Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe
Slow Cooker Apple Butter is one of my favorite autumn dishes. It is an easy recipe made with apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla extract.
This recipe will quickly fill your house with Autumn aromas. During this fall season, you can also try our award-winning pumpkin cheesecake bars, sweet potato casserole, and cranberry coffee cake.
Easy Crockpot Apple Butter
The Autumn season is my favorite! It is during this time of the year that most of the fun cooking is done. Whether it is related to apples, pumpkin, or cranberries, it is always filled with joy and memories.
This Slow Cooker Apple Butter is such a simple and yet delicious recipe that we always make it fresh every fall. Also, it stores well, so I try to make a larger batch for weeks and months to come.
To be honest, there is no point in buying it from the store. It is expensive, and it will never taste the same as the homemade version of it.
Once you make it, I guarantee that you will never buy it from the store again. In addition, you can control the ingredients, and adjust the taste per your licking. You can also make a larger batch and use it as a gift during the holiday season.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter Ingredients:
- Apples – You can use any type or a mixed variety. Fuji, honey crisp, gala are all great choices. Just remember to peel, core, and slice the apples.
- Sugar – Brown sugar or granulated sugar can be used.
- Ground cinnamon – It adds a nice boost of flavors and aromas. I highly recommend adding it to the mix.
- Ground nutmeg and cloves
- Salt – just a hint of salt to balance out the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – This is another ingredient that adds a lot of aromas to it. However, if you are not a vanilla fan, simply skip it.
How to make Slow Cooker Apple Butter?
- Prepare the apples: First, wash, peel, core, and slice them.
- Blend: Blend the apples with the cider until smooth.
- Add the ingredients to the crockpot: Add them to the crockpot, along with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract, and a dash of salt.
- Stir and cook: Gently stir the ingredients. Next, place the lid, and slow cook it on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours.
- Serve: Enjoy it fresh, or store in mason jars and refrigerate for weeks to come.
What is apple butter?
Unlike the name implies, there is no actual butter in this recipe. It is basically concentrated and smooth applesauce that is slowly cooked in the crockpot.
Because of increased cooking time, the apple butter has a very rich flavor, with a darker color, and a smoother texture.
Best apples to use for Apple Butter?
Any variety can be used, especially when in season. As long as you are using fresh apples, this recipe will come out on top of any other. Go with Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or Jonagold.
Also, it is best to use a mix of them for the best flavor.
How can I serve apple butter?
You can serve it pretty much on anything during the whole year. Some of my favorite ways to serve this is on:
- Apple Butter Cake
- Pancakes
- Bread
- Pork chops
- Over ham
- Use it on turkey breasts
- Toast or croissant
Can I thicken it?
Yes, if the consistency is too thin, it is best to leave the apple butter cook a little longer in the slow cooker.
After you puree the mixture and feel like it is too thin, add it back to the crockpot and cook for another 30-60 minutes. This should thicken it up.
How to store Apple Butter:
The beauty of this recipe is that once cooked, it can be stored for an extensive period of time.
- To refrigerate: Use a glass container or leaded mason jars, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- To freeze: Use freezer-proof jars, and tightly seal them. Then, freeze the jars for up to 6 months.
More easy apple recipes:
- Instant Pot Baked Apples
- Apple Bread
- Homemade Apple Pie Danish
- Apple Pie
- Best Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Recipe Tips:
- This dish is easily adjustable. Therefore, feel free to add your favorite spices. For example, use some pumpkin pie spice, allspice, saffron, etc.
- For the best flavors, a combination of apples is recommended to be used.
- Also, if you want a sweeter taste, adjust the sugar accordingly.
- To puree the mixture, use an immersion blender, or food processor.
- You can also use honey instead of brown sugar.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 8 apples stems removed, peeled, seeds removed and chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional but recommended
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Spray insides of slow cooker with cooking spray for easy cleanup and set aside.
- Peel, core, and chop the apples.
- Place ½ of the apples and 1/2 cup of cider into a high power blender and secure lid.
- Blend for 10-15 seconds, if necessary, use the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades. Increase speed and blend for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
- Repeat with the remaining apples and cider. Add apple mixture to the crockpot.
- Stir in sugar and spices.
- Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, until the mixture is dark brown. Taste and adjust for sugar. Freeze or add the apple butter to mason jars and store in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Nutrition
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