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Got lots of apples from apple picking? Make this 4 Ingredient Crockpot Apple Butter recipe! All you need is your apples, slow cooker, and a few simple spices to enjoy a delicious Autumn flavor!
What is the Difference Between Apple Butter and Apple Sauce?
Both applesauce and apple butter are made with slow-cooking apples and flavored with the same spices. However, there are some subtle differences:
- Apple Sauce is thinner than apple butter. While both are slow cooking methods, apple sauce is done much quicker than apple butter. It's has a lighter cooler and is more liquidity and "saucy". It is not typically good for spreading on things like toast (although some people do) but makes a great vegan baking substitute for eggs.
- Apple Butter is thicker than apple sauce. Apple butter is essentially apple sauce in a highly concentrated form cooked a little longer. It's darker in color and thick like a thin version of peanut butter. It is perfect for spreading on toast; like butter. It has NO actual butter it. It's just called that because of it's rich, creamy texture.
What do You Eat Apple Butter With?
- I like it with breakfast on toast biscuits, pancakes, french toast and even on oatmeal like my Vegan Baked Oatmeal recipe
- Apple butter tastes fantastic on desserts vegan ice cream or muffins like my Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
- In the Fall, I use them to make oatmeal bars similar to my Strawberry Oatmeal Bars recipe. Instead of using strawberry jam I use this apple butter!
- For Thanksgiving, I will put it on top of my Pumpkin Pie Bars or Sweet Potato Pecan Pie! Talk about good!!!
How to Make Crockpot Apple Butter?
*Please read detailed and printable recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
Slow Cooking Your Apples
- First, add your washed and chopped local apples and spices to your crockpot. (Photo 1 & 2)
- Allow apples to cook in a slow cooker on low for 10 hours. Once done take your Immersion Blender and blend apples til buttery and smooth. (Photo 3 & 4)
Substitution, Cook, and Storage Tips
- You don't have to peel the apples. Some peel their apples but that is just too much work. Don't make it hard on yourself. The skin has the most nutrients in it and the way the apples are cooked you won't even notice it.
- How to thicken Crockpot Apple Butter? Simple. You just slow cook it a little longer than applesauce and the longer it cooks the thicker it gets. Also using an Immersion Blender is key to getting the smooth buttery smooth texture. You can scoop your apple butter out and add to a high-speed blender if you desire but using the Immersion Blender is so much easier.
- Crockpot Apple Butter will keep in the refrigerator for about month and can be frozen for up to a year. It's best if you store your apple butter in a sterilized jar as it will last longer that way. To learn how to sterilize your mason jars check out this informative resource To Sterilize Jars and Lids for Preserving. It's super simple to do.
Vegan With Curves Star Ingredient
Apples are the Vegan With Curves star ingredient of this recipe. One medium apple has 25 grams of "Curvy" Carbohydrates.
To make this more weight loss (waste/weight release friendly) you could:
- Use an alternative sugar like monkfruit or stevia instead of brown sugar to lower calories.
- Serve veggies instead of bread or bakery items.
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Other Fruit Jam Recipes to Try
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Crockpot Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 10 - 11 medium - large local apples, cored & chopped see notes
- ¼ cup organic brown sugar see notes
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Rinse all your local apples. Then slice apples with your apple slicer or knife leaving out the core. Chop apples into small pieces and place in a crockpot.
- Next add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over apple pieces and stir until well combined. Cook covered in a crockpot on low heat for 10 hours.
- Once 10 hours has elapsed, use your immersion blender to puree apples until buttery and smooth. I found my apple butter to be thick and smooth enough at this point but if it still needs to thicken, turn crockpot on low heat and cook for an additional 2 hours uncovered. Stir occasionally.
- Allow your apple butter to cool and serve with vegan oatmeal baked, chocolate chip pumpkin muffins, or your favorite vegan breakfast or dessert recipes. (Good on pancakes, toast, biscuits, etc).
- Crockpot Apple Butter will keep in the refrigerator for about month and can be frozen for up to a year. It's best if you store your apple butter in a sterilized jar as it will last longer that way. To learn how to sterilize your mason jars check out this informative resource To Sterilize Jars and Lids for Preserving. It's super simple to do.
Notes
- APPLES: You don't have to peel the apples. Some peel their apples but that is just too much work. Don't make it hard on yourself. The skin has the most nutrients in it and the way the apples are cooked you won't even notice it. Also try this recipe with pears!!!
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published on October 11, 2018, but was republished with step by step instructions, and tips on September 26, 2019.
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Tanya Harris
Apple butter is one of my favorite things. I would lick this jar clean. I love everything about it!
Jacque Hastert
I am drooling over this. I can't wait to make me some!