Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Tender apples slowly cook with warm cinnamon, cloves, and brown sugar, then get blended and reduced into a thick, spreadable apple butter. Refrigerate or freeze it for an easy homemade topping—this recipe is not intended for canning.
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 480 min · Yield: 3 · Method: Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 4.5 pounds (2 kg) apples
- 0.5 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground cloves
- 0.25 teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt
- 0.5 cup (120 ml) apple cider or water
Cooking instructions
- Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Add them to a 6-quart (5.7-liter) slow cooker. (about 15 min)
- Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and apple cider or water until the apples are evenly coated. (about 5 min)
- Cover and cook on LOW until the apples are completely soft and collapse easily when pressed, 7 to 8 hours. Stir once or twice if convenient. The mixture should reach at least 190°F (88°C) and be steaming hot throughout. (about 480 min) — LOW
- Turn off the slow cooker. Blend the apple mixture with an immersion blender until smooth, or blend in batches in a regular blender, allowing steam to vent safely. (about 10 min)
- Return the puree to the slow cooker. Cook uncovered on LOW, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes, until very thick and spreadable, about 1 to 2 hours. It is ready when a spoonful holds its shape and does not release watery liquid around the edges. (about 120 min) — LOW
- Cool for 20 minutes, then transfer to clean containers. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months. Do not store at room temperature or process this recipe for canning. (about 20 min)