This Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe cooks low and slow all day, making your house smell divine!
I absolutely love holiday breaks. I don’t know what it is about them, but every day during winter break is like a Sunday… my family is home under one roof, no school or sports practices to rush off to. Mornings are slow, without the normal hustle and rush of needing to get out the door by a certain time. Evenings are leisurely, without the stress of spelling tests to study for and homework.
We all settle into our own activities, returning to hobbies that have been neglected, or binge watching shows that we haven’t had time to see. I swear I also read more books in the few weeks of the holiday break than I do all year. Besides summer, Christmas vacation is my favorite time of year!
My cooking during winter break also takes on the tone of our slower days. I tend to get out our slow cooker more or make recipes that are more involved than normal. The joy of cooking returns when I take the time to appreciate and get back to my roots…not worrying so much about following recipes, but relying more on my instincts. It’s a glorious thing!
This leisurely morning I gave the Mile High Biscuit Recipe from Something Swanky a try, and pulled out a jar of homemade apple butter from the pantry. It was then that I realized I still haven’t shared this awesome slow cooker apple butter recipe with you!
It’s a gem of a recipe that is perfect to try when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen…such as holiday break. My friend Julianne shared this recipe with me in the fall and I knew it was a keeper immediately. If you love homemade apple butter like we do, you’ll love making this slow cooker recipe and savoring it on those rushed and not so rushed mornings! Enjoy!
A few tips about this slow cooker apple butter recipe
When you make this slow cooker apple butter recipe, adjust the sugar content to your own desire for sweetness. We love sweet apple butter, but some people prefer more tart apple butter. The sugar amount can definitely be adjusted so feel free to cut back on the sugar some if that suits you.
Also, many people freeze the apple butter and then get it out when it’s ready to be used. Freezing is just one additional way to make this apple butter goodness last all year long!
Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 ½ lbs Golden Delicious Fuji or Red Rome Apples
- 3 ½ - 4 cups sugar
- 2 -3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel and finely dice the apples. Place in a slow cooker.
- Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
- Pour over apples and mix well.
- Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.
- Reduce heat to low and cook for 9 – 11 hours until thickened and dark brown.
- Use a hand held blender until smooth or pour into blender and blend until smooth.
- Can be placed in containers and frozen or put in jars.
Notes
If you love this slow cooker apple butter recipe, you might also like these recipes from around the web:
- Microwave Strawberry Jam from Simply Recipes
- Blueberry Thyme Lemon Jam from Baked Bree
- Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Butter from Texanerin Baking
- Homemade Cookie Butter from Wine and Glue
- Orange Honey Butter from Rachel Cooks
Tracy | Baking Mischief says
As a kid, I thought apple butter was absolute magic, but I haven’t had it in years. This looks so good! I had no idea it was so simple to make. I might have to pull out my slow cooker…
Rachel Cooks says
This looks amazing! I can only imagine how amazing it must make the house smell. Thanks for sharing my orange honey butter. 🙂
Melissa B says
I love Apple Butter! This recipe sounds great!
Happy Holidays!
Liz says
I love Apple Butter. Thanks so much for this nice recipe. Happy New Year!
Lorita Austin says
I have a question Can I use Splendor in stead of real sugar.
I sure would like to try that.
Amy says
After all these years, I recently discovered Apple Butter, and I really like it.
julia thomson says
Hi,
A Brit here. Never heard of apple butter before. Is there a preference for what type of sugar and how much is the measurement in either pounds or kg please?
Cynthia Pacheco says
How can this recipe ne sugar free? Can I substitute with stvia or splenda?
Kristen says
I haven’t tried it with those, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work! Let me know if you try it how it turns out. Thanks!
Jennifer says
Waaaaaaay too sweet! 3 1/2 cups of sugar made it sickly sweet. I had to make another batch with 4lbs of apples with NO sugar at all and mix it with the first batch. It still was too sweet but definitely helped balance it out.
Other than that the spices were just right and timing was spot on. Thank you for the recipe.
Kristen says
Thanks for letting me know your adjustments. That’s great to know!
Bethany McFarland says
I just found this recipe from a buzzfeed article and I cannot wait to try it! I Do you know how long it would last in the fridge and if it can be frozen?
Kristen says
Hi Bethany! Thanks for stopping by!
It can be frozen! Also as far as once it’s open, we seem to always use it within a month, so I don’t exactly know how much longer it stays good. It always gets gobbled up once it’s open!
Erin says
This is the ultimate fall comfort food, so good on just about everything!
Kristen says
Right? It makes such a great gift too!
Beth Pierce says
i just love it! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
diane says
Love how simple and delicious this apple butter is. Making it in the slow cooker is awesome!
Kristen says
It is such an easy way to make a large batch without a ton of work 🙂
Amy Johnson says
I need to pull my slow cooker out and get to cooking! A batch of apple butter would not only be delicious to have on hand for brunch or breakfast, but a lovely edible gift to share too.
Kristen says
For sure – we love to make a batch for gifts. It’s super easy!
Marja says
Hi, ,
I’m from the Netherlands and saw your recipe with the link on Amy Johnsons site. We don’t know this in my country but i had heard from it years ago and dieing to find a recipe wich uses the slow cooker for it! And here i am! I’ve one question. In our house, we’re just together, i will be the only one eating this. And this recipe will make several jars or freezerbags or some like that. How long can i have the jars on my shelf? Unopened. Otherwise i’ve to halve the recipe and that would be a shame! I hope you’ll answer me.
I appologize for any language mistakes i can have made cos english isn’t my speaking language. That’s Dutch!
Thanks for reading my question and till another time…..who knows?
Kristen says
Thank you so much for visiting! It’s nice to meet you 🙂
We actually go through the jars so fast that I think the longest it’s ever been on our shelf is a little over a month. I am sure the shelf life is longer I just honestly am not sure.
With that said it definitely freezes well and should last that way a good long while! I hope that helps some. Sorry I can’t be more specific.
Christin says
This recipe is so easy and delicious! Perfect for fall!
Milisa says
My family loves apple butter but I have never made it homemade! This looks so easy and delicious.
Christy Denney says
This is so good on warm rolls!