Ahh, the weekend felt gloriously long. And full of tons of family fun! Which is leaving me ready to tackle the week. A good feeling on a Monday. So let’s move right along to today’s recipe… I’m so excited to share this super duper easy slow cooker apple butter that has no sugar added. It’s so easy, so perfectly sweet and so appropriate for slathering on everything this fall. I actually didn’t know until I made apple butter for the first time years ago that there’s not any butter in it. It’s just a very concentrated apple spread that’s smooth and rich and spreadable, like butter. It’s also a great way to use up a ton of apples! Perfect for that haul you got in the mountains or while apple picking or at the farmer’s market. And if you can get your hands on some local apples, have at it! If not, just buy any mix of good baking apples you like. I usually use Gala but Red Delicious, Braeburn, Jonagolds, Melrose, Rome and even Honey Crisp will work. If you’ve really got a surplus, you might also want to try this easy crockpot applesauce, which my kiddos love and is super easy to make. Oh, and you can also check out my Google web story for this slow cooker apple butter recipe. OK, let’s get to cooking. Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make apple butter. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Recipe Notes:
Apples: I typically use Gala apples or a combination of Gala and Red Delicious. Any sweet, cooking apple will work. (Braeburn, Jonagolds, Melrose, Rome and even Honey Crisp are also good options.) Sweetness: You want sweet apples for this since we’re not using any sugar. If your apples aren’t very sweet, I would consider adding ¼ cup to ½ cup sugar (brown or white, or a mix) to your slow cooker to sweeten these up. Overnight: You can cook this overnight in the slow cooker, blend it in the morning and finish cooking it for the last couple of hours. Final cooking: Be sure to check and stir the apple butter while it’s on high at the end of the cooking time so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of your slow cooker. Mine never has, but it’s a possibility. Spices: You can omit the cloves and allspice if you want a plain, un-spiced version of homemade apple butter. (You’ll still have the cinnamon for plenty of flavor.)
And maybe the best part, besides eating it? Your house will start to waft apple flavors and cinnamon flavors and deep, warm, comforting spices to you as this is cooking. It smells divine. So let’s get to enjoying it!
Ways to use apple butter:
Slather it on some toast or an English muffin in the morning. It also goes great with bagels, muffins, waffles, pancakes… you get the idea. Try it on sweet potato toast for a fun fall treat. It’s also great paired with pork, like these pork chops with apple butter. Pack some up in small glass jars and freeze for later. Or, give some away to friends, family, neighbors, teachers or as a hostess gift during the holidays.
My Dad is particularly fond of apple butter and likes to bring me back the empty glass jars so I’ll refill them for him again. And again. And again. 😉 Also, since this makes a big batch, let’s discuss storage.
How to store apple butter:
Apple butter, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 months.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place in a freezer-safe container, that’s been labelled, and freeze for up to 6-8 months.
Or you could also can this apple butter for storage. Just follow the instructions for your canning equipment. I hope you give this a try soon for a really easy and healthy way to make homemade apple butter. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Apples: I’ve used all Gala apples and a combination of Gala and Red Delicious apples. Other good baking apples such as Braeburn, Jonagolds, Melrose, Rome and even Honey Crisp will work as well. Sweetness: You want sweet apples for this since we’re not using any sugar. If your apples aren’t very sweet, I would consider adding ¼ cup to ½ cup sugar (brown or white, or a mix) to your slow cooker to sweeten these up. Overnight: You can definitely cook this overnight in the slow cooker, then blend it in the morning and finish cooking it for the last couple of hours. Ways to use: Use apple butter on toast, English muffins, bagels, fresh bread, pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc. Or try pork chops with apple butter for a fun fall dinner. Leftovers: Apple butter can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 months. It can also be frozen for up to 6-8 months. I like to use small glass jars, but any freezer-safe container will work. Be sure to label and date your container. You could can the extra as well; just follow the instructions with your canning equipment.
All-Clad Programmable Oval-Shaped Slow Cooker
