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Why I Love to Make Apple Butter
I used to think apple butter was something you could only make in a big kettle at a fall festival, stirring for hours until the apples cooked down. This slow cooker apple butter gives me that rich apple flavor with a lot less hands-on work. The apples simmer with brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, and the whole house smells like fall.
If you’ve been looking for an easy crockpot apple butter recipe, this is a good place to start. No peeling, and the blender makes everything smooth at the end. The important part is giving the apples enough time with the lid off so the extra liquid can cook away.
Skip the peeling and let the slow cooker turn a big batch of apples into a thick, warmly spiced spread.
Here’s why you’ll love this recipe, too:
- Simple prep – Core and cut the apples, then stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Lots of apple flavor – Slow cooking concentrates the fruit, with brown sugar and spices adding the perfect amount of seasonal warmth.
- A smooth finish – Blend the softened apples and peels after cooking for a spreadable consistency.
- Easy to freeze – Keep a small container in the refrigerator and freeze the rest for later.
What Is Apple Butter?
Apple butter is a thick, smooth spread made from apples. It cooks longer than applesauce so more moisture evaporates, and the flavor becomes so incredibly concentrated. Despite the name, there’s no actual dairy-based butter in this recipe. The “butter” describes its spreadable texture.
You can also see more of my “butter” recipes: peach butter, rhubarb butter, pumpkin butter, strawberry butter (one of my faves!), and pumpkin apple butter (similar to this recipe, but with added pumpkin).
Apple Butter Ingredients
You only need 7 easy-to-find ingredients to make this delicious spread:
- Apples – McIntosh and Golden Delicious work well for this recipe. Measure after removing the cores and cutting the apples, and leave the peels on.
- Light brown sugar – Sweetens the apples and adds a gentle molasses flavor. Use light brown sugar for the flavor intended here.
- Ground cinnamon and ground cloves – Give the apple butter its familiar warm fall-time spiced flavor.
- Star anise pod – Adds a subtle licorice-like spice note. It’s completely optional, so leave it out if you don’t like that flavor.
- Kosher salt – Balances the sweetness while also bringing out the apple flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice – Adds a little brightness to the recipe.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
Which Apples Work Best?
I like McIntosh and Golden Delicious because they soften well as they cook. You can use a combination of apples for a balance of sweet and tart flavors. Firmer varieties take longer to soften, so use the apples’ texture as your guide before blending.
Start with ripe fruit. The apples don’t need to look perfect, but discard any that are moldy or spoiled.
Make sure to check out my guide to choosing the right apples!
How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Butter
There are 5 steps to make this recipe, with the majority of it being hands-off.
Step 1: Mix the ingredients – Wash and core the apples, cut them into quarters or thick slices, and add them to the slow cooker. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, star anise pod (if using), salt, and lemon juice. Toss until evenly combined.
Step 2: Cook the apples – Cover and cook on high for 8 hours. If using the star anise, remove it after the first hour. Stir once or twice during cooking, if possible.
Step 3: Cook uncovered to thicken – Remove the lid and continue cooking on high for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally. As moisture evaporates, the apples will darken, and the mixture will become thicker. Stir more frequently as it thickens, scraping along the bottom and sides to help prevent scorching.
Step 4: Blend until smooth – If you’re using the star anise, make sure you remove it before blending. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender, food processor, or countertop blender, following the appliance’s instructions. Work in small batches, and allow steam to escape safely.
Step 5: Cool and store – Divide the apple butter into containers and refrigerate to cool, rather than leaving the full batch on the counter until cold. Once chilled, keep them in your fridge or freeze them in freezer-safe containers with room for expansion. See storage details below.
How Do I Know When It’s Thick Enough?
The clock is a guide, but the thickness lets you know when the apple butter is done. Apples vary in moisture, and slow cookers vary in how quickly they reduce a mixture. Some batches need more time than others.
The finished apple butter should be spreadable, with enough thickness to stay on a spoon. Place a small spoonful on a chilled plate and let it cool briefly. It should hold its shape without a watery ring spreading around it.
If it’s still runny after blending, return it to the slow cooker and continue cooking uncovered, stirring frequently, until it reaches that consistency. Apple butter thickens somewhat as it cools, so use the cooled sample to judge the texture.
Tips for the Best Apple Butter
- Measure the cut apples – The 16 cups refers to cored, cut fruit, not whole apples or finished applesauce. It equals 4 quarts of prepared apple pieces.
- Use the correct size slow cooker – Make sure it’s large enough for the apples and remaining ingredients while staying within the manufacturer’s recommended fill level. The apples will shrink, but the cooker still needs adequate room at the start.
- Take the lid off for the final stage – Keeping the cooker covered traps moisture. Uncovered cooking is what allows the mixture to become a thick spread.
- Remove the star anise early – One hour adds flavor without leaving it in for the entire cooking time. Set a reminder to remove it if using.
