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–+ servings
Thick spread of apple butter atop a golden slice of toast.
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Apple Butter

This easy Apple Butter recipe requires no peeling—just dice, toss into a slow cooker with sugar and spices, and let it simmer while the incredible scent fills your home.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time11 hours
Total Time11 hours 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Healthy, Vegetarian
Keyword: apple butter, crockpot apple butter
Servings: 6 cups
Author: Chelsea Lords
Cost: $7.83

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5-1/2 pounds sweet apples 16 cups diced, see note 1
  • 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
US - Metric

Instructions

  • No need to peel the apples! Dice them into small pieces, about 1/4-inch. Remove and discard cores. Transfer diced apples to slow cooker.
  • Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, stirring gently to coat apples.
  • Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 11–12 hours or on high for 5–7 hours. We’re looking for very soft apples.
  • Once cooking is done, turn off slow cooker and let mixture cool slightly. Transfer apple mixture to a high-powered blender in batches. With caution (see note 2), blend until smooth.
  • Stir in vanilla extract and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as desired—add more sugar to make it sweeter or more lemon juice for more acidity. For thicker apple butter, cook uncovered on low for an additional 1–2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Video

Notes

Note 1: For the right quantity, you’ll need approximately 5-1/2 pounds of apples before dicing. This should yield around 16 packed cups once cored and diced. The best apple butter I’ve made combines half Fuji and half Honeycrisp apples. Gala and Golden Delicious also work well. Avoid firm or tart apples like Granny Smith.
Note 2: When blending hot mixtures, make sure the lid is secure, and start at a slow speed to prevent splattering and potential burns. Don’t overfill the blender; blend in batches.
Storage: Pour apple butter into large, wide-mouth mason jars. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks. Enjoy the spread! I love it by the spoonful, on toasted English muffins or sourdough bread, spooned on oatmeal, etc.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 96g | Vitamin A: 184IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg