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Happy first official day of fall everyone!!!
What better way to celebrate than with homemade apple butter?! SO GOOOD!
This slow cooker apple butter is bursting with apple flavor and warming spices. It’s perfectly sweet, it’s smooth, and creamy, and nice and thick.
IT’S FALL TIME PERFECTION!!!
And it’s all made in the slow cooker!!! Is there really any other way to let something simmer for so long?
I mean, yes, there is the old-fashioned stove top method, which may be done a little bit sooner – but, it requires you to check on it more often, and stir, and adjust the heat. We’re going for low maintenance, multi-tasking homemade apple butter, my friends.
The most effort you have to make is in peeling and chopping the apples to then get them into the slow cooker. But this nifty apple peeling, slicing, and corer helps speed things along nicely (highly recommended).
From there, you just let the slow cooker do most of the work! Bonus: your house will smell incredible!
This, is exactly why I still keep my slow cooker around, for these kinds of recipes. Thanks, slow cooker!
Alright, fall lovers. Apple fanatics.
Let’s do this!
What is apple butter?
Apple butter is essentially, apples that are cooked down until they are nice and tender, then purred and cooked some more. This allows the apples to caramelize so that the end result is a really rich, intense apple tasting spread. It often has a little sugar in it for extra sweetness, and warming spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Despite it’s name, there is no actual butter in apple butter. I assume the word “butter” earns it’s place in the title because it indicates how smooth and creamy the spread is.
What’s the difference between apple butter and apple sauce?
Apple sauce isn’t cooked nearly as long as apple butter is. That’s the main difference.
Apple butter is cooked for several hours, whereas applesauce is cooked for about 40 minutes, just enough to break down the apples into a sauce consistency.
Apple butter is cooked down so long that the apples caramelize and turn into a deep rich color, and deep apple flavor. It’s usually used as a spread on toast, or other breads.
It’s so scrumptious!
What does apple butter taste like?
It’s got a lovely intense apple flavor that’s sweetened and laced with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. There is nothing else like it.
Basically, if you enjoy apples, you will GO CRAZY for apple butter!
Ingredients for slow cooker apple butter:
- apples – Can’t have apple butter without apples. A variety of sweet apples works best. You can use soft or firm apples.
- ground cinnamon – apples and cinnamon are a match made in heaven.
- ground cloves – another classic spice that goes with apples. I love cloves, it adds another dimension of warmth.
- ground nutmeg – again, another warming spice that helps to round out the final flavor
- kosher salt – just a little, to balance out the sweetness.
- coconut sugar or brown sugar – Just enough to bring out the sweetness in the apples. I tested the recipe with both brown sugar and coconut sugar, both were equally delicious!
- vanilla extract – just a hint at the end. Vanilla makes all the sweet things taste better.
That’s all you need!
How to make slow cooker apple butter:
- Peel and chop the apples, then add them to the slow cooker.
- Add the sugar, spices, and salt.
- Cook the apples for 9 to 10 hours on low, or 4 to 5 hours on high.
- Puree the apples. I love to use my immersion stick blender here.
- Thicken it up – cook the puree uncovered, on high for another 30 minutes to an hour. This really intensifies the flavor.
- cool and store. Store the apple butter in the fridge for up to 1 month.
See, easy!
And in the meantime, your house will smell like an apple pie is baking in the oven. Mmmm apple pie!!!
What kind of apples are best for slow cooker apple butter?
I suggest sticking with the sweeter apples. That way you won’t have to add as much sugar.
But, you can really use any variety of sweet apples you can get your hands on. I used a combo of fuji, gala, pink lady, and a few honey crisp.
You can also make use of apples that are bruised, or about to go bad. Thank you, apple butter!
How long does apple butter last in the fridge?
1 month – to be on the safe side.
However, I have kept mine in the fridge for up to 3 months, with no problem. Although, I am careful to not double dip my spoon or knife, this helps keep other contaminates out that may cause mold.
Can I freeze my slow cooker apple butter?
Yes.
It freezes beautifully. It will last in your freezer for up to 1 year!
How to use apple butter:
- Spread it onto buttered toast,
- Or English muffins,
- Or biscuits.
- Stir it into hot oatmeal – seriously, try it. SO GOOD!
- Use it in place of jelly or jam on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – delish!
- Bake with it – swap it in a recipe that calls for applesauce for a more intense apple flavor.
- Make my apple butter muffins – this apple butter is the star. SO FESTIVE!
