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
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.
Homemade Slow Cooker Apple Butter (no sugar added!)
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
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Slice and core apples (no need to peel). Place all apple slices into crockpot.
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Add water, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla extract. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, stirring every few hours if possible.
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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.
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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!
33 comments
Looks incredible!!! How long does it store for/how should you save it?
Also would like to know how to preserve & for how long. Maybe freezer?
You can freeze up to 3 months! Or it will last up to 1 week in the fridge 🙂
It will last for about 1 week in the fridge, or you can freeze it in ziploc bags for up to 3 months!
Can you process in hot bath to keep learning longer?
Always apple picking in the fall! I never knew the true beauty of apples until I went and then came home and made ALL the apple things. I’m going to keep this recipe in my back pocket for when we go later in the season 🙂
The BEST part of fall! I hope you get a chance to make this 🙂
So I’ve never tried apple butter, and I think I have to fix that. But, this homemade apple butter looks absolutely delicious! I think it would work on almost everything, including that slice of toast!
It’s amazing!!
The color is so interesting on these! I freaking love apple butter – really just to eat by the spoonful but I put it on toast so I can seem like a normal human being. I also put it in oatmeal!
In oatmeal sounds amazing! And yes – delish by the spoonful, too 🙂
How much does this recipe yield if placing apple butter in 250 ml mason jars?
Oh Kelli, I am SO with you- I eat it off the spoon too! And my grandmother passed on the secret of apple butter on oatmeal, god love ‘er. SSSSSOOOOOO good. This recipe sounds fab. I need to make it as soon as I am ready to stop believing it should still be summer.
I am like that with coconut butter also. I just stand in the kitchen, eating it off the spoon and growling at anyone who comes near the jar. They can get their own…
Apple butter on oatmeal sounds amazing!! Once summer is *officially* over you’ll have to give this one a try 🙂
Look at that! It looks absolutely amazing. I’ve been looking forward to this recipe. Can’t wait to try this out.
Enjoy!
I accidentally made this. Now I know the extra time made my applesauce apple butter. It is amazing!
What a delicious accident! 🙂
Made this yesterday, it is amazing!
I live in Belgium , so I never heard of apple butter, but I was curious to trie it .I also put in some leftover pears. Will make this again , thanks for the recipe
So glad you tried this one! Love the idea of adding pears.
I made this with macs and it seemed to be done after only 10 hours. I didn’t add any sugar and I LOVED IT! I’m a huge fan of this and I’ll probably make a double batch next time!
Perfect! Glad you loved it!
delicious apple butter made in a slow cooker
Woa! I’m very impressed! This is great
Glad you loved it!
Just woke up aJust woke up at 6am on morning and couldn’t fall asleep again. Now I’m standing in the kitchen making applebutter.
Hope you’re loving it! 🙂
Oh my goodness i just made this Apple butter crockpot recipe and its the best ive had in so many years. I love marmalade and apple butter and finding low sugar or no sugar recipes or even jars in stores is impossible but now i have my new favorite thank you so much. I give you 5 stars
Perfect! So glad you loved this one!
Just recently made this with a mixed variety of apples following an outing at an orchard. This apple butter is SO delicious and so simple to make! I started the crock pot and let it go overnight.
Yay!! I’m so happy you tried and loved it, Allie! So fun to use freshly picked apples, too 🙂
Can I use honey crisp apples?
Certainly! Enjoy!