Canning apple butter is an amazing way to preserve the apple harvest. This is the best low-sugar apple butter, and it’s delicious on toast, yogurt, muffins, or oatmeal.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time6 hourshrs10 minutesmins
Canning Time10 minutesmins
Total Time6 hourshrs40 minutesmins
Course: Canning, Condiments
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple butter recipe for canning, how to can apple butter, slow cooker apple butter
After the time is up, blend the apples with an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor.
Canning Apple Butter Instructions
Prepare your water bath canner by filling it with water. You just need to have enough water to cover the jars by 1 inch once the water is boiling.
Set the canner on the stove. Turn the burner to high. Once it reaches a boil, reduce it to simmer. You want to keep the water hot so that everything is ready when the apple butter is.
Wash and sanitize your jars. You’ll want to keep them warm to avoid having them crack when placed in the canner. You can fill them with hot water, or place them on a tray in the oven at 170˚F.
Wash your lids and set aside in a clean place.
Place a canning funnel on top of one of the jars.
Ladle the warm apple butter into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Headspace is defined as the space between the top of the food and the top of the jar.
Remove any bubbles from the jar (I use a plastic chopstick).
Use a wet clean rag and wipe the rim of the jars to make sure they are free of any delicious apple butter.
Place a clean lid on the jar and then a ring. Tighten the ring to fingertip tight.
Using canning tongs, gently place your jars in the canner. Put the lid on, and set your timer. Pro tip: the water must return to a boil in the canner before you can start the timer.
Process half-pints, pints and quarts based on the elevation guide below:*0-1,000 ft – Half-Pints &Pints =5 min Quarts =10 min*1,001-6,000 ft – Half-Pints &Pints =10 min Quarts =15 min*6,000 ft+ – Half-Pints &Pints =15 min Quarts =20 min
Once the apple butter has processed for the appropriate amount of time, remove the canner from the burner, and carefully remove the lid of the canner (Pro tip: use oven mitts to take the lid off because the steam is super hot).
Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars, and place them on a thick towel in a place where they can be undisturbed for 12 hours.
After the jars have rested for about 12 hours, press down in the middle of each lid. If it "gives" at all, the jar didn't seal. Either enjoy it that day, put it in the fridge, or reprocess it.
Once the jars have sealed, remove the rings. Label and store sealed jars in a cool (best results are 50-70˚F) dark place for up to 12-18 months.
Notes
Apples contain enough natural sugar to be safe for canning without added sugar.
You do not need to add water to the slow cooker. After 30 minutes they're going to start releasing all their awesome natural juices while cooking.
Makes 8 half-pints, 4 pints, or 2 quarts.
Nutrition values are an estimate only.
Stovetop Instructions: Cook apples, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on low for 3-6 hours, stirring occasionally.