A thick and healthy, no-sugar-added, slow cooker apple butter sweetened with only a tiny bit of apple cider! Easy to make, it has just 5 ingredients!
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. 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 or ajar. Cook on high for another 2 hours, until mixture has thickened. (If leaving the slow cooker uncovered, cover instead with a mesh splatter guard. If leaving it partially covered, cover the opening with a towel you don't mind getting messy, because apple butter will splatter.) Stir after an hour if you're concerned about your apple butter burning.
Stir apple butter, then scoop into jars. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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. Adjust the amount of cider you add, or add a mix of apples instead of just one kind.
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.