It’s only been summer for a few days but I am already looking forward to the fall. One of the things that reminds me most of the season is picking fresh apples from the apple orchard. Even though that is still a few months away, cooking this crock pot apple butter will have you thinking fall in no time.
What Is Apple Butter?
Apple butter is simply apples cooked down to a puree with a variety of spices added. It does not actually contain butter, however the finished product will have a texture and consistency similar to butter.
It spreads onto bread, biscuits and other foods the same as butter does. Try some on these homemade buttermilk biscuits.
Shelf Life And Storage Of Apple Butter
Once your apple butter is finished, you can store it in jars in the refrigerator for several weeks. You can also freeze apple butter in freezer bags or mason jars if you are not going to use it within that short time.
If you want to can apple butter for long term storage, make sure you are using a recipe that has been tested for long term preserving. It is definitely a very specific science that needs to be followed to prevent bacteria growth.
You can learn more about home canning from this article on the USDA’s website.
Ingredients And Equipment Needed
- Crock Pot Any size crock pot will work, except the very small. Once you peel, core, and slice the apples they will fit into a medium or large crock pot just fine.
- Immersion Blender If you like a smoother texture for your apple butter, I recommend using an immersion blender. Also, if you use whole cloves instead of ground, the blender will grind them.
- Mason Jars or Freezer Bags You will need mason jars for storing the finished product, freezer bags are only necessary if you are freezing any of the butter.
- Apples Use any apple variety that you enjoy eating. I have heard people say to only use the softer apples, but for the amount of time that these are in the crock pot they will soften just fine.
- Sugar I use a combination of granulated white and light brown sugar. You can use whichever combination you prefer. Dark brown sugar is also fine. It is all about your personal preference.
- Salt For this recipe I used regular table salt because you only need a small amount to bring the flavors together.
- Spices Cinnamon, All Spice, Cloves, whole or ground, Nutmeg, ground or grated, and Vanilla Extract. For the best flavor, make sure you are using quality ingredients. I am a huge fan of Burlap & Barrel spices, so that it what I keep on hand in my kitchen. They are single origin spices sourced from small farms all over the world, and they are very affordable.
Homemade Crock Pot Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground all spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add apple slices.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat the apple slices.
- Pour seasoned apples into a crock pot set on low.
- Heat 8-10 hours, stirring every few hours to prevent burning the bottom.
- Turn off crock pot and blend mixture with an immersion blender to desired consistency.
- Spoon into glass jars and refrigerate, or serve immediately.