Slow-Cooker Apple Butter

Apple butter is hands down my favorite biscuit topping. It’s sweet, tangy, and a welcome addition to any piece of toast, biscuit, etc. It’s straightforward – basically just apples, sugar, vinegar, and spices cooked until it breaks down enough to blend into a spread. It has longevity – people in my family have been making and eating it for generations. And it’s extremely simple to make. I make mine in large batches in a slow-cooker/crockpot. This recipe will use that method, but this can be made in any pot as long as the temperature is kept on low.

Your grocery list

Produce

• Apples (see below in the Tips section for some recommended varieties for apple butter, but also use any apples you have/like)
• Fresh ginger (optional)

Baking and pantry items

• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Vanilla extract
• Brown sugar (light or dark)
• Apple cider vinegar

Equipment/tools you’ll need

• Knife and cutting board
• Slow-cooker
• Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
• Immersion blender
• Airtight container(s) for storage

Step-by-step instructions for making apple butter in a slow-cooker

1) Prep the apples

• Wash your apples and remove the cores. Peeling the apples is optional since the skins will cook down enough to be blended in.
• Chop apples into quarters.

2) Cook down until the apples are soft

• Heat crockpot on high and add apples, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, cinnamon, and water. Cover and cook for 6-7 hours.
• If you need to leave the apples on while you work or run errands, you can put the slow cooker on low and cook for 9-10 hours.
• 1-2 tablespoons of water can be added at any time if the apples appear to be dry or if you smell burning (this is mostly if you’re using a pot or cooking on a higher heat setting).

3) Blend and continue cooking

• Once the apples are soft, use an immersion blender to blend everything in the slow cooker to a smooth consistency.
• Add vanilla extract and continue cooking for 2 hours on low heat.
• If you use a regular blender, work in batches. The warm mixture will need space to blend safely.

4) Serve warm or cool and store

• Apple butter is delicious warm paired with anything, if you ask me.
• Wait for apple butter to cool down before storing.

Tips for making great apple butter

• Use a softer apple variety for quicker cook time: any variety of apple will work for apple butter (I prefer gala apples so that’s usually what I have and use), but these varieties are softer and will cook down quicker.
  • Braeburn
  • Cortland
  • Fuji
  • Gravenstein
  • Grimes Golden
  • Idared
  • Jonamac
  • Liberty
  • McIntosh
• Water is optional. Apples generally have enough moisture to break down without burning so I add it just for some peace of mind when cooking on the high heat setting. If you’re using a regular pot instead of a slow-cooker, I’d recommend keeping a closer eye on it as it cooks and adding a little water because the chances of the apple butter burning are higher.
• Invest in an immersion blender. They are so convenient for making smooth sauces and so many other soups and purees. While you can blend the apple butter in batches in a regular blender, the immersion blender will remove a bunch of the hassle.

How to store apple butter

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
• I love to use mason jars and the clear leftover Thai takeout containers.

Ways to adjust your apple butter

• Play around with the spices. I usually like to keep it simple with just cinnamon and nutmeg, but cardamom and ground cloves can add some complexity to your apple butter.
• Add bourbon, whiskey or rum. Add a 1/4 cup of your favorite brown liquor to your apple butter for a slightly spiked flavor.
• Add ginger. I love to add fresh ginger (at least a 1 inch knob) to the apples for another layer of flavor.
• Use pure cane or coconut palm sugar. For a less processed sweetener and apple butter, cane and/or coconut sugar can be used instead of brown sugar.
• Add a touch of fresh citrus at the end. Adding lemon, grapefruit, or orange juice after the apple butter is finished cooking gives your apple butter some life and freshness after being cooked down for hours.