Homemade Slow Cooker Apple Butter (no sugar added!)

Growing up in Minnesota meant that every fall you’d head to the apple orchard.

The orchards weren’t just a place for picking apples; there was also pies (!!!), donuts, hayrides, apple cider, hot chocolate and those caramel apple suckers. If you were lucky enough, you’d also get to pick out a pumpkin or two, then go home and carve it on the table with the family.

Each time we’d get home from the orchard, our bags would be full of pounds and pounds of apples. I don’t know about you, but one can only snack on so many apples. After that, it’s time to BAKE.

As some of you may know, I’ve been working with SweeTango apples for a few years now. First making this apple crisp, these apple cookies and these amazing apple muffins. Today, I’m sharing a recipe that will help you get rid of all your extra apples laying around: slow cooker apple butter.

If you don’t know about SweeTango apples, then let me fill you in quick. They taste like a cross between a Honeycrisp & a Zestar! apple and were originally created in Minnesota, but don’t worry, they are available during apple season in both the USA & Canada.

Now that you know exactly what a SweeTango apple is, you need a recipe to use them with, so let’s talk about this beautiful, cozy slow cooker apple butter (made with no added sugar!).

I swear making apple butter is the easiest thing to do: just throw the apples in your slow cooker, add spices and let it simmer on low all day long while your home fills with the rich aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon. Literally forget about the candles from Bath & Body Works and just make this instead. Afterall, who doesn’t want a home that smells like sweet apple pie?

I love using apple butter in place of applesauce in recipes because it adds such nice texture and additional flavor.

Here are a few recipes you can make with this apple butter:

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Applesauce Banana Bread

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins with Walnut Oat Streusel

Chai-Spiced Healthy Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

I hope you love this recipe, if you want it a little sweeter just add 1/4 cup of sweetener of choice to the slow cooker!

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to rate it and leave a comment below! Enjoy. xo.

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Homemade Slow Cooker Apple Butter (no sugar added!)

4.86 from 7 votes

byby :Monique of AmbitiousKitchen.com

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 hours hours

Total Time 10 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

ServesServes 8 cups

Slow cooker apple butter with no added sugar -- just sweet juicy apples and spices! Great for using extra apples up and amazing when used in baked goods or just spread on toast.

Ingredients

• 10 SweeTango apples
• ¼ cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Slice and core apples (no need to peel). Place all apple slices into crockpot.
• Add water, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla extract. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, stirring every few hours if possible.
• Once done, use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend. This is your applesauce if you want to leave it at that. If not, you can continue to make apple butter: Keep in slow cooker for another hour or two with the lid slightly off to release steam. 
• Continue to cook on low to reduce the apple butter by about half, or until darker in color. You can also transfer to a large pot and reduce apple butter on the stovetop instead. Enjoy! 

Recipe Notes

If you want the apple butter sweeter, try adding 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, coconut sugar or pure maple syrup to the apples while cooking.

This recipe is in partnership with SweeTango apples. Thanks for supporting AK and the brands that help make this site possible. xo!