slow-cooker apple butter

an easy way to make a large batch of this smooth, spiced apple spread.

apple butter is a spread made from apples, sugar, and spices. whatever you make of it from that base is up to you, but it is almost guaranteed to be delicious paired with your next batch of biscuits. here’s a recipe and a cooking method I like to use when I have other things to do besides worry about a pot of apples.

ingredients

• 10 gala apples (peeling is optional*)

• ¾ cup light brown sugar

• 1 inch knob of ginger peeled and diced (optional)

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• ¼ cup water (optional/if needed to keep the apples from burning)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

equipment/tools you'll need

• knife and cutting board

• slow-cooker

• rubber spatula or wooden spoon

• immersion blender

• airtight container(s) for storage

instructions

1. wash and then remove the cores and seeds from all of the apples. chop the apples into quarters and add to crock pot along with all of the other ingredients except vanilla extract.

   

2. set crock pot to high and add apples, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, cinnamon, and water. cover and cook for 6-7 hours. if you need to leave the apples on while you work or run errands, you can put the slow cooker on low and cook for 9-10 hours.

3. 1-2 tablespoons of water can be added at any time if the apples appear to be dry or if you smell burning (this is mostly if you're using a pot or cooking on a higher heat setting).

4. once the apples are very soft, use an immersion blender apples to a smooth consistency. leave lumps only if you prefer a chunkier finished texture for your apple butter. if using a blender, work in batches to give the warm apple butter enough space while blending and avoid explosions.

5. stir in vanilla extract and continue cooking for 2 hours (on low) or for 1 hour (on high).

6. serve warm or cool. apple butter is delicious warm paired with anything, if you ask me, but is typically paired with biscuits, toast, loaf cakes, muffins, and pastries I general.

7. let cool and store in airtight containers (I use mason jars and leftover Thai takeout containers) for up a month in the refrigerator.

notes

*peeling the apples is optional since the skins will cook down enough to be blended in.

**you can substitute apples for pears for pear butter and peaches for peach butter (won't need any additional water)

tips for making great apple butter

• use a softer apple variety for quicker cook time: any variety of apple will work for apple butter (I prefer gala apples so that's usually what I have and use), but these varieties are softer and will cook down quicker.

  • braeburn

  • cortland

  • fuji

  • gravenstein

  • grimes golden

  • idared

  • jonamac

  • liberty

  • mcIntosh

• water is optional. apples generally have enough moisture to break down without burning so I add it just for some peace of mind when cooking on the high heat setting. if you're using a regular pot instead of a slow-cooker, I'd recommend keeping a closer eye on it as it cooks and adding a little water because the chances of the apple butter burning are higher.

• invest in an immersion blender. they are so convenient for making smooth sauces and so many other soups and purees. while you can blend the apple butter in batches in a regular blender, the immersion blender will remove a bunch of the hassle.

how to store apple butter

• store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

• I love to use mason jars and the clear leftover Thai takeout containers.

ways to adjust your apple butter

• play around with the spices. I usually like to keep it simple with just cinnamon and nutmeg, but cardamom and ground cloves can add some complexity to your apple butter.

• add bourbon, whiskey or rum. add a 1/4 cup of your favorite brown liquor to your apple butter for a slightly spiked flavor.

• add ginger. I love to add fresh ginger (at least a 1 inch knob) to the apples for another layer of flavor.

• use pure cane or coconut palm sugar. for a less processed sweetener and apple butter, cane and/or coconut sugar can be used instead of brown sugar.

• add a touch of fresh citrus at the end. adding lemon, grapefruit, or orange juice after the apple butter is finished cooking gives your apple butter some life and freshness after being cooked down for hours.

questions?

if you’d like to know more about apple butter in general, this recipe, or any other variations you’d like to try, feel free to leave a comment below.