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Apple butter used to seem like a delicacy, reserved for special festivals and events. I grew up thinking apple butter must be extremely time-consuming to make or involve too much work since we never made it. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it made (and let me know down below in the comments section if you have!), but at fall festivals they usually show a large cast-iron pot being stirred for hours as apples, sugar, and spices are cooked until they reach the perfect consistency. Honestly, this is how I thought you had to make this apple spread – I guess I was a little naive.
As I started researching how to make apple butter, the recipes that kept catching my eye all used slow cookers to steadily cook the butter for hours. This opened up a whole new world for me! Making a simple and quick apple butter with hardly any work that I can walk away from as it cooks – uhhh… what more could I ask for?!
This almost sounds too good to be true, but it really does come together to create the perfect recipe for slow cooker apple butter. As the apples simmer for hours, your house will be filled with the aroma of cinnamon and sugar. And when it’s all done cooking, you’re left with a thick and delicious apple butter.
For the perfect bread to complement this apple butter (shown in the above pictures), make sure to try my bread recipe!
Ideas for how to use this apple butter recipe:
This year, I froze all of the spread I made and am super excited to use it with:
- Pork chops
- Homemade breads – yeah, the combo of homemade butter and homemade bread will make you a self-sufficient guru!
- As a mix-in for a fall-themed latte
Watch how to make this apple butter recipe
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Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 16 cups sliced apples (such as Macintosh and Golden Delicious)
- 2 ¾ cups light brown sugar
- 2 ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 star anise pod (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash and remove the core from the apples. Slice thinly. Measure out 16 cups of apples. Pour all apples into the slow cooker.16 cups sliced apples (such as Macintosh and Golden Delicious)
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, anise pod, salt, and lemon juice. Stir to incorporate everything.2 ¾ cups light brown sugar, 2 ¾ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 1 star anise pod (optional), ¼ tsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Turn slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours. After the first hour, remove the star anise pod, if added. Every hour, stir the apples.
- Once the mixture is bubbling and cooking well (after approximately 4-5 hours), turn the slow cooker to low and leave for 10-12 hours. I usually do this in the evening so it can sit on the low setting overnight.
- After ten hours, start checking the slow cooker. Stir mixture using a strong wire whisk or hand potato masher to break up the apples.
- Once the butter is the consistency desired, use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender to break down the rest of the apples to achieve an even consistency.
- Let cool. Freeze or can the mixture.
Video
Notes
- Remember that apples contain a large amount of water and will cook down considerably. They also vary a lot in how they cook. My apples had a lot of liquid in them so I needed to give them 2 extra hours on high (with the lid off) to make sure my apple butter turned out as thick as I wanted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
How big is the slow cooker? ?
Love your recipe, have made it twice, family loves it also! Question? Can you make this in an instapot? If so any idea how long?
Every recipe that I make of yours is successful and this includes the apple butter recipe! Not only did I make it with my daughter in Virginia, but when I came back home to SoCal, I made it with my sister. This recipe is easy and flavorful. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I was a little hesitant to leave the crockpot on overnight, but I went for it anyway. Just as you said it turned out so beautifully smooth and delicious! I did put about 1/2 cup of apple cider in it which probably wasn’t needed, and I cooked it a few hours longer. So easy and will make great Christmas gifts! Trying your pumpkin butter recipe today.
Thanks for the great videos you post, they are so fun and informative. I too am a Midwesterner zone 5.
Made this Apple butter today. We used 4 qts of a mix of peeled, cored, sliced apples. I substituted the brown sugar for 2 cups of Swerve brown sugar substitute and 1/2 cup of monk fruit substitute. Used the spices as directed. I cooked the apples for 5 hours on high and 5 hours on low, covered and 1 extra hour uncover. I used an immersion blender to smooth. I got 6 1/2 cups of delicious apple butter! Love Kaleb’s recipes! Tomorrow…the squash, Brussels sprouts pizza!
I love this Apple Butter recipe super easy. Just want to say Thank you. Finally using pur apple from our trees to good use this year 2021. Happy Fall
This recipe is so easy!! It’s so decadent! I made it last year and I’m going to make it again, now that it’s apple season again.
Or should I try the pumpkin apple butter? 😍
I had never seen apple butter before, but now I am addicted! I have a few apple trees on my property here in Eastern Canada, and this year they really produced well, so I’m so glad that I have this recipe. It only takes 5 or 6 hours in my slow cooker, and it’s a really nice treat to give away! Thanks for the video, it’s always better to see how it’s done.
Do I refrigerate the apple butter after I make it? I know I can freeze it but it just got done cooling off and I want to give it out on Monday when I go to work so should I refrigerate it or can I leave it out?
Hello! Yes, refrigerate it. It is fine in the refrigerator for a week or two. If longer than that, the freezer is best. But if it’s just until Monday, I would put it in the refrigerator.
I saw this recipe and the video and HAD to try it! You made it look SO easy. Guess what? It IS!!! I asked on a public forum in my town for apples, got a reply and I went yesterday to pick some. They were fairly small, but somehow, I got exactly 4 quarts! I prepared them and made the applebutter over night like you suggest. This is sure to be a recipe I make over and over.
Thank you Kaleb!