No-Sugar-Added Slow Cooker Apple Butter
No-Sugar-Added, Slow Cooker Apple Butter sweetened with only a tiny bit of apple cider! Easy to make, it has just 5 ingredients!
Servings: 20 two-tablespoon servings
Calories: 37kcal
Equipment
- 4 quart slow cooker
- immersion blender
- mesh splatter guard (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples
- 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. Peels do not entirely dissolve into the apple butter, but peeling is optional. Peel if desired; 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 until smooth. (Or, transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. A potato masher can be used, but the result will be chunky.)
- Do not replace cover. Instead, leave lid off, and cover with a mesh splatter guard. 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.
Notes
Use soft apples that will cook down, like Fuji, Cortland, or McIntosh, rather than baking apples. If your apples are tart out of hand, your apple butter may be tart.
You can add more cider if your apples are tart, but you will need to cook the apple butter longer.
Use fresh spices. I always grate nutmeg myself, rather than using ground nutmeg.
If your apple butter is too sweet, add a dash of lemon juice or orange juice to taste.
If for some reason your apple butter isn't thick enough, simmer it on the stove for a few minutes to cook out some moisture, or enjoy it as super-delicious applesauce.
This recipe was adapted from the Kitchn and Detoxinista.
Calorie count calculated in MyNetDiary and is an estimate only.
Revised slightly September 2, 2025.
Nutrition
Calories: 37kcal