- Watch the edges as it thickens – A dark brown color is expected, but sticking or a burnt smell means the mixture needs some attention. Stir regularly while reducing.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
Serving – Spread apple butter on toast, homemade bread (it would be great on my honey oat bread or easy French bread), biscuits, or an English muffin. Stir a spoonful into oatmeal or plain Greek yogurt, serve it with pancakes or waffles, or add it to a cheese board with sharp cheddar or Brie. It’s also delicious alongside pork chops, almost like an applesauce.
Refrigerate – Store in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks. Use a clean spoon each time you scoop from the jar.
Freeze – Once chilled, transfer to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave the recommended headspace in the container so the apple butter can expand. When needed, thaw a container in the refrigerator. Stir before serving and use within 2 weeks of thawing.
Canning – For shelf-stable apple butter, follow a research-tested canning recipe. This recipe is not made to be canned.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! Remove the cores and seeds, but leave the peels on. They soften during the long cooking time and are blended into the finished spread. If you still notice bits of peel, blend a little longer or press the finished apple butter through a fine-mesh strainer.
The covered 8-hour stage will work with an overnight schedule if your slow cooker’s instructions allow for it. Just make sure to start early enough that you can remove the star anise after the first hour (or leave it out if you won’t be able to remove it). Plan to be available for the uncovered cooking stage so you can stir and check the consistency.
For a batch you’ll refrigerate or freeze, you can adjust the sweetness, but reducing the sugar will also change the finished flavor and may change the texture and yield. The recipe as written uses light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor; maple syrup and sugar substitutes are not direct replacements with the same results. I recommend using the ingredients and amounts listed for the best results.
An immersion blender is my top choice because you can blend the mixture directly in the slow cooker. But a countertop blender or food processor that can handle hot foods will also work. The end goal is to make sure you have a completely smooth puree.
Apple butter can be made with other methods, but the times here are for a slow cooker. A Dutch oven loses moisture differently, and pressure cooking traps moisture, so neither is a direct swap for these instructions. Use a recipe developed for the appliance you want to use.
Scale all the ingredients by the same proportion and use an appropriately sized slow cooker. A smaller batch may cook and reduce faster, so begin checking it earlier and use the texture cues above rather than automatically following the full cooking time.
More Apple Recipes
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 16 cups sliced apples (such as Macintosh and Golden Delicious)
- 2 ¾ cups light brown sugar
- 2 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 star anise pod (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients: Wash and core the apples, then cut them into quarters or thick slices. There is no need to peel them. Measure 16 cups of apples and add them to the slow cooker. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, star anise pod (if using), salt, and lemon juice. Toss everything together until evenly combined.16 cups sliced apples (such as Macintosh and Golden Delicious), 2 ¾ cups light brown sugar, 2 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 star anise pod (optional), ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Cook the apples: Cover and cook on high for 8 hours. If using the star anise, remove it after the first hour. Stir the apples once or twice during cooking, if possible. The apples will soften considerably and release a significant amount of liquid.
- Reduce the mixture: After 8 hours, remove the lid and continue cooking on high for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally. The excess liquid will evaporate as the mixture darkens and thickens. Continue cooking until the apples are extremely soft and the mixture has reached the desired consistency.
- Blend: Remove the star anise pod if it has not already been removed. Blend the apple mixture until completely smooth using an immersion blender, food processor, or countertop blender. If using a countertop blender, work in batches and allow steam to escape safely.
- Store: Let the apple butter cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers and freezing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Henry Wortock
What blender do you use for making your apple butter
Can the Apple Butter be placed in a water bath canning process directly from the recipe? I have done apple butter in the past put never obtained the thickness that your recipe indicates.
Re: Apple Butter recipe
Do the apples need to be peeled?
I saw stem/core removed.
Thanks. Recipe sounds delicious!!!
Loved your video. I grew up in the 40s and 50s and we had our own apple trees on our farm. My mom made apple butter all the time and it was so good. She must have spent hrs cooking it on the stove as then we did not have fancy blenders. It was wonderful and looked just like yours. Thanks for all your wonderful videos and recipes.
I’ve cooked so many of your recipes snd the never disappoint!
My apples are cooking now. Please consider using weight of apples not cups. I didn’t even know how many apples to buy. I guessed and for the apples I selected to use, 8 cups was ABOUT 2 pounds. I am making a half batch so I don’t waste so much money if my approximation was off.
Where did you get that very cool slow cooker?
Can you make it in a Dutch oven in the oven vs a slow cooker
I’ve made several batches of this every year since I saw your demo on Instagram.
Besides being delicious, it is also the easiest to make as no peeling of the apples!
I do find I need to remove the lid for a couple hours to finish it off in the morning so it’s really thick when I purée it with my immersion blender.
I freeze most of it in one and a half cup containers and will give a container with a loaf of homemade bread as Christmas gifts to neighbors and they say they always look forward to it.
I absolutely love a classic slow-cooker apple butter. The smell alone makes the whole house feel cozy. One variation you might enjoy: replace the brown sugar with 3/4 cup pure maple syrup. It becomes maple apple butter, and it’s next-level good! I really enjoy and appreciate your recipes. 🙂