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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!
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Could you set up your videos to generate closed captions? Helpful for those who have hearing problems.
Approximately how much apple butter is the final product?
How many pounds in 4 qts my friend
10-12 lbs pending variety per Kalebs prior comment
While living in West Virginia I had the opportunity to make homemade apple butter with my Aunt and cousins. We did this outside with a big copper kettle and wooden stir utensil. With an enormous amount of wood to keep under the kettle and keeping the fire burning😊My Aunt always put coins in the kettle first,of course they were washed before being put in kettle.I asked why do you put them in there? She was taught by her parents to do it this way. It kept the Apple Butter from sticking to copper kettle as we all took turns stirring. This was an all day job!Fun though,my husband and I really had fun making butter! Then canning it.My aunt and I both use cinnamon oil in our apples. YUMMY! Now were back in Ohio! No copper kettle so I’m making it in my slow cooker. And borrowed my daughters slow cooker to get more made. God Bless. Love watching you.😊
Thank you, my grandmother canned apple butter, it was wonderful. But I never got the recipe. I’m going to try your recipe. Love watching your videos.
I live near a town in Ohio that has a fall festival – Apple Butter Stirrin’. They make and sell apple butter made as you described— a big kettle over a fire, stirred with a long, wooden paddle and, of course, anyone is invited to stir a little. They make sweetened and unsweetened.
I had a recipe, years ago, for making apple butter in a slow cooker, lost track of it, and never did try it. Your recipe is getting me in the mood to try making it. I make a lot of apple sauce and freeze some, so this would just be a bit beyond. Won’t be too long till my favorite orchard in Amish country will have every kind of apple imaginable. Thanks for the inspiration!
What kind of apples did you use? And did you weigh or measure? Tx!
Love your Facebook information.
I just found a wyseguide.com…. Wonderful
Thank you! So glad you found me!
This recipe is fantastic! It’s super easy and packed full of old fashioned apple butter taste. Thank you for sharing your recipe!!!