Author: This simple apple butter recipe is crafted to be the easiest apple butter recipe ever – no peeling required! It’s a wonderful treat during the fall (or anytime). And with the optional instructions for canning apple butter in a water bath, you’ll be able to enjoy it all year round!
Homemade apple butter is a favorite fall treat around here. Slow-cooked in a crockpot and served warm over a fresh slice of homemade einkorn bread, it’s amazing!
Canning apple butter will also allow you to enjoy a piece of fall all year long! (Water bath canning doesn’t require any special equipment, so it’s a great place to start if you’re new to the skill!)
I’ve been buying a lot of apples recently for things like apple pie, and this homemade applesauce, and more… and I always get the organic ones. I know that buying organic can get a little pricey, but for us, it’s more costly to our health to buy the “regular” apples.
Related: 10 Tricks for Clean Eating on a Budget
3 Secrets to the Best Apple Butter
I’ve been making and canning apple butter for over 20 years now, and there are a few secrets to making the best apple butter that I want to share. They are simple but crucial to creating a delicious blend that your family and friends will beg for!
- A Variety of Apples – Choose fresh, firm apples in various types. Combining varieties allows for a much deeper, richer flavor of finished apple butter. For this recipe, I used a mix of Fuji, Gala, and Jazz apples – About a pound and a half of each, 4-5lbs total.
- Slow and Low – Patience is key to creating the best apple butter. Cooking the apples in a crockpot for an extended period allows the flavors to intensify and the mixture to thicken. This slow-cooking process enhances the depth of flavor and gives the apple butter its rich, caramelized taste.
- Spice It Up – This is optional, but spice blends like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves create a warm and aromatic apple butter. Adjust the spices to your taste, but be mindful not to overpower the natural apple flavor. Gradually add spices and taste as you go to achieve the perfect balance.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this apple butter are so simple! But, let’s take a look at them now. Full measurements are included in the printable recipe at the end of this post.
- Apples – As mentioned above, having multiple varieties creates an amazing depth of flavor. However, you can use a single variety if desired. We use Gala, Fuji, and Jazz apples.
- Sugar – While granulated sugar tends to create the best caramel flavor, maple syrup or honey could be used instead (use 2/3 the amount if using liquid instead of the granulated sugar). I would not recommend a sugar substitute in this recipe, as they will not allow the caramelization process to be at its best.
- Spices – In many areas, spiced apple butter is the norm. When I was growing up, we enjoyed apple butter without the spices instead! Either will work, and they are both delicious!
Instructions
Here’s a quick overview video of the process of making apple butter in a crockpot!
- Prep – Wash, peel (optional), and core the apples.
- Slice – When you slice the apples to place them in the crockpot, slice them as thin as you possibly can. I do this by hand because I just love the “whoosh, whoosh, whoosh” of the blade as I quickly slice the apples. However, you could do it with a mandolin, or a food processor with a slicing blade.
- Combine – Add the sugar and any desired spices to the crockpot.
- Cook – Cook on low for 8-12 hours or “overnight”.
- Whisk – If you sliced the apples thinly, you can whisk the apple butter after cooking to get that smooth, creamy texture. If you don’t cut the apple thinly for you simply run it through the blender or food processor to achieve the smooth texture.
- Store – You can either pop the finished and cooled apple butter into a container and keep it in the fridge or you can water bath can it for later!
Canning Apple Butter Process
If you would like to can your apple butter to enjoy later, here are the easy instructions for canning apple butter!
- Prep – Wash and heat 5 pint canning jars
- Heat – Bring a large stock pot of water almost to a boil
- Fill – Fill each canning jar with apple butter, leaving a 1/4″ headspace.
- Remove – Use a plastic canning knife to run along the outer edge between the jar and the apple butter. Press in towards the apple butter to help remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe – Clean the top edge of the canning jar to ensure any residue is removed before adding the lids.
- Top – Add a new canning lid and ring to each jar and tighten to finger tightness.
- Can – Lower each jar into the almost boiling water and turn the heat up. Once the water comes to a boil, set a timer for 10 minutes.
- Remove – Once the time goes off, use a jar lifter to remove the jars and place them UPRIGHT on a folded dish towel on the counter.
- Cool – Allow the jars to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.
- Store – Remove the rings and check each lid to ensure a seal (try to lift it by the lid and if it remains in place, it’s good). Label and store in a cool dark place.
Be sure to label them once they have cooled completely – I usually wait until the next day. Then enjoy at your leisure! I’ve eaten this exact recipe up to 5 years after initial canning and it was just as delicious as day one!
