Slow Cooker Apple Butter
136 CommentsUpdated Jan 22, 2026
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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. All you need is apples, brown sugar, and spices!
I rarely buy apple butter at the store; the price is always through the roof! With my easy recipe for apple butter in the crockpot, you will never have to buy it again! This recipe freezes great and makes a great gift.
Key Ingredients
- Apples – You can use any variety; my favorite is variety is gala or Fuji. I like to use fresh juicy apples; it makes for better apple butter.
- Brown sugar – I add the brown sugar at the beginning of the cooking time. This will deepen the color of the apple butter as it cooks.
- Spices – This is the key to flavorful apple butter. We use cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg in this recipe.
How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Butter
- Chop up your apples and toss them in the crockpot with cozy spices.
- Give everything a good mix.
- Let it all cook low and slow until the apples are melt-in-your-mouth soft.
- Blend it up into sweet, buttery perfection!
What is the difference between applesauce and apple butter?
- Slow Cooker Applesauce is runnier and not blended up to a 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 recipes.
My apple butter is too thin; how can I thicken it?
Some apples release more juice than others, so you may need to thicken your apple butter after blending. To do this, simply leave the apple butter in the slow cooker, turn it to HIGH, and cook uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring often until it reaches your desired consistency.
How to use Apple Butter
Apple butter isn’t just for toast (though it’s amazing on that too!). Try spreading it on croissants or biscuits, swirl it into ice cream, or blend it into milkshakes for a fall-inspired treat.
Use it in savory favorites like Apple Butter Little Smokies, Apple Butter Meatballs. Or Try my popular recipe for Apple Butter Pork Chops.
Featured Comment
“This is a fabulous recipe. I lost track of all the batches I made last fall/winter. Gave it away & now I’m being begged to make it this season. You can bet I will. I use Gala apples & like to let it cook on low over night. Smells so good and so easy. Thank you.”
– Author Name
How to Video
Equipment
- Blender or an immersion blender
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. apples, Any variety works fine! (I use gala)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 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).
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
How to store Apple Butter:
- This is not a canning recipe; canning requires a special recipe and precautions.
- You can store it in small plastic or glass containers and refrigerate it 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. Straight sided mason jars are freezer safe (not ones with rounded shoulders).
Try another one of my fruit recipes:
Cinnamon Applesauce and Pumpkin Butter are classic, comforting spreads perfect for toast or baking.
Strawberry Applesauce and Banana Jam bring a fruity twist to your slow cooker favorites.
For something extra sweet, try Caramel Apple Butter or Blueberry Butter—you’ll want to spread them on everything!
Hi Sarah, I was wonder If I could eliminate the brown sugar or maybe use Agave . I’m a diabetic and trying to cut down on sugars. Thanks
Hi! Yes you can. I would add it at the end of the cooking time, so you can taste it and see how sweet you want it.
Do you pack the brown sugar..
Yes, thank you. I will add that. I made pumpkin butter today and noticed I didn’t mention that either. Fixing both.
This was a big hit with my family.
Can this be a canning recipe?
Hi! I am not a canning expert, I know there are very strict rules on acidity and you’ll have to look that up. I apologize.
I would pretty much say yes as long as you follow all the canning guidelines for applesauce. Hot sterilized jars, sterilized lids, keep the applebutter hot as you fill the jars, water bath as directed (for my applesauce yesterday it was 20 minutes after water in canner comes to a full boil). The only difference between this recipe and my applesauce is the use of brown sugar vs white, and the addition of cloves and nutmeg, none of which affect the acidity so any applesauce canning guides should work for this recipe. But as Sarah Olson says, look up canning guidelines.
My apple butter doesn’t freeze. What am I doing wrong?
I make my apple butter like this every year when apples are fresh. Place in jars when cooled and freeze. I never concern myself with exacts when it comes to the apples. Have to make twice as much to keep family supplied!
How many apples equal 5 lbs.?
Depends on the size of your apple. I probably used 8-10 medium apples.
No need to add any liquid?
No, there will be plenty from the apples.
Hi! I don’t have a way to weigh my apples. Can you tell me in cups how much the sliced apples yields before cooking?? Thanks!
Hi! It doesn’t need to be exact. My guess is about 10 cups. If you have a 6-quart slow cooker it will be about 3/4 full.
3 medium for a pound
I want to make this right, so is the 5lbs of apples before or after you peel and core?
Before. It doesn’t have to be exact.