Description
This Crockpot Apple Butter recipe offers a deliciously smooth, spiced spread made from slow-cooked apples, sweetened with sugar and brown sugar, and enhanced with apple pie spice and vanilla. Perfect for spreading on crusty bread, pairing with cheese, or complementing fresh fruit, this homemade apple butter captures the cozy flavors of fall with minimal effort using a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Apples
- 6-7 pounds apples (peeled, cored, and sliced)
Sugars and Spices
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
Extras
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Apples: Peel, core, and slice 6-7 pounds of apples. Place them evenly into a 7-quart or larger slow cooker to ensure there is enough space for cooking and stirring.
- Mix Sugars and Spice: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon apple pie spice until fully combined, ensuring the spice is evenly distributed through the sugars.
- Coat Apples with Sugar Mixture: Pour the mixed sugars and spice over the sliced apples in the slow cooker. Toss gently but thoroughly, making sure the sugar mixture coats all the apples evenly to promote balanced sweetness and flavor.
- Slow Cook on Low: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook the apple mixture on the low setting for 10 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and help cook the apples evenly until they are very soft.
- Add Vanilla and Increase Heat: After 10 hours, remove the lid, add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and stir well to combine. Then, turn the slow cooker to high and cook uncovered for an additional 2 hours. This helps thicken the apple butter further by allowing some moisture to evaporate.
- Blend to Finish: Once cooked and thickened, use a stick blender directly in the slow cooker or transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender to puree until smooth and creamy as desired.
- Serve and Store: Serve the apple butter warm or at room temperature with crusty bread, cheese, or fruit. Cool completely before storing leftover apple butter in sterilized jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Ensure to use a slow cooker of at least 7-quart capacity to accommodate the large volume of apples and allow space for stirring.
- Stirring occasionally during the 10-hour low cook helps prevent apples from sticking and burning on the sides.
- Adjust the sweetness if desired by varying the amount of granulated or brown sugar according to taste or type of apples used.
- Apple pie spice can be substituted with a homemade blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves if preferred.
- The thickening step on high heat uncovered is crucial to evaporate excess moisture for a proper apple butter consistency.
- The apple butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for several months in airtight containers.