How to Enjoy Homemade Apple Butter
I slathered some of this amazing apple butter on a thick slick of homemade sandwich bread this morning and it really hit the spot!
It’s also delicious on the drop biscuits, or these easy homemade biscuits that I shared with you recently! Either way, you can’t go wrong with this stuff!
Making the Most of this Apple Butter Recipe
I get a lot of questions about this recipe for making apple butter! So here are a few more tips to help you out!
- Adding Spices (or Not) – Though spices are common in apple butter, I prefer to use this custom blend of apples to create a deep rich apple flavor instead! However, you can absolutely use the spice measurements I give, or season to taste once the apples are cooked and blended.
- Cooking Apple Butter on the Stovetop – While the “magic” happens when you slow-cook apple butter for a long period of time, you can also cook it on the stove if needed. If you want to cook it in a pot instead, make sure it’s a heavy-bottom pot over low heat, and make sure you have a well-fitting lid! Stir often to prevent sticking.
- Too Many Apple Varieties? – While this is a blend that I have developed over the years, feel free to use any apples that you prefer! Note that having at least 3 different types of apples in your apple butter will create a deeper flavor profile. However, even one variety will still be delicious!
More Homemade Jams and Jellies to Try Next!
Want to make even more homemade preserves? We’ve got you covered with these additional recipes (water bath canning optional)!
Apple Butter Recipe (Canning Optional)
Equipment
- 1 crockpot
- 5 Pint Canning Jars
- 5 rings and lid sets
Ingredients
- 4-5 Pounds Apples in Various Varieties
- 4 Cups Sugar*
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger optional
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon optional
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves optional
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice optional
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg optional
- pinch salt optional
Instructions
- Wash, peel (optional), core apples.
- Slice them as thin as possible.
- Place apples, sugar, and any desired spices into a crockpot.
- Set the crockpot on low and cook for 8-12 hours (I do overnight).
- Using a whisk, thoroughly mix apples until they become smooth. Or use an immersion blender if the peels are not whisking down enough.
- Store apple butter in an airtight container in the fridge or process in a water bath canner as indicated below.
For Canning:
- Wash and heat 5 pint canning jars
- Bring a large stock pot of water almost to a boil
- Fill each canning jar with apple butter, leaving a 1/4" headspace.
- Use a plastic canning knife to run along the outer edge between the jar and the apple butter. Press in towards the apple butter to help remove any air bubbles.
- Clean the top edge of the canning jar to ensure any residue is removed before adding the lids.
- Add a new canning lid and ring to each jar and tighten to finger tightness.
- Lower each jar into the almost boiling water and turn the heat up. Once the water comes to a boil, set a timer for 10 minutes.
- Once the time goes off, use a jar lifter to remove the jars and place them UPRIGHT on a folded dish towel on the counter.
- Allow the jars to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.
- Remove the rings and check each lid to ensure a seal (try to lift it by the lid and if it remains in place, it's good). Label and store in a cool dark place.
Video
Notes
FAQs
Nutrition
PIN THIS FOR LATER
Just tried this recipe. I used 6 lbs of pealed and cored gala and Fuji apples. I only used 2 cups of sugar and it is VERY sweet. So glad I did not add 4 to start. I also sprinkled in more cinnamon and nutmeg after tasting it.
So great to hear!! We love using the full amount of sugar to get that deep caramel flavor. Then we just use about a tablespoon at a time, which is only 25 calories. But it’s such a great recipe to customize as well, so I’m glad it worked for you!! Whoo hoo!!
I followed this recipe but I used three cups of sugar instead of four and I had the crockpot on low for eight hours. This apple butter is a little on the runny side and has a burnt sugar taste. The sweet apple flavor is lost due to the overpowering burnt sugar taste. My children enjoyed it, but I think this recipe needs to be adjusted to be more similar to making jam with a shorter cook time, maybe some pectin added, and using a stick blender earlier on before the sugar burns.
Hmm, I’ve never had an issue with a burnt sugar taste. I’m sorry that happened to you! One of my other readers made it with two cups and it set up, so pectin shouldn’t be needed, even with the reduced sugar amount. That’s a head-scratcher, I’m sorry! We’ve been making this recipe for almost 20 years now, and it’s a favorite. Glad you’re kids liked it at least!
UPDATE: I just went back through all the comments on this post to see if anyone else had an issue with burnt sugar or runny texture. Nothing that I could find, just people saying it turned out perfectly! If I think of anything, I will respond again <3