Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe
This easy crockpot apple butter is rich, smooth, and perfectly spiced — a cozy fall recipe that’s great for canning, gifting, or spreading on toast.
This apple butter recipe is a family favorite that we have been making for years! It’s super easy to create apple butter in a crockpot or Instant Pot.
Apple pie, apple juice, applesauce; just a few of the tasty treats that come with the change of seasons.
As the weather cools, we like to go apple picking at a local apple orchard. We can get pounds and pounds of apples for a lot cheaper than at the grocery store.
Not to mention, fresh apples just off the tree have so much more flavor. Today, I have another use for all those delicious apples.
Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this post to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be there when you’re ready!
What is Apple Butter?
Apple butter is essentially just applesauce that has been cooked down for a long time. The main difference is that it is thicker and much more concentrated than traditional applesauce.
The best part is that this flavorful spread is super easy to make! Check out my easy recipe for the best apple butter below!
We often make a large batch of apple butter for canning. So if you’re interested in canning it like we do, here’s what you’ll need!
These recipes for canned pears, apple cranberry sauce, and peach mango chutney are also perfect for preserving fall fruit to enjoy all year.
This post contains affiliate links.
Canning Supplies
- 12-quart water bath canner with lid – Best for foods with high acidity like salsa, tomatoes, and fruit.
- Ball mason jars – Sterilized half-pint-sized jars work best for this recipe.
- Snap lids and rings – New, unused snap lids are needed to get a good seal on your jars.
- Canning jar lifter – This is used to lift the hot jars safely out of the boiling water bath.
- Magnet snap lid lifter – This makes pulling the snap lids from the water after being sterilized much easier.
- Over-the-sink strainer – This is my go-to strainer for processing a lot of apples.
- Rubber tongs – For grasping hot jars and lids when sterilizing.
- Tea towels – Used for cleaning and handling hot jars.
- Crockpot – For cooking the apples.
- Jar canning funnel – Perfect for pouring the apple mixture into mason jars.
- Ladle – For scooping butter into the jars.
- Cutting board – Used to cut apples.
- Sharp knife – These are my favorite for slicing and dicing.
- Measuring spoons and cup – For measuring ingredients.
- Paper towel – Perfect for wiping down the jars and cleaning up.
- Immersion blender – For processing the apples into butter.
How to Make Apple Butter
Ingredients
- Apples, cored and quartered – Fresh apples are the star of this recipe, cooking down into a naturally sweet, rich, and flavorful spread.
- White sugar – White sugar adds sweetness while helping create the classic smooth texture of homemade apple butter.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar brings warm caramel notes and extra depth that perfectly complements the apples.
- Lemon juice – A splash of lemon juice brightens the flavor while helping preserve the apple butter for canning.
- Ground cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds that classic fall flavor.
- Ground nutmeg – Nutmeg contributes a subtle warmth and earthy spice.
- Ground cloves – Just a small amount of cloves delivers a bold, aromatic spice that gives apple butter its signature flavor.
- Salt – A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and helps all of the spices shine.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla rounds out the flavors with a smooth, rich finish.
Instructions
1. Place the apples in a crockpot with the lemon juice. In a medium bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well.
2. Cook in slow cooker on low for about 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and is dark brown.
3. Uncover, stir in vanilla, and continue cooking uncovered on low for about 2 hours.
4. Use an immersion blender to puree the apple butter until smooth.
5. Spoon the mixture into sterile jars and process in a water bath canner for 30 minutes for half pints.
Note: Alternatively, fresh apple butter can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or in freezer containers in the freezer for three months.
The Best Apples for Apple Butter
We use a mix of apples, including Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and (insert apple that’s cheap at market here lol). The different types of apples all have their own flavors and textures, so each combination is unique.
Feel free to use your favorite apples or apple combination. Apples may be peeled or left with the skin on — peeled apples tend to make a sweeter, lighter butter while unpeeled apples (pictured) make a darker spread that is not as sweet.
Note: If you use peeled apples, the butter may not thicken the same because the peels contain natural pectin. So when using peeled apples, plan on cooking them longer to thicken or consider adding pectin to the mixture.
Other Ways to Cook Apple Butter
- Using an easy Instant Pot apple butter recipe cuts down cooking to a fraction of the time. Depending on your Instant Pot, cooking time is about 30 minutes.
- You could also try stovetop apple butter by simply cooking the apples in a large stock pot over low heat for 4-6 hours. Be sure to stir occasionally and check the heat of the stove.
- Make electric pressure cooker apple butter and cook the apples using high pressure. This is another great option if you’re looking to speed up this recipe.
What to Serve with Sweet Apple Butter
- Warm biscuits, fresh from the oven, are the perfect vehicle for this delicious homemade apple butter.
- Spread on pancakes or waffles with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Add a spoonful to the centers of apple muffins for a tasty surprise.
- Use it as a topping for ice cream with a drizzle of caramel sauce.
More Tips and Tricks
- For extra-smooth apple butter, use a food processor to puree the cooked apples.
- Particularly if using quite sweet apples, you may want to make a lower sugar or unsweetened apple butter. Adjust how much sugar you use, substitute maple syrup, or eliminate it all together. Shelf life may be affected by the change.
