Apple Butter Recipe
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Homemade apple butter is a fall essential you won’t want to miss. Fresh, crisp apples are slow cooked with brown sugar, vanilla, and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to make a smooth, velvety spread that’s out-of-this-world delicious. Cozy, comforting, and crave-worthy – this versatile treat captures all the best parts of fall season.
I remember the first time I stumbled upon apple butter. I was at a small fall festival, and someone offered me a slice of homemade bread slathered in the most incredible spread I’ve ever tasted. It was like an improved version of applesauce – thicker, richer, and smoother. I purchased a few jars and tried to replicate the recipe at home. Now, I make it every year as soon as the leaves start to change – it’s become a fall necessity in this household!
The hardest part is prepping the apples, but you can always ask your family to help. In my case, my kids are my happy little helpers. Besides, you’ll know it’s super worth it once you taste the apple butter! It does take a while to cook. I always prep it along with dinner so we have some warm, freshly-cooked apple butter to enjoy with breakfast the next day.
I love its buttery, spreadable consistency and often enjoy it with bread or biscuits. I also use it to baste chicken or pork chops or to substitute applesauce or pumpkin puree in recipes. There are so many ways to enjoy this fall treat!
It’s perfect for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving feasts, and cozy mornings at home. It’s also great for gift-giving because even though it’s an easy recipe, all the apple peeling takes effort. This makes apple butter a thoughtful homemade gift, especially when packaged in a pretty jar with a ribbon!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: Once the apples are peeled, the rest of the process is pretty much hands-off. It’s a set it and forget it situation with a slow cooker!
- Wholesome ingredients: Apples are in full swing this time of year, and the rest are simple, everyday ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- Applesauce 2.0: If you’re a fan of applesauce, you’ll definitely love this sweeter, thicker, and more spreadable version.
- Best fall flavors: Apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves – it has all the best fall flavors that you can enjoy throughout the season, or year-round.
- Perfect for meal prep: Make a big batch and enjoy throughout the week or freeze for future use.
How to Make Apple Butter
There’s something so rewarding about making your own apple butter at home. Not only does it fill your kitchen with the amazing smell of apples and warm spices, but the result is an insanely good, velvety spread that you can put on everything. Prep for just 15 minutes and your slow cooker will do the rest!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Red apples: I don’t recommend using firm, tart apples like Granny Smith. Softer, sweeter apples are better because they break down more easily and give that concentrated apple flavor we all love. Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Fuji, Gala, and McIntosh are all ideal options.
- Sugar
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar, together with granulated sugar, helps the apples to break down and caramelize to perfection.
- Ground cinnamon: Brings warmth and adds a comforting fall flavor to the spread.
- Nutmeg: Adds a warm, slightly nutty flavor that enhances the spice profile of the apple butter. I use freshly grated nutmeg.
- Cloves: Imparts a warm flavor with a hint of sweetness and spice.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a sweet, creamy flavor that complements the apples and spices. It helps round out the taste, too.
Step-By-Step Instructions
You’re only 3 steps away from enjoying this delicious fall treat. Follow the instructions below to make the best homemade apple butter there is!
Step 1: Prep
Add the prepared apples to the crockpot of the slow cooker.
Mix the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl. Sprinkle it evenly over the apples.
Step 2: Cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours. Stir occasionally. Stir in the vanilla extract. Remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered on LOW for another 2 hours.
Step 3: Serve
Use an immersion blender to puree smooth.
Serve warm or cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator for later use.
Substitutions
- Sugar: Substitute with coconut sugar for a more natural sweetness.
- Brown sugar: For the best fall flavor, use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
- Warm spices: If you want to play around with different warm spices for a slightly different flavor profile, I suggest using a pumpkin pie spice mix. I consider cinnamon a must, but you can substitute nutmeg and cloves with your favorite spices. Apple pie spice, allspice, or ginger are ideal substitutes.
Variations
Apple butter is a versatile spread that you can easily adapt to suit your taste, whether you prefer more spice, less sweetness, or add an unexpected twist. To give you some inspiration, here are some of my favorite apple butter variations:
- Add fresh or dried cranberries for a tart, festive flavor perfect for the holiday season.
- Mix in a bit of pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice for an even more fall-inspired combination of flavors. Pumpkin spice apple butter is delish!
- Add a splash of bourbon for a rich, smoky flavor that deepens the taste and makes it more adult-friendly. Great for gift-giving.
- Brighten up your apple butter by adding fresh orange zest to the mix.
- Love vanilla? Use a whole vanilla bean instead of extract for an even more pronounced, aromatic vanilla flavor.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh spices: For the best flavor, use fresh ground spices. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves can lose their potency over time, so fresher spices will give you the taste.
- Adjust the sweetness: Taste as you go! If you prefer your apple butter to be less sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar. Alternatively, if your apples are on the tart side, you might want to add a little extra sweetness.
- Stir regularly: To prevent the apple butter from sticking to the bottom of the pot, give it a stir every now and then. The longer it cooks, the more natural juice escapes and prevents sticking.
- Make it chunky: Apple butter is usually smooth and spreadable, but you can leave it slightly chunky if that’s your favorite texture.
- Enhance with lemon juice: If your apple butter tastes a bit flat, adding a splash of lemon juice at the end can brighten the flavors and balance out the sweetness.
How to Store This Recipe
Cool apple butter completely and transfer into an airtight container or jars with a tight lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen apple butter in the refrigerator overnight before using.
What to Serve with Apple Butter
Spread apple butter on toast, crusty bread, or biscuits, swirl it into your oatmeal, or top 2-ingredient pancakes or potato waffles for a filling breakfast. Enjoy with muffins or crepes, mix into vanilla ice cream or yogurt, or add it to your grilled cheese sandwich for a hearty snack. Serve apple butter with crackers and an assortment of cheeses for parties.
More Fall Recipes To Try
If you make this apple butter, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 pounds red apples peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the prepared apples to the crockpot of the slow cooker.
- Mix the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl. Sprinkle it evenly over the apples.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered on LOW for another 2 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree smooth.
- Serve warm or cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator for later use.
Notes
- Use fresh ground spices for the best flavor. Warm spices can lose their potency over time, so fresher spices will give you the best taste.
- Taste as you go! Lessen the sugar if you want it less sweet, or add more if the apples are on the tart side.
- To prevent the apple butter from sticking to the bottom of the pot, give it a stir every now and then. The longer it cooks, the more natural juice escapes and prevents sticking.
- Apple butter is usually smooth and spreadable, but you can leave it slightly chunky if that is your preferred texture.
- If your apple butter tastes a bit flat, adding a splash of lemon juice at the end can brighten the flavors and balance out the sweetness.
