Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter
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Whip up a batch of autumn in a jar with my super Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter recipe! Bursting with warm, rich flavors that embody fall, this delightful spread is ready with just 10 minutes of prep time. Perfect for slathering on toast, pancakes, or even as a cozy addition to your favorite baked goods!
Introducing apple butter—the elegant, flavorful sister of traditional applesauce! This delightful spread captures the essence of fall with its rich blend of colorful, crisp apples simmered down to perfection, infused with warm spices, brown sugar, and a hint of vanilla. Trust us, this dreamy concoction tastes amazing on just about everything, but we think it truly shines when slathered on a freshly toasted English muffin or a warm scone. Pure heaven!
Embrace the flavors of fall with this simple, yet sophisticated apple butter. Your taste buds will thank you!
Ingredients
For the ingredient measurements and the entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Apples: Use your favorite variety or blend of apples. We highly recommend not using Granny Smith apples. They are too tart and firm for this recipe.
- Sugar: Brown sugar brings a wonderful depth of flavor and helps caramelize the apples.
- Spices: We use cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to season our apple butter.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Toss all the ingredients into a slow cooker, cover, and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the apples until smooth.
- Leave the slow cooker uncovered and cook on LOW for another 2 hours.
Tips For Success
- When it’s time to puree, you can use a regular blender if you don’t have an immersion blender. Carefully transfer the apples and their juices to the blender, and pulse until smooth. Return the puree to the slow cooker. Also, you may need to work in batches depending on how big your blender is.
- Those extra two hours of cooking may feel like a lot, but trust me, the results are totally worth it for that perfect consistency! If you’re aiming for an even thicker butter, feel free to keep cooking it a bit longer. I’ve found that two hours usually does the trick—and remember, it will thicken even more as it cools!
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Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 5 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the apples into a smooth consistency.
- Leave the lid off and cook on Low for an additional 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Store apple butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Apples: We suggest using Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Fuji, or Gala. Avoid Granny Smith apples as they are too tart and firm for this recipe. Weigh your apples before coring and chopping.
- Pureeing: If you don’t have an immersion blender, pour the apples into a blender and puree until smooth, then return to the slow cooker. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your blender.
- Makes about 3 pints.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.