Old-Fashioned Slow Cooker Apple Butter

My old-fashioned slow cooker apple butter is a delicious homemade fruit butter that’s so good on toast or yogurt. I developed this recipe using peeled apples, but you can also leave the peels on. My favorite varieties of apples for homemade low-sugar apple butter are Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, and Cameo.

Want to save this recipe?

Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Save Recipe

Homemade apple butter is a classic fall favorite. You can simmer this recipe in a slow cooker all day – the creators of expensive candles only wish they could make your house smell this incredible!

As it’s written, this recipe makes enough to enjoy when it’s stashed in the fridge, and you can freeze the leftovers. But if you’re ready to take make your stash of apple butter shelf-stable, check out my tutorial on how to can apple butter.

A note from Sarah

Ingredient Highlight

When choosing apples, most varieties typically work great, but you’ll have the best results with any apple labeled as “saucing apples”. Easy-to-find varieties such as Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, and Cameo would all be great. 

Apples that are best for juicing will produce a watery apple butter.

A plain ol’ vegetable peeler and a chef’s knife work perfectly for this recipe, but when I want to save time, I use this apple peeler to make quick work of peeling and coring apples.

No ratings yet

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

By: Sarah Cook

Servings: 8 half-pints

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 6 hours hrs

Total: 6 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

My old-fashioned slow cooker apple butter is a delicious homemade fruit butter that's so good on toast or yogurt. I developed this recipe using peeled apples, but you can also leave the peels on. My favorite varieties of apples for homemade low-sugar apple butter are Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, and Cameo.

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Mixing bowl
• Slow cooker

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 pounds apples {about 10-14 medium apples}
• ▢ 1/3 cup white sugar {add more to taste as needed}
• ▢ 1/3 cup brown sugar {add more to taste as needed}
• ▢ 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• ▢ 3.5-4.5 cups water {as needed during the blending process}

US Customary – Metric

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Peel and chop/slice your apples into semi-uniform pieces.
  4 pounds apples
• Add the apples, sugar, and spices to your slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on low with the lid on.
  1/3 cup white sugar, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/3 cup brown sugar
• After the time is up, blend the apples with an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor. Add water, 1 cup at a time, while blending until the apples blend smoothly.
  3.5-4.5 cups water
If the blended apple butter becomes too watery after blending, return it to the slow cooker and cook on low until the liquid is reduced.

Notes

Stovetop Instructions:

1. Cook apples, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on low for 3-6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbspCalories: 10kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 0gFat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 0gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Canning, Condiments

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @sustainablecooks or tag #sustainablecooks!