- A jar of apple butter makes a delicious gift during the holiday season. Tie a few cinnamon sticks around the lid with twine, add a little tag, and you’re done!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to peel the apples before making apple butter?
No! Apple peels can be left on since they’ll soften during cooking and are easily blended with an immersion blender. Keeping the peels also adds natural pectin, which helps thicken the apple butter and creates a richer color.
What are the best apples for homemade apple butter?
A combination of sweet and tart apples creates the best flavor. Popular choices include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, Jonathan, McIntosh, Cortland, and Golden Delicious for a balanced, complex apple butter.
How do I know when apple butter is finished cooking?
Apple butter is done when it has thickened considerably, turned a deep caramel brown, and holds its shape on a spoon without releasing excess liquid. It should spread easily without being runny.
How long does homemade apple butter last?
Properly processed and sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark pantry for up to a year. Once opened, refrigerate and enjoy within 2 to 3 weeks. Apple butter also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Can I make this recipe without a slow cooker?
Yes! Apple butter can be made in an Instant Pot, electric pressure cooker, or on the stovetop. The slow cooker is popular because it cooks the apples low and slow with very little hands-on effort, while the Instant Pot significantly reduces the cooking time.
Be sure to check out more of my favorite canning recipes!
Easy Canning Recipes
- Crunchy Dill Pickles
- The Best Salsa for Canning
- Canning Tomato Sauce
- Easy Pickled Onions
- Peach Salsa
- Apple Pie Filling
- Hot Pepper Jelly
What apple varieties do you like best when baking and cooking? Let me know in the comments!
If you loved this crockpot apple butter recipe, please give it a five-star rating by clicking the stars below! Help me share it on Facebook and Pinterest so that others can enjoy it too.
Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 pounds apples cored and quartered
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the apples in a crockpot with the lemon juice. In a medium bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well.
- Cook in the slow cooker on low for about 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and is dark brown.
- Uncover, stir in vanilla, and continue cooking uncovered on low for about 2 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the apple butter until smooth.
- Spoon the mixture into sterile jars and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes for half pints.
Notes
- For extra-smooth apple butter, use a food processor to puree the cooked apples.
- Particularly if using quite sweet apples, you may want to make a lower sugar or unsweetened apple butter. Adjust how much sugar you use, substitute maple syrup, or eliminate it all together. Shelf life may be affected by the change.
- A jar of apple butter makes a delicious gift during the holiday season. Tie a few cinnamon sticks around the lid with twine, add a little tag, and you’re done!
Nutrition
Turned out great very easy and delicious
Made this with apples that I picked yesterday. It is delicious. It made nine 1 cup jars for me. In your photos the apples aren’t peeled, but your directions say to peel them. I looked at other recipes and it seems most of them call for peeling, so that’s what I did. It is delicious on toast with peanut butter, and I am planning to try it inside grilled cheese and also with grilled sausages and pork chops. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yay! It’s so good! Yes, I’ve done it both ways, peeled and unpeeled. Unpeeled apples tend to make a darker, more tart butter.
This is so easy and delicious. I tweaked it a bit. Little more apples, spices and I added 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice. I got 10 half pints.
My daughters want to learn how to can so I decided to make it fun and have a ‘Canning Party’ next month. We are going to make your apple butter for our first ever canning lesson. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Yay! Please do!
I am trying this today! Question: Do you not need to add any water to the slow cooker? Thank you!
No extra water is needed, as the apples cook down the juices start to combine with the sugar to create a sauce.
Hello! I see that this recipe calls for lemon juice, but it doesn’t say when to add it. I would guess that you would add it in the same time as the vanilla. But would you please clarify? Thanks! I’m very excited to try this.
Yes, add the lemon juice to the crock pot at the same time as the rest of ingredients. Enjoy!
I’m having a hard time getting my apple butter to thicken up. I’m leaving it in the crockpot uncovered because I know crockpots can increase liquids because of condensation. I want to can it so I really want to keep it natural. Any suggestions?
Cooking it longer with the lid off will definitely help it thicken up. You could also try transfering it to a stock pot to cook if your slow cooker isn’t doing the trick.
I always put my apple butter in the oven in my large stainless steel bowl and set it to the lowest temp and leave it overnight! When you get up in the morning your house will smell wonderful and it will be nice and thick! then proceed to waterbath canning!
Great tip!
This recipe is amazing! I made mine in the instant pot then used an immersion blender. Cooked on low/medium on the stove for about 4 hours while it thickened up. This will be my go to recipe. Thank you!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!!
Hi, I made this recipe 3 times now. First time it was perfect with Northern Spy apples from our yard. I since ran out of those apples and decided to make it for gifts. I used a combination of Granny Smith, gala and honey crisp. Both times with those apples it’s just not thick enough. I’m disappointed, as I feel it’s just not thick enough. Total cook time was little over 12 hours. Any suggestions?
Did you peel the apples? If you leave the peels on the added pectin will help to thicken the mixture up. You could also stain the butter into cheesecloth to remove excess liquid.