Tis’ the season for overindulgence! It’s the holiday season, and everywhere is an amazing recipe for pumpkin. Even though apples are plentiful, recipes for apples seem to get pushed to the wayside. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely love a good pumpkin recipe, but apples have my heart! That’s why I love this easy, crockpot apple butter recipe.
Making This Delicious Crockpot Apple Butter Has Never Been Easier
Apple butter has to be one of my absolute favorites! It really can be used on so many things: biscuits, toast, pancakes…by itself…Really though, I love it! I think the best part is that it’s also just soooo easy.
What you will need:
- 5lbs of Apples – pick tart apples you use for pie making. (I used Jonagolds and Jazz)
- 1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon
- 1/4 Teaspoon of Cloves
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Nutmeg
- 1 Cup of Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Cup of Raw Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- A pinch of salt
Step 1
Start with about 5 pounds of apples, give or take a few ounces. Remember to use tart apples, such as Granny Smith or jonagolds.
Step 2
Core, peel and slice all of your apples. This is going to take a bit of time. I would really suggest picking up an amazing apple corer. They aren’t too pricey and save you a ton of time and effort. It still takes a bit of time, but nothing like doing it by hand.
Place your freshly cored and peeled apples into the crock-pot.
Step 3
Then add your brown sugar, raw sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Mix it all together until all your apples are coated.
Step 4
Cook on low for 10 hours. I mixed my apple butter a few times because it just allows for even cooking, especially if your crock-pot gets a little too warm.
For the remaining 3 hours or so, I suggest taking the top off of the crock-pot. This will allow the water in the apples to evaporate. The apples will thicken up nicely, which is what you want for apple butter.
Step 5
Once the apples have been cooking for 10 hours or so, they will be basically turning into a mush all on their own. To take them all the way to apple butter form, grab your immersion blender – and if you don’t have an immersion blender I highly recommend you put it on your Christmas list, it’s one of the best gadgets in the kitchen. Anyway, you take your immersion blender and you blend the apples until smooth.
Place them in whatever containers you like and begin devouring! Apple butter should be eaten within 7 days of being made. Also, feel free to freeze it or try your hand at canning.
Related: Canning 101 and Strawberry Jam
Additional Information and Canning Instructions
- Apple butter contains enough acidity to water-bath can. If you are interested in canning apple butter, place into half pint or pint jars and can just like you would apple sauce. 10 minutes at sea level is how long you should expect to can it. If you want to learn more about canning, I suggest buying the Ball Canning Book (which is basically the canning bible.)
- Because you are basically baking all the moisture out of the apples, once the apple butter is done cooking, you won’t have a ton of apple butter. 5lbs of apples makes about 4 pints, maybe even a little less.
- If you don’t have tart apples on hand, or, you’re like me and you like to use the stuff that’s on sale, just use less sugar. In fact, you can probably use half of the sugar in the recipe and it would still taste great!
PIN THIS FOR LATER
Tin Schipper says
Great recipe. We have a Kitchen Aid and used the peeler/corer attachment. The prep for the apples was a piece of cake and took no time at all. Thanks again…
M mullikin says
The apple butter is very good, crockpot is the way to make!
Maggie says
When do you add the vanilla?
Elizabeth says
In step 3, sorry for that, I’ll update it!
Rejoysing says
This recipe turned out very nice for me. I had a 3 pound bag of pink lady apples so used them and adjusted the spices down a little bit – but not too much. It only took 10 hours in the crockpot and I didn’t need the extra three hours as it wasn’t overly juicy. Mine had a few little chunks in it which I like anyway and it filled a quart jar. I use instead of jelly on my peanut butter sandwiches, Yum!
Elizabeth says
So glad it worked for you!
Bre says
Sub for immersion blender?
Elizabeth says
You can pour into a blender or food processor.
Lisa Hampton says
I lost my original recipe but did you know you don’t have to peel the apples? The skins just cook right in! Then put your immersion blender right in and blend up!! I
Donna Morehouse says
Can I use canned apples?
Elizabeth says
Canned apples have sugar in them, you will have to take out some of the sugar out of the recipe, I’m not sure how much as I’ve never used them for this recipe.
Dianne Romine says
i am searching for a shortcut method that I do in a large stainless steel bowl in my oven with canned applesauce. I lost the recipe.
Elizabeth says
Hopefully this recipe works for you. Let me know if you have questions!
Elizabeth Chilcott says
I have been making apple butter for years in a large crock pot ( 2 bags of tart apples) .I simply quarter apples ( skin on) put in crock pot add a cut of water and cook overnight. Then I run through a sieve, add spices and sweeteners and put back in crock pot all day with lid off, stirring occasionally. Works great and tastes wonderful.