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.
We love making this apple butter and putting on toast in the morning or using it in Apple Butter Pork Chops!
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 gift. This is not a canning recipe, so be sure to refrigerate or freeze.
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 make Apple Butter in the Crockpot:
- Start with 5 pounds of apples. You can use any variety, I use gala.
- 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.
- Stir to coat the apples with the seasonings and brown sugar.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours.
- When the cooking 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.
- OR use an immersion blender right in the slow cooker to blend up the apple butter.
How can I serve apple butter?
- Toast or croissants
- Biscuits
- Ice-cream
- Use in milkshakes
My apple butter is too thin, how can I thicken it?
- Some apples are juicier than others and I sometimes have to thicken my apple butter.
- After blending leave the apple butter in the slow cooker.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and leave the lid off.
- Cook for 45-60 more minutes, stirring often.
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 Recipe by Crazy for Crust
- Apple Butter Bread recipe by Don’t Sweat the recipe
- Apple Butter Old
Fashioned Cocktail – Recipe by Simply Happy Foodie
How to store Apple Butter:
- This is not a canning recipe, canning requires a special recipe and precautions.
- You can 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.
Try another one of my butter or applesauce recipes:
- Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Applesauce
- Slow Cooker Strawberry Applesauce
- Slow Cooker Raspberry Applesauce
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Butter
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Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Thick and cinnamon spiced apple butter made in the slow cooker.
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Servings: 15
Calories: 136kcal
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. apples Any variety works fine! (I use gala)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 2 dashes salt
Instructions:
- Peel, core and slice the apples.
- Add the apples to the slow cooker. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- Stir.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8-10 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.OR use an immersion blender right in the slow cooker (as shown in the video).
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
How can I use my apple butter?
- Toast or croissants
- Biscuits
- On ice-cream
- Use in milkshakes
- Some apples are juicier than others and I sometimes have to thicken my apple butter.
- After blending leave the apple butter in the slow cooker.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and leave the lid off.
- Cook for 45-60 more minutes, stirring often.
- This is not a canning recipe, canning requires a special recipe and precautions.
- You can 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.
Nutrition:
Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
Made this recipe?I want to see your photos! Tag me on Instagram @themagicalslowcooker
Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
You can use either. I believe I used light for this.
Hey Sarah I’m wondering what went wrong I made your apple butter exactly as recipe says only difference I made is I used splenda brown sugar blend instead of regular brown sugar found out I goofed and used a whole cup instead of a half cup like the conversation on the bag but even with only that mistake my apple butter turned out the consistency of apple sauce and a light brown color not dark and very thick
Seems like you answered your own question as to what went wrong…
Made your recipe exactly as written, cooked on High for 5 hours, then used the immersion blender. A total success!!! The flavor was perfect! Thank you for a great, easy to make, apple butter recipe.
Been making Apple butter since I was in my 20’s with my Great Aunts recipe, while everything else is pretty much the same, never heard of using brown sugar.
What a neat site I found. Thank you Sarah
Hello !! What if you don’t have a blender.
Do you have a food processer? If not you can use a potato masher or whisk, but the texture will be more of an applesauce but still good!
Grate your apples – then they really break down and no need to use a blender. You can use a box grater or food processor.
Sarah,
Should the brown sugar be packed or loose?
PK
Packed
I make mine in the slow cooker but buy two jars of apple sauce…saves a lot of mess and during winter it smells wonderful in the kitchen !!!
Hello,
What type of apple is best to use?
Fiji or winesap
Can anyone tell me how much this actually makes? I’ll need to buy jars and don’t want extras. Thank you!
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.
Three litre ice cream containers or 500 ml takeaway cartons
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!
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.
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!
Best wishes to you. Thank you for recipe
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.
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 🙂
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!
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!
you can process it in a water bath canner for 10 minutes
Good luck Sarah!