This easy Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe is the perfect way to turn a bounty of apples into a rich, flavorful spread. With just a few simple ingredients, you'll have homemade apple butter that’s great for canning or enjoying fresh.
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WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER RECIPE
Your house will smell amazing all day! (or night while you sleep) This Crockpot Apple Butter is not only quick to throw together, but it also frees you up to enjoy your day while it slowly simmers. Swirl it into breakfast rolls, cake fillings, or mix it with overnight oats. My mom made this when I was growing up, and every time I make it, I'm reminded of those warm, comforting memories. This recipe is a keeper!
INGREDIENTS FOR CROCKPOT APPLE BUTTER RECIPE
This homemade apple butter is incredibly simple to make, requiring minimal hands-on time as your crockpot does all the work. The natural sweetness of apples is perfectly enhanced with warm spices, making it an irresistible spread for toast, biscuits, or even baked goods.
- Apples: Soft, sweet apples like Fuji or Gala break down beautifully in the crockpot, becoming the smooth and silky base for your apple butter. The peels add natural pectin for a rich texture.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness that complements the natural sugars in the apples.
- Granulated Sugar: Balances the tanginess of the apples with a touch of extra sweetness.
- Ground Cinnamon: Infuses the apple butter with a warm, comforting spice that enhances the flavor of the apples.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and elevates the other flavors.
- Ground Cloves: A small amount of cloves provides a subtle, spicy undertone that adds depth to the apple butter.
- Vanilla Bean/Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a fragrant, creamy sweetness that rounds out the flavors and gives the apple butter a luxurious finish.

HOW TO MAKE THIS HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER RECIPE
- Core and slice the apples into ¼” pieces, leaving the peels on for extra flavor and texture.
- Add the apples to the crockpot.
- Sprinkle in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Toss everything together to coat the apples evenly.
- If using a vanilla bean, slice it open and scrape the seeds (caviar) into the pot, then add the pod. If using vanilla extract, simply pour it in.
- Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours on low heat (or high for 5 hours) until the apples are incredibly soft.
- Once done, use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or carefully transfer to a blender.
- Transfer to four 1 pint mason jars. Store your apple butter in glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or opt for canning if you'd like it to last longer.
- If canning, can in a hot water bath using the traditional method for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- Apples: I recommend using Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Fuji, or Gala. I also include Granny Smith because I enjoy the tartness they add to the recipe. Because they are more firm, opt for slow cooking 12 hours.
- Weighing: Weigh your apples before coring and chopping. Do not peel the apples! The number of apples will vary wildly depending on the size of your apples, since mother nature grows as she wishes.
- Pureeing: If you do not have an immersion blender, pour the apples into a blender and puree until smooth, then return to crockpot. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your blender.
- Sweetness: If you prefer a sweeter apple butter, feel free to add an extra ¼ to ½ cup of sugar to taste.
- Yields: This recipe yields 4 pints or 128 servings (1 tablespoon each serving)

OTHER CONDIMENTS YOU MAY ENJOY
Pesto Alla Genovese Ricetta (Easy Homemade Pesto Recipe)
Honey Mustard Dressing – one of my faves!
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- 5-quart crock pot slow cooker or Insta Pot
- Immersion blender or regular blender
- Four 1 Pint Mason Jars

HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT HOMEADE APPLE BUTTER
Historians do know that apple butter can be traced back to Germany and Belgium during the Middle Ages. The practice was likely brought to Appalachia by the Pennsylvania Dutch, who migrated to Western North Carolina after the American Revolutionary War.
In Mitchell County, apple butter has been a cherished tradition for over 300 years, brought to the region by settlers in the mid-1700s. While no longer a vital food source, the process of making apple butter has remained a significant cultural practice. Each fall, families gather to stir and simmer apples for hours, preserving both their harvest and heritage. The annual Apple Butter Festival in Bakersville celebrates this tradition, honoring the time-honored methods that connect apple butter making to its historical past.
CUSTOMARY DIET CATEGORIES FOR THIS APPLE BUTTER RECIPE
Bite Me Industries is a produce-centric blog celebrating seasonal ingredients, with a strong emphasis on baking and flavor-driven recipes for the home kitchen that transport you to your favorite café, bakery, or bistro for a special meal or indulgence. The diet categories listed below are provided for your convenience and are not intended as nutritional advice.
Here is a quick reference if you are trying to meet a dietary consideration.
- DF (Dairy Free): Yes, this recipe contains no dairy ingredients.
- EF (Egg Free): Yes, this recipe is free of eggs.
- GF (Gluten-free): Yes, this apple butter is naturally gluten-free.
- NF (Nut Free): Yes, this recipe contains no nuts.
- VE (Vegetarian): Yes, it is suitable for vegetarians as it contains no animal products.
- VG (Vegan): Yes, it is vegan as long as you avoid using any non-vegan sugars.
Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 5.5 lbs soft (2.5kg) sweet apples, cored and chopped
- 1 cup brown sugar (200g) firmly packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Core and slice the apples into ¼” pieces, leaving the peels on for extra flavor and texture. Add the apples to the crockpot.
- Sprinkle in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Toss everything together to coat the apples evenly.
- If using a vanilla bean, slice it open and scrape the seeds (caviar) into the pot, then add the pod. If using vanilla extract, simply pour it in.
- Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours on low heat (or high for 5 hours) until the apples are incredibly soft.
- Once done, use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or carefully transfer to a blender.
- Transfer to four 1 pint mason jars. Store your apple butter in glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or opt for canning if you'd like it to last longer.
- If canning, can in a hot water bath using the traditional method for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Apples: I recommend using Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Fuji, or Gala. I also include Granny Smith because I enjoy the tartness they add to the recipe. Because they are more firm, opt for slow cooking 12 hours.
- Weighing: Weigh your apples before coring and chopping. Do not peel the apples! The number of apples will vary wildly depending on the size of your apples, since mother nature grows as she wishes.
- Pureeing: If you do not have an immersion blender, pour the apples into a blender and puree until smooth, then return to crockpot. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your blender.
- Sweetness: If you prefer a sweeter apple butter, feel free to add an extra ¼ to ½ cup of sugar to taste.
- Yields: This recipe yields 4 pints or 128 servings (1 tablespoon each serving)

Nutrition

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