Slow Cooker Apple Butter combines Gala apples, brown sugar and warm spices to make a delicious fruit spread filled with warm seasonal spices.
This crockpot apple butter is an easy recipe that transforms fresh Gala apples into a caramelized butter.
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Crock Pot Apple Butter
I love apple season!
After a day of apple picking, this is one of the recipes that I love to make.
Sweet apples slow cook for hours with brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and ginger making a smooth fruity mixture that tastes like fall on a spoon.
Trust me when I tell you that this apple butter recipe is a seasonal favorite with my family.
And I especially love that this recipe is made with simple ingredients and my slow cooker does all the work as my kitchen fills with an amazing cinnamon-spiced aroma.
You don’t have to stand by a simmering pot on the stovetop when making your apple butter this year.
Just add apples, sugar and aromatic spices to your crockpot and hours later you have spreadable fruity butter that’s thick and creamy with rich apple flavor.
Life is delicious when tender Gala apples cook low and slow until they're fragrant, deeply golden and filled with warm spices.
I can guarantee that you will definitely want to add this homemade apple butter recipe to your go-to fall recipes.
May I make a suggestion? Make a big batch of this flavorful spread, fill mason jars and add pretty ribbons for a delicious foodie gift that everyone will love.
This apple spread is an easy way to add a delicious fall flavor to just about anything when slathered on warm biscuits, swirled into oatmeal, or spooned over pancakes and waffles.
Let your imagination run wild with all the possibilities of how to use this velvety smooth apple butter recipe!
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How to make Gala apple butter
This is a quick overview of how to make this easy apple butter recipe. Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Peel, core and slice the apples
- Step 2: Add the brown sugar and spices
- Step 3: Toss the sugar and spices with the apples until the apples are evenly coated. Slow cook on low or 6 hours. Stir in vanilla then cook an additional 2 hours or until the apples are soft and tender.
- Step 4: Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth
Hint: Don't add the vanilla at the beginning of the cooking time. Be sure to add it towards the end, as instructed in the recipe directions, for the best vanilla flavor.
Expert recipe tips
- When slicing the apples, cut them into similar-sized pieces so they cook down evenly.
- I recommend stirring occasionally during the last hour of cooking. This will prevent sticking as the mixture thickens.
- You can leave the lid slightly ajar for the last hour after adding the vanilla bean paste. This will help extra moisture escape and the butter will thicken faster.
- Let the apple butter cool completely before transferring to jars.
- As the apple butter cools it will continue to thicken.
- You can puree the apple butter in a food processor, in a blender or with an immersion blender.
- You can halve this recipe to make about 2 cups.
Substitutions
- Gala Apples – Your favorite sweet apple, such as Honeycrisp apples or Fuji apples, can be used instead of Gala apples. Both will give the butter a similar sweet flavor. You can use a combination of apples too.
- Brown Sugar – Coconut sugar or pure maple syrup can be substituted for brown sugar. You can also use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will add a more complex flavor. Maple syrup will make a looser spread so you may want to add less.
- Brown Sugar - You can also replace brown sugar with white sugar, however, the end result will be lighter in color and have less depth of flavor.
- Spices – Apple pie spice can be substituted for the ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves. I love using my homemade apple pie spice mix but storebought will work just as well.
- Ground Ginger – For a brighter, more pronounced and stronger flavor, fresh grated ginger can be used in place of ground ginger.
- Ground Cloves – You can substitute ground allspice for ground cloves.
- Vanilla Bean Paste – Vanilla bean paste will add a deeper flavor with flecks of real vanilla bean, but you can replace it with vanilla extract.
Variations
- Bourbon Apple Butter – For added depth of flavor, stir in a tablespoon of bourbon during the last hour of slow cooking.
- Chunky Apple Butter – If you prefer an apple butter with more texture, mash the apples with a potato masher instead of pureeing with a blender or immersion blender.
- Maple Apple Butter –You can replace half of the brown sugar with 100% pure maple syrup for a deeper, more caramelized flavor.
- Orange Apple Butter – For a bright citrus note. stir in one teaspoon of orange zest at the end of the cooking time.
- Pumpkin Apple Butter - Combine two seasonal flavors, apple and pumpkin, by replacing the spices with pumpkin pie spice.
Ways to use apple butter
- on pancakes
- stirred into oatmeal
- on waffles
- on English muffins
- on rolls, biscuits or toast
- with pork chops
- as an ice cream topping
- on French toast
- with Brie cheese or cheddar cheese
- as a dip for pretzels
- stir into yogurt
- as a dip for apple slices
- added to your morning smoothie
Storage
- Storage – Let the apple butter cool and then store it in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing – Apple butter will freeze beautifully. Freeze it in a freezer-safe container, leaving room for expansion. You can freeze the fruit spread for up to 3 months.
- Reheating – Reheating is not necessary because apple butter is delicious when served cold or at room temperature. If frozen, thaw the frozen apple butter overnight in the refrigerator.
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Ingredients
Ingredients for crockpot apple butter
- Gala apples - Gala apples are a naturally sweet fruit and simmer into a smooth, tender texture. Galas are the ideal apples for making a silky apple butter.
- Brown sugar - Brown sugar adds sweetness along with deep caramel and molasses notes.
- Ground cinnamon - Ground cinnamon lends a warm, classic fall spice flavor to the fruit spread.
- Ground ginger - Ground ginger balances the sweetness by adding warmth with a hint of spice.
- Ground cloves - A touch of ground cloves adds a rich and aromatic depth of flavor.
- Vanilla bean paste - Vanilla bean paste balances the spices with a warm, sweet flavor.
Apple Recipes
When it's apple season, you need apple recipes!
Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Gala apples peeled, cored and sliced, about 12 cups sliced apples
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
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Instructions
- Place the apple slices in your crockpot.
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and stir until the apples are evenly coated.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
- Then stir in the vanilla and continue to cook on low for 2 additional hours or on high for 1 additional hour.
- Using an immersion blender, process right in th crockpot until the mixture is smooth and a spreadable consistency.
- If using a blender, cool the apples slightly before pureeing in batches in the blender.
- Transfer the fruit butter to mason jars or an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
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