. Pulse for about a minute, until very smooth.
- At this point if your apple butter isn’t as thick as desired, pour it back into the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker back to LOW, and leave the lid off. Stir every 15 minutes. Mine took about 45 more minutes to thicken to perfection.
- Put into containers and refrigerate. I personally will store in the fridge for no longer than a week, or in the freezer for up to a year.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @themagicalslowcooker or tag #themagicalslowcooker!
Good luck Sarah!
I would like to know if you can use Splenda sugar and brown sugar in this recipe, in place of regular sugar.
sandeemartin@yahoo.com
I would like to know the same thing!
Question, can this be canned in jars? It is low in acidity so it will have to be PC’ed. Just wondering if you or if you know someone who has done this.
Roger, I was thinking the same thing. So, I researched “canning crockpot apple butter” on Google. I found a recipe on www. Simply canning.com that is almost identical to this one. I figure this recipe must be canning safe too then. When Apple picking time comes here in Illinois, I’ll give it a try.
Yes you can can this apple butter. You need to have your jars rings and Lids ready use hot Cars 2 Ladle the hot liquid in and then take your rings and Lids out of a hot water put them on your jars after you have wipe the rims and put them in a hot water bath canner for 10 minutes. They turned out great and they should seal very quickly. SSI with other people yes you can use Splenda instead of real sugar just be careful that Splenda can be a little tart. so please taste the apple butter to make sure that is the right taste. Enjoy and happy canning!
Thank you for the information!
Darn! I just bought apple butter yesterday but I really want to make this! I made fresh cherry freezer jam this week and I’m really in the mood!
This looks nice and easy! Do you think it might work for fresh figs? Maybe a little less time in the slow cooker because it’s a softer fruit than an apple? Just letting my mind wander and brainstorm!!
I think you could use anything you would like. I’ve made peach butter, and cooked it the same amount of time 🙂
How much does this recipe make? I’d like to be prepared with as many has as necessary.
I want to say it was about 5-6 half pints.
Best wishes to you. Thank you for recipe
Hi there! I’m making only half of your recipe, but am wondering if I should cut the time down?
Thanks, Angie.
Yes, I think 8 hours would be plenty!
Hi Sara. I am using mostly green, tart apples from my garden. How much more sugar would you suggest I add to sweeten? Thank you!
Hi Brianna! It’s so hard to tell. If it was me I would do the recipe as is, then taste after blending it and add more sugar to taste then.
Definitely going to make this! Instead of putting the hot apple butter in a blender, I’m going to use my handy immersion blender…one of my favorite kitchen gadgets!
How do you freeze it if you aren’t canning it . What container would you use ?
I’ve always froze my jams in glass jars, leave a good inch on the top. They do sell freezer jam Tupperware (plastic) in the canning section though.
Can anyone tell me how much this actually makes? I’ll need to buy jars and don’t want extras. Thank you!
They actually make the Mason jar lids so you don’t need to boil them first now when canning. That used to be required many years ago but not anymore. You just need to make sure your jar tops are very clean so they seal properly in the canning process.
Hello,
What type of apple is best to use?