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Every fall, I have to whip up a big batch of this Crockpot Apple Butter! It’s one of those recipes that makes your house smell like the warm scent of apples and cinnamon, and the end result is a silky, spiced spread that tastes like fall in a jar.
Unlike applesauce, which is light and chunky, apple butter is slow-cooked until it’s dark, caramelized, and intensely flavorful. And the best part? The slow cooker does almost all the work!
In this post…
As the apples cook down slowly in the slow cooker, they absorb the deep flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. The result is a sweet, spiced apple butter that’s perfect for spreading on toast, drizzling over pancakes, stirring into oatmeal or enjoying by the spoonful.
Why you’ll love this fall recipe!
I’m such a sucker for apple picking each year and inevitably, we end up with WAY TOO MANY apples haha! So, this easy apple butter recipe always comes in clutch when I need to use a bunch of them up before they go bad. Here’s why we love it:
- Hands-off slow cooker method: Just dump everything in and let it cook low and slow.
- Super flavorful: Sweet apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla combine for a warm, comforting spread.
- Perfect for fall: The smell of apples and spices simmering all day fills your home with cozy vibes.
- No added preservatives: Homemade apple butter with simple, natural ingredients.
- Freezer + canning friendly: Make a big batch to store or gift.
Ingredients needed
- Fresh apples: Use a mix for the best flavor. Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp add sweetness, while Granny Smith brings a little tart balance.
- Brown sugar: Adds richness and depth. Reduce by half if you prefer it less sweet. White sugar, honey, or maple syrup also work. My recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of sugar but you can use half of that if you want a less sweet apple butter.
- Cinnamon + nutmeg: Adds warm, cozy, fall flavor everyone loves.
- Vanilla extract: Many recipes don’t call for vanilla in apple butter but I really like it. This could also be left out as desired. You could also swap it for bourbon (YUM!).
- Salt: Helps balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
How to make Crockpot Apple Butter:
While this is a rather lengthy process (that will leave your house smelling AMAZING!), it’s actually very easy. Let’s go over the specifics:
- Start out by peeling and dicing your apples. You’ll want to weigh out 5 pounds of diced apples (it ends up being about 5 3/4 pounds of whole apples). I’ve found that diced apples work better than slices in this recipe.
- Add all of the ingredients, minus the vanilla, into your slow cooker and mix to combine. Cook on high for 1 hour and then turn the heat to LOW and cook for 10-12 hours. I typically stir it every few hours but this really isn’t necessary. So as desired, you could let it cook overnight once you’ve turned it down to low.
- Once it’s almost done cooking, stir in the vanilla and let it cook with the lid off, on low, for one additional hour. This cooks off some of the moisture and thickens up the apple butter a bit. At this point, the apple butter is ready to enjoy and will be about the consistency of chunky applesauce.
- I prefer to blend mine up with an immersion blender (although a regular blender will also work – just be careful with the hot liquid) to get it ultra creamy and more like traditional apple butter.
Expert tips
- Mix apple varieties – Combining sweet and tart apples gives the richest flavor.
- Adjust sweetness – Start with less sugar, then taste and adjust at the end.
- For thicker apple butter – Crack the lid during the last hour, or cook uncovered until it reduces further.
- Skip the peeling (optional) – If you’re blending with an immersion blender, you can leave skins on for extra fiber and color.
- Make less – Halve the recipe by using 2 ½ pounds of apples.
Frequently asked questions
A mix is best. Try Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp for sweetness + Granny Smith for a little tartness.
If the apple butter is still too thin after the full cooking time, remove the lid and let it cook on high until the excess moisture evaporates, stirring occasionally.
Apple butter has a rich, deep flavor that’s sweet, spiced, and slightly tangy. The cooking process caramelizes the apples and reduces the mixture, concentrating the flavors and giving it a smooth, spreadable texture. It’s similar to apple sauce but much more intense in flavor and more buttery in consistency.
Stored in the fridge in an airtight container, apple butter lasts about two weeks. For longer storage, freeze it for up to three months or even a little longer.
No! If blending, you can leave the peels on—just core the apples first. The texture will still be silky smooth.
Apple butter is cooked much longer, until thick, dark, and caramelized, with a richer, spiced flavor. Applesauce is lighter and less concentrated.
Serving Suggestions
Apple butter is incredibly versatile. Try it:
- On toast, biscuits, muffins, or pancakes
- Swirled into oatmeal or yogurt
- Spread on a grilled cheese or layered in a sandwich
- Paired with cheese on a fall snack board
- Baked into cakes, quick breads, or muffins
Storage Instructions
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2–3 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze in jars or containers for up to 6 months.
- Canning: Apple butter can be canned using proper water bath canning procedures (link out if you don’t want to include full directions).
More apple recipes you’ll love!
Crockpot Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 5 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and rough diced** see note for varieties
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the diced apples into a 6-quart or larger Crockpot. Mix in the remaining ingredients minus the vanilla: brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix so that the apples are evenly coated.5 pounds apples, 1 ½ cups brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Cover and set the slow cooker to HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to LOW and cook for 10 hours. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I like to give it a good stir every 1-2 hours.
- After the 10 hours, remove the lid and stir in the vanilla. Let it cook, uncovered, for 1 additional hour to cook off some of the moisture. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- You can serve the apple butter as is OR blend it so that it's creamy. The best way to do this is using an immersion blender but a regular blender will also work (just be very careful when transferring and blending the hot apple butter!). Serve and ENJOY!
Video
Notes
Storage Instructions
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- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2–3 weeks.
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- Freezer: Freeze in jars or containers for up to 6 months.
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- Canning: Apple butter can be canned using proper water bath canning procedures (link out if you don’t want to include full directions).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This time of year we have so many apples to pick off of our trees this was perfect I let it cook overnight in the slow cooker and processed it this morning and it’s amazing thank you