Apple Butter
Super easy slow cooker recipe that doesn't require peeling your apples. Super rich taste with traditional apple pie spices.
Equipment
- apple corer
- Food processor
- 6-qt slow cooker
- immersion blender
Ingredients
- 5.5 lbs mixed tart & sweet apples a flavorful mix is Jonathan (tart), McIntosh (tart), Gala (sweet) & Honey Crisp (sweet)
- 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (or 2 packets True Lemon powder - see Notes)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp vanilla or vanilla paste
Instructions
- Using an apple corer, remove apple cores from about a fourth of your apples and place in a food processor. Pulse until you have tiny cuts less than ½-¼" chunks. Place in the slow cooker. Repeat with remaining apples.
- In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, and spices. Pour sugar mixture over the apple pieces in the slow cooker and stir until well combined.
- Place lid on slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 10 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once 10 hours has elapsed, use an immersion blender to puree apples until smooth and no chunks remain. (Or if you don't have an immersion blender, use a standard blender to puree in small batches.)
- Add the vanilla and lemon juice (or powder). Continue cooking UNCOVERED for another 2 hours or until the apple butter reaches the desired consistency. Stir occasionally during this process to keep the surface from creating a thick film.
- Store in airtight containers and process in a boiling water bath (5 mins for half-pints) or freeze. Once opened, apple butter will keep two weeks in the fridge.
Notes
At Walmart, Target or Dollar Tree, you can purchase True Lemon powder in the drink mix aisle. It's a great substitute for lemon juice if you don't want to add more moisture to your recipes. It doesn't have any sugar in it, so it is a great way to add authentic lemon flavor without any other additives. I also use it in soft drinks to add a bit of tartness to the sweet.