Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter

My family took a trip recently to the North Carolina mountains where we visited The Biltmore Estate, hiked, and picked apples! Those fresh off the tree fall apples are so incredibly crunchy and sweet that we had to bring a peck back with us.

With all of those apples in the fridge, I knew homemade apple butter in the slow cooker would be just the ticket.

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What is apple butter?

Apple butter is a type of fruit spread made from apples that have been cooked down into a thick, smooth paste. It’s sweet and flavorful, with a deep amber color.

Apple butter is delicious on toast or biscuits, but also works well on waffles or pancakes for delicious fall flavor. I even use apple butter in some of my muffin recipes as a way to keep them moist and to give an extra punch of spice.

Ingredients in Apple Butter

Apple butter is typically a combination of several ingredients including : apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Some recipes also call for lemon juice or cider vinegar to add a bit of acidity and depth of flavor.

There are certainly variations out there, as I have listed at the bottom of this recipe in case you need to substitute an ingredient. Sugar can be replaced with a sweetener of choice, and the combination of spices could be subbed out for pumpkin pie spice ( see my recipe for how to make your own) or even apple pie spice if you’re trying to speed up the process.

Here are the ingredients for slow cooker apple butter:

• 8-10 apples
• 1/4 water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar (I use the coconut sugar)
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 lemon, juiced

How to Make Apple Butter in the Slow Cooker

Making slow cooker apple butter is incredibly easy! I have an instant pot recipe you can check out, but if you don’t have a pressure cooker, then using your slow cooker or crock pot is just as easy. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Peel, core, and slice apples and place in the slow cooker. I used this peeler/slicer/corer and it saved me tons of time.

1. Add water, sugar, and spices to the slow cooker and stir to combine with apples.

1. Set slow cooker to high and cook for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. (Or set to low for 6 hours.)
2. Add lemon juice once apples are finished cooking.
3. Use an immersion blender and blend to desired consistency.

How to Can Apple Butter

To can your apple butter for use all year round, spoon warm apple butter into clean, sterilized jars, leaving an inch of head space. Place lids and rings on jars, making sure the top of the jars are clean and wiped off. Place jars in a boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes.

Remove jars from boiling water and let jars sit overnight. (Listen for the pop to make sure they have sealed.) Use a sharpie to label each jar, so you remember what it is.

How to Freeze Apple Butter

If you would rather freeze your apple butter, use freezer safe containers and spoon apple butter into each, leaving room at the top for expansion. Let the apple butter cool in the container before putting on an airtight lid and placing in the freezer.

Keep frozen until ready to use!