Crockpot Apple Butter will make your house smell like heaven. It is the perfect fall recipe and can be used in so many other recipes.

a small mason jar of an apple butter recipe that is being spooned up

I have been using Apple Butter in my recipes for years! It’s like this magical little ingredient that can flavor something apple so easily.

In this recipe we let apple butter cook away in our slow cooker all day making our house smell amazing. If you are headed out apple picking, this is a great recipe to use up those delicious apples.

What is Apple Butter?

Apple Butter is like a more concentrated, deeper flavored, version of apple sauce. It cooks longer so it is thicker, and you use more spices in it.

You can typically find it in the grocery store near the jellies, but this slow cooker apple butter is so easy, I urge you to make your own. Not only that, but this homemade apple butter tastes way better.

overhead view of a cutting board, cutting peeled apples with an apple corer

Type of Apple to Use

You can use whatever apple you would like in this recipe and it will work. That being said, I think using Granny Smith (for at least half the apples in the recipe) is a good call. The tartness of the apple balances out the sweetness from the sugar perfectly.

overhead view of chopped apples in a slow cooker

How to Make Apple Butter

I think apple butter in the crockpot is genius because you don’t have to babysit it. Here is a brief overview of how simple this recipe is:

Peel, core, and cut the apples.
Mix them with a little apple cider vinegar in the base of a slow cooker. (Do not use white vinegar.)
Cook on low for four hours.
Mix in the sugar and spices.
Cook on low for four more hours.

At this point if the apple butter is too thin, you can take the lid off and let it cook for an additional hour to thicken up. Slow cookers do vary, so you might need to do this.

Then you blend the apple butter, store, and enjoy.

a big spoonful of crockpot apple butter coming out of the slow cooker

Making Apple Butter on the Stovetop

If you can’t wait all day for your apple butter, you can make it on the stovetop.

Combine the apples and the vinegar in a large dutch oven and simmer on low for an hour.
Stir in the spices and the sugar, and simmer for 2 more hours.
Allow it to cool and thicken for 1 hour, then blend.

small mason jar with a label that says "apple butter"

Storing Apple Butter

Apple Butter can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days. As always, use your best discretion. If it smells funny (or looks funny) before then, toss it.

For longer term storing, put in a container with an inch room for expansion. Place in the freezer and use within three months.

If you would like to can your apple butter, you can refer to the instructions in this post.

Ways to Use Apple Butter

Apple Butter works great as an ingredient. In fact, I have a cookie recipe I’m publishing later this week that it is perfect for. Here are some others:

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5 from 1 vote

Crockpot Apple Butter

Serves: cups

(tap # to scale)

Prep: 15

Cook: 8

Total: 8 15

Crockpot Apple Butter will make your house smell like heaven. It is the perfect fall recipe and can be used in so many other recipes.

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Ingredients

3 pounds Granny Smith Apples peeled, cored, and diced into 2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar do not use white vinegar
1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

Stir the apples and vinegar together in the base of the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours.
Stir in the sugar and spices and cook on low for 4 additional hours. (Alternatively you can cook on high for a total of 4 hours, adding the sugar and spices half way through.) If the mixture is very thin after cooking, cook for an additional hour with the lid off.
Transfer the mixture to a blender to blend until smooth or use an immersion blender.

Nutrition Information