I discovered apple butter as an adult, and I look forward to it every fall. Since it's difficult to find less-sweet versions of it, I decided to make my own. Now that I make this Slow Cooker Apple Butter, I can't imagine trying a different recipe.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter at a Glance
- ⏳ Prep Time: 30 minutes
- ⏲️ Cooking Time: 7 hours
- ⌛ Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
- 🥣 Serves: ~20 (in 2-tablespoon amounts)
- 🍽️ Calories: 37
- 🍏 Main Ingredients: Apples, apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice
- 👌 Why You'll Love It: A mostly hands-off, lightly spiced apple butter that cooks in a slow cooker, sweetened only with a small amount of apple cider.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS RECIPE ON
I fell in love with apple picking and apple butter over 15 years ago. Every fall I'd go to Curtis Orchard on the outskirts of Champaign, Illinois, walk through the orchard, pick some apples, and browse the shop where I'd buy a jar of thick, sweet apple butter. At home, I tried recipes that were too sweet or too heavily spiced; I gave up on making it for a while, but our "local" place in New Jersey is an hour away - and good apple butter is crazy expensive!
My apple butter is made without sugar - I use a little apple cider instead. Plus, it's mostly hands-off since it's made in the slow cooker - and your house smells great all day long.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 😌 Hands-off and low effort
- 🍎 A great way to use up older apples
- ✨ Lightly sweetened
- 💰 Much less expensive than orchard apple butter
Key Ingredients
Apples: I use whatever I have, but overall I prefer apples that cook down and soften easily, like Fuji, Gala, McIntosh, Cortland, or Jonagold. My favorite batch only used Fuji apples, but experiment with a mix or variety. Try to avoid very tart apples; if using, you'll need extra cider for sweetness, which then takes longer to cook out. Apples I enjoy eating out of hand thanks to their tartness made for a tart-ish apple butter. I like to include older apples that aren't great for snacking; they're softening anyway, so they may as well be cooked down.
Apple cider: Sweetens the apple butter instead of sugar. Choose fresh apple cider from refrigerator cases in the produce aisle. I use ¼ cup, the same amount Detoxinista's apple butter recipe uses for water, swapped here for cider. Unsweetened apple juice (or bottled, shelf-stable "cider") has less flavor than cider, but works in a pinch. Orange juice works for a twist. This recipe doesn't take much apple cider; use the rest to make Apple Cider Donut Cake!
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice: I started with the spice ratios from Detoxinista, but swapped the cloves (which have a heavy taste I don't like) and ginger for nutmeg and allspice. Use a combination of spices that you like. Be sure your spices are fresh and flavorful; they lose their taste over time. I always grate my nutmeg, rather than use pre-ground that has no flavor.
How To Make Slow Cooker Apple Butter
I prefer using the slow cooker to make apple butter; it takes very little babysitting. I adapted the cooking time from The Kitchn's full sugar apple butter recipe.
One: Core and chop the apples - no need to peel unless using a potato masher. Place in a 3.5-4 quart slow cooker and add apple cider and spices.
Two: Cover and cook on high for 5 hours (or low for 10 hours), until apples are tender. They'll shrink somewhat.
Three: Use an immersion blender or potato masher to puree the apples. If using a blender instead, let the mixture cool somewhat first.
Four: Cover the slow cooker with a mesh splatter guard, and cook for another 2 hours. If you don't have a splatter guard, leave the lid ajar and cover the crack with a very thin towel to prevent spatters and mess. Stir halfway through if you're concerned about sticking or scorching. If using a 6-quart slow cooker, it may thicken more quickly; check after 1 hour.
Stir the apple butter and give it a taste. The mixture will have reduced and thickened; it should stay on the spoon for a few seconds instead of dripping off. If it seems too sweet, add a teaspoon of lemon or orange juice to brighten it.
Serving and Storage
Spoon the apple butter into jars; I often reuse jam or mason jars for it. Cool about one hour before refrigerating.
Apple butter stays good for about 1-2 weeks - maybe a little longer in the back of the fridge, away from the door.
I usually have apple butter on toast, and I love it on Homemade English Muffins. It would be nice on my Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread or Classic Banana Bread with Oats as well. My husband puts it in his oatmeal, and you could serve it along pork chops for a more savory route.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter FAQ
It's called apple butter because of its smooth, spreadable texture. It's non-dairy - and actually vegan! Sometimes it feels silly to call it butter, but we have peanut butter and almond butter with butter in the name for the same reason!
Yes! Crockpot is just the name brand for a slow cooker. The slow cooker function on an Instant Pot should work equally well for slow cooking the apples, but you would likely need to do the final cooking and reducing step on the stovetop.
No, apple cider and apple cider vinegar aren't the same. Apple cider is sweet. Apple cider vinegar is made from fermenting apple cider. Don't try to substitute one for the other.
Yes, for the best results. I really wanted to keep the lid on the slow cooker, but the batches didn't thicken enough. Cooking the apple butter covered on low gave me very delicious apple sauce. Cooking it covered on high worked better, but the results were still a little thin.
Leaving the slow cooker uncovered was perfect. I covered the slow cooker with a mesh splatter guard so it would let the steam out while protecting me and my countertops from spattering, popping apple butter. If you don't have a splatter guard, leave the lid ajar, covering the opening with a thin towel. You may also need to cook the apple butter for longer, as not as much steam will escape.
There's some debate online as to whether or not you can preserve sugar-free apple butter via canning. Canning seals out bacteria, but the sugar-free apple butter isn't really sweet enough to be preserved. As I haven't tried canning myself, I defer this question to canning experts. Find a canning resource you trust. Many state universities have extension offices or food science departments, whose resources include things like gardening, canning, and food preservation and safety.
More Apple and Cinnamon Treats
I hope this becomes a recipe you'll return to. If you try it, a star rating below helps others find it - and I'd love to hear how yours turns out in the comments! 💕 Questions or trouble? Drop a note, and I'll do my best to help.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Apple Butter (No Sugar Added)
Equipment
- 4 quart slow cooker
- immersion blender (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples (around 12 cups)
- ¼ cup apple cider (56 grams/2 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Core and slice apples. Peel if desired or using a potato masher (affiliate link) later; I never bother.
- Combine apples, cider, and spices in a 4-quart slow cooker. It will be very full. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours (or low for 10).
- Remove lid. Blend mixture with an immersion blender (affiliate link) until smooth. A potato masher (affiliate link) works, but the result will be chunky. If using a standard blender, cool some before blending.
- Do not replace cover. Leave lid off, and cover with a mesh splatter guard (affiliate link). Cook on high for another 2 hours, until mixture has thickened. Stir after an hour if you're concerned about your apple butter burning. You can also leave the lid on but ajar; cover the opening with a towel you don't mind getting messy. You may need to cook the apple butter for longer.
- Stir apple butter, then scoop into jars. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Leona Konkel says
I love how delicious my apple butter is, without adding a whole lot of sugar. I hope you also love how simple it is to make, and how the apple butter turns out! Let me know if you have any questions!