My slow cooker apple butter recipe is truly the bees knees. Super easy to make and so delicious too, you’ll want to make it year after year!
I absolutely love apple butter. You can serve apple butter on a number of things, like biscuits, muffins, scones, or even toast. For an out of this world sandwich, how about a grilled cheddar and apple butter sandwich! To some, it sounds intimidating to make because the apples need to simmer with all of the other ingredients for a long time. Who wants to stand over and watch that pot?? So, for those that shy away from making apple butter for these reasons, I have the solution for you! I turn to the slow cooker.
There was a time where I didn’t want to stand over a hot stove and cook apple butter. So, I set out to create my own recipe, and find an easier cooking method in the process.
I knew I needed it to be cooked in a slow cooker, mainly because of time. The apples need to be cooked until they’re basically mush, so a slow cooker was definitely the answer. I adjusted sugar measures; eliminated cloves and added allspice, and since I felt the recipe needed brightness, I added lemon juice. Just a hint did the trick.
I started by cooking on low for 6 hours, and the apples still had a long way to go before mush. I checked back at 8 hours, and they were getting there. 10 hours proved to be the Goldilocks of time. I wanted the vanilla and lemon juice to bring the brightness and not blend, so once the apples had cooked for 10 hours, I added those two ingredients and cooked another 2 hours with the lid of the slow cooker off. Perfect-O. Since I love to can things, I went this route. If you don’t feel like canning, the apple butter will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Table of Contents
Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 6 pounds approx. 11 large Gala and/or MacIntosh apples
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel and core apples.
- Chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Place in bowl of slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, salt and allspice. Pour over apples.
- Cover slow cooker and cook apples over low heat for 10 hours, stirring spiritually.
- After 10 hours, use an immersion blender and blend until smooth and no chunks remain. (if you do not have an immersion blender, an upright blender will work just as well.)
- Add vanilla and lemon juice and cook on low, uncovered, for 2 more hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
- Pour into containers and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. This recipe can also be canned as well. Follow manufacturers instructions for canning process.
Another Delicious Apple Recipe!
Even better than what you’ll get at the county fair, these caramel apples will be the best you’ve ever tasted! You can find the recipe HERE!
Chali says
You’re wasting so much of the “good stuff” by peeling the apples!
My crock pot apple butter calls for quartered apples… peels, core & all! Then later you put it through a “sauce maker” to remove what’s left of the peel & core, but you get all those extra nutrients! So yummy!
Brooke Fedigan says
Hi Chali,
Your recipe does sound yummy, but I assure you that my recipe, even with cored and skins removed, is just divine.
Suzanna says
I love the slow cooker take on this. Why didn’t I think of that? I’ve been making apple butter from an abundance of crab apples in our back yard. I like clean flavours, so add nothing but apples, granulated sugar and lemon juice. I’m sure the addition of spices would make it an altogether different treat. I’ll have to try next year. Oh, I do can mine and it lasts all winter. Most goes to my adult granddaughter who puts it on everything. Thanks again for your great tip/idea.
Brooke Fedigan says
Thank you so much, Suzanna!