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The secret to the best apple butter isn’t a special ingredient, it’s letting the apples cook low and slow until they become rich, dark, and unbelievably flavorful.
This apple butter recipe is the easiest way to make rich, smooth homemade apple butter with just 6 simple ingredients and almost no hands-on work. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, slowly transforming fresh apples, brown sugar, and warm fall spices into a thick, deeply caramelized spread.
Table of Contents
There is just something about homemade apple butter simmering away all day that makes a house feel like fall. The smell of cinnamon, sweet apples, and brown sugar fills every room, and by the end of the day you’re rewarded with the most flavorful slow cooker apple butter you’ve ever tasted.
I grew up eating homemade applesauce because my mom canned batch after batch every fall—even though she actually hated cooked apples! She did it because we loved it, and homemade applesauce quickly became one of my favorite fall traditions. But apple butter? That always felt like the next level. It’s sweeter, richer, and packed with concentrated apple flavor that somehow makes everything you spread it on taste even better.
Every fall I make a big batch because we go through it so quickly. We slather it on warm toast and biscuits, stir it into oatmeal and yogurt, bake it into quick breads, and even serve it with pork chops and chicken. Once you make Crockpot apple butter from scratch, you’ll find yourself looking for excuses to use it everywhere.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Butter Recipe
- Only 6 simple ingredients.
- Hands-off slow cooker recipe. The crockpot does almost all the work.
- Rich caramelized apple flavor. Cooking low and slow creates that deep amber color and classic apple butter taste.
- Perfect for gifting. Makes a big batch that freezes and cans beautifully.
- So many ways to use it. Spread it, bake with it, or serve it alongside savory meals.
What is Apple Butter?
Despite its name, apple butter doesn’t actually contain any butter. It’s made by slowly cooking apples with sugar and warm spices until they’re deeply caramelized, then blending everything into a smooth, spreadable consistency. Think of it as applesauce that’s been cooked much longer, creating a richer flavor, darker color, and thick texture that’s almost like apple jam.
Best Apples for Apple Butter
You can honestly use any combination of apples you want…
- Honeycrisp
- Pink Lady
- Golden Delicious
- Fuji
- Gala
- Jonagold
- McIntosh
- Cosmic Crisp
Tip: Mixing sweet and tart apples creates the richest flavor. I usually combine Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Golden Delicious for the perfect balance.
Apple Butter Ingredients
- Apples: Use about 6 pounds of apples. I love a mix of Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, and Pink Lady for the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds a richer molasses flavor, though light brown sugar also works.
- Granulated Sugar: Helps the apples caramelize and balances the tartness.
- Ground Cinnamon: The classic warm spice that makes apple butter taste like fall.
- Ground Cloves: Just enough to add warmth without overpowering the apples.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings all the flavors together.
- Vanilla Extract (optional): Adds an extra layer of flavor.
Variation: Swap the cinnamon and cloves for apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
How to Make Apple Butter in a Slow Cooker
Making homemade apple butter couldn’t be easier…
- Mix the sugars and spices.
- Toss everything with the apples in the slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 10 hours.
- Blend until smooth.
- Cook 1 more hour until thick.
- Cool and store.
Tip: If you don’t own an immersion blender, carefully transfer the hot apples to a regular blender and blend in batches.
Instant Pot Apple Butter
You can absolutely make apple butter in the Instant Pot, but the flavor won’t be quite as deep because it doesn’t have the same long caramelization as the slow cooker.
Pressure cook on High for 90 minutes with a natural pressure release. Blend until smooth, then switch to the Slow Cook setting with the lid vented and continue cooking until thick and caramel-colored.
Apple Butter FAQs
Not necessarily. I usually peel mine because it creates the smoothest texture, but if you’re short on time you can leave the peels on. An immersion blender will break most of them down, though the finished apple butter will have a little more texture.
You can reduce it slightly, but the apple butter won’t caramelize quite as much and won’t keep as long.
Continue cooking uncovered until enough moisture evaporates.
Apple butter is ready when it’s thick enough to mound on a spoon without running off quickly. It should be dark brown, glossy, and spreadable rather than watery. As it cools, it will continue to thicken.
Applesauce is cooked just until the apples soften, while apple butter cooks for many more hours. That extra cooking time evaporates moisture, concentrates the flavor, and creates its signature dark color and thick, spreadable texture.
No. The name comes from its smooth, spreadable consistency.
Absolutely! Let the apple butter cool completely, then store it in freezer-safe containers or vacuum-sealed bags for up to one year. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
How to Store Homemade Apple Butter
Store in an airtight container.
Refrigerator:
2-3 weeks
Freezer:
Up to 1 year in vacuum bags
Canning:
Follow approved USDA water bath canning guidelines.
How to Use Apple Butter
You can use apple butter is so many different ways! It’s a good thing this recipe makes an abundance because I add it to almost everything.
Spread on:
- Toast
- Biscuits
- English muffins
- Bagels
Dip for:
- Apples
- Crackers
- Cheese
Serve with:
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- French toast
- Oatmeal
- Yogurt
- Ice Cream
Cook with:
- Pork chops
- Chicken
- Grilled cheese
Bake into:
- Cakes
- Muffins
- Quick breads
- Cinnamon rolls
- Cookies
There’s just something magical about a jar of homemade apple butter waiting in the fridge all fall long. Whether you’re spreading it on warm biscuits, stirring it into oatmeal, or sharing jars with friends and neighbors, this easy apple butter recipe is one you’ll find yourself making year after year.
More Apple Recipes to Try:
Watch How Apple Butter is Made…
Apple Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Pounds Apples, about 16 apples, roughly peeled, cored and chopped in bite sized pieces
- 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, light brown sugar is also fine
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon, heaping
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1 Pinch Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla, can be added after pureeing if desired
Instructions
- Stir all the seasonings and white sugar together in a small bowl.1 Cup Sugar , 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves , 1 Pinch Salt
- Add all apples to a slow cooker and cover in the sugar/spice mixture and brown sugar. Stir well to coat all of the apples.6 Pounds Apples, 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- Cook in slow cooker on low for 10 hours, then puree with an immersion blender (see note for discount code). Then cook for another hour.1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Place in jars or sealed containers in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or freeze in vacuum bags for the year.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made this recipe before it is great. I was going to do another batch soon and wanted to know if you can water bath can this recipe as is?
Yes! Can it just like you would applesauce. I’m so glad you love this recipe!
Hi!
If I half the recipe would the cook time stay the same?
Thanks!
Hi Kay! It will probably reduce the time but I’m not sure by how much.
A FEW YEARS AGO I MADE APPLE BUTTER IN THE MICROWAVE. AS I REMEMBER IT DIDN’T HAVE ANY SUGAR ADDED. I’VE LOST THE RECIPE. DO YOU HAVE ONE LIKE THAT IN YOUR FILES??
Hey there! This recipe is the only one I have. It’s so easy in the slow cooker and you can reduce or omit the sugar if you want.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY. I’LL PROBABLY GIVE IT A TRY LEAVING OUT THE SUGAR-SINCE WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP SUGAR INTAKE AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
It should be great as long as you use the sweeter varieties of apples!
Can I use the hot water method with this recipe? Thank you
Hi Tammy! We are unfamiliar with that method, but we would love to hear more about it!
Great recipe so far, but quick question: should the slow cooker be on high or low for 10 hours? Thanks!
Hi there! Set the slow cooker to low. Great question! I’ll clarify that in the recipe! Thank you!