- gift it – a jar of homemade apple butter would make a lovely gift for anyone.
Reasons to make apple butter EVERY FALL:
- It’s delicious
- It’s versatile
- It’s easy to make
- It’s a great way to use up a ton of apples if you have a tree, got them on sale, or they are about to go bad.
- It’s gluten free
- It’s vegan
- It’s dairy free
- The final product stores a long time – either in the fridge, or freezer.
- It’s fun and festive – fall vibes!
- It makes your house smell incredible!
Alright my fall fiends. I hope you enjoy both making, and eating this slow cooker apple butter. It’s truly an autumn treat that can’t be missed.
Happy fall. I hope you find a way to embrace it today!
Hint, hint!!! Make this slow cooker apple butter! You won’t regret it!
More apple recipes for you to love:
- apple butter muffins – YES! This apple butter is the star of that recipe.
- sheet pan maple pork chops with apples and cabbage – one of our all-time favorite fall recipes. We make it every year!
- apple overnight oats – love this recipe for transitioning into fall.
- gluten free apple pie – the ultimate apple dessert!
- slow cooker apple cider – so warming and comforting.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a comment and a star rating below. Let me know how it went by snapping a picture and tagging it with #RobustRecipes in Instagram, so I can see. Thanks for the support, friends.
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Slow Cooker Apple Butter
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 to 10 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 to 5 cups 1x
- Category: breakfast, condiments, snack, side, easy, one pan
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: gluten free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Slow cooker apple butter is super easy to make. It’s a thick spread that’s packed with intense apple flavor, and warming spices. It’s the perfect way to use up apples about to go bad. Spread it onto bread, biscuits, or stir it into warm oatmeal – so good.
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 pounds apples (any kind of sweet apples – see notes)
- 2.5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar (the amount depends on how sweet your apples are)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Peel and chop apples: Peel, core and chop your apples. The smaller you cut the apples, the quicker they will cook up. I like to use a countertop apple/peeler/corer to make this step faster. Once the apples are chopped you can place them in your slow cooker as you go.
- Add the flavors: Once the apples are all chopped and added to the slow cooker you can add the sugar, and spices, and salt. Keep them handy, because you may want to add more to taste at the end.
- Cook the apples: Cover the slow cooker and cook the apples on low for 9 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours, or until the apples are nice and tender. You will want to stir the mixture occasionally towards the end of the cook time.
- Puree the apples: Once the apples look nice and soft you can blend them up by either using a stick immersion blender (recommended), or by transferring the apples to a regular blender. Careful if your blender isn’t built for blending hot items. Puree until smooth. Return to the slow cooker, if you removed the apples.
- Thicken it up: Turn the slow cooker on high and allow the apple butter to cook without the lid for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The mixture will bubble, this is good. We want to reduce the liquid in the apple butter further so that it’s a nice and thick consistency. Plus, this helps to make the apple butter sweeter, and more apple-y.
- Taste and adjust: Stir in the vanilla. And taste – careful it’s hot – and add more sugar if needed, or more spices if needed. I often spoon a small amount into a small bowl and place it in my freezer to allow it to cool down so I can taste it easier, especially since it’s usually served cold.
- Cool: Allow the apple butter cool down quite a bit in the slow cooker. It doesn’t need to be cold, just not piping hot anymore.
- Store: Once the apple butter is no longer piping hot, transfer it to air tight containers. I like to use mason jars. Allow it to cool completely before putting the lid on it – this reduces condensation, keeping the apple butter thicker. Once cooled completely, cover and store it in the fridge for up to 1 month (maybe more if no containments get in the jar).
- To serve: Apple butter is typically served cold. The most common way to enjoy it is on a piece of buttered toast, biscuit, or English muffin – so good. I also like to dollop mine into hot oatmeal. It’s delicious on peanut butter sandwiches in place of the jelly. You can also bake with it in place of applesauce for a more intense apple flavor.
Notes
Apples: You can use a variety of apples, any kind you like, or that you can get your hands on. This is a good time to use up apples that are about to go bad, or are bruised, not the best looking, or are on sale. I would recommend sticking with sweeter varieties of apples, rather then tart ones, because the sweeter the apples are naturally, the less sweetener you need to add to the apple butter.
Sugar: I have done half coconut sugar and half maple syrup. The maple syrup cooks down so it’s not too runny. All options are delicious.
Apple butter muffins: I made a recipe for apple butter muffins using this apple butter as the star. They’re delicious. Click here to get the recipe!
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