This crockpot apple butter recipe is a wonderful treat during the fall! And with these instructions for how to can 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 bread, it's amazing!
Plus, if you water bath can it for later, you can 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, apple sauce, 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
Since it is apple season my local grocery store has quite a few different varieties of organic apples available. This is perfect because 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.
Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe for Canning
Wash, peel, and core the apples.
And if you're like me, stop and play with the baby for a bit. I mean, seriously, look at my sweet little helper!
Now that we're back from playing with the baby, pay close attention here, because this is THE KEY to making perfect apple butter!
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 and I quickly slice the apples. However, you could do it with a mandolin, or a food processor with a slicing blade.
Either way, get those apples as thin as you can and get ready for some magic! Because this is what happens when you take the time to slice them thin!
How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Butter Video
That's my favorite part of this process!! Watching it go from whole apple slices to apple butter in just a few turns of the whisk!
Specifics of the "magic" - After you let your apple butter process in the crockpot on low for 8-12 hours, just lift the lid and whisk briefly.
Note: If you don't cut the apple thinly for whatever reason, you can still just cook it in the crockpot for 8-12 hours, then run it through the blender or food processor to achieve the smooth texture.
Now that your apple butter is ready you can either pop it into a container and keep it in the fridge, or you can can it for later!
If you'd like to can it, prep 5 pint jars as shown in my Quick Start Guide to Water Bath Canning and follow the same directions to finish.
You'll process these for 10 minutes in a water bath canner (just any large pot, no special equipment needed).
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!
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 the easy homemade biscuits that I shared with you recently! Either way, you can't go wrong with this stuff!
Apple Butter FAQ
I get a lot of questions about this recipe for making apple butter in a crockpot for canning! So here are a few common questions and their answers to help you out!
Why Do You Not Use Spices?
Though spices are common in apple butter, I prefer to use this custom blend of apples to create a deep rich apple flavor instead!
Can I Add Spices to my Apple Butter?
Yes! You definitely can add spices to your taste preferences. That's not a problem at all! Do it after the cooking stage though, so the spices don't lose their edge.
Do I have to cook it in a crockpot?
Technically no. However, the magic happens when you slow cook it for a long period of time. If you NEED to cook it in a pot, 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.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter for Canning
Ingredients
- 4-5 Pounds Apples in Various Varieties
- 4 Cups Sugar*
- Crockpot
For Canning:
- 5 Pint Jars, with lid and ring sets
Instructions
- Wash, peel, core apples.
- Slice them as thin as possible.
- Place apples and sugar into crockpot.
- Place crockpot on low and cook for 8-12 hours (I do overnight).
- Using a whisk, thoroughly mix apples until they become smooth. Or use a blender if apples were not sliced thinly enough.
For Canning:
- Follow jar prepping directions given in the Water Bath Canning post here.
- Process in large pot for 10 minutes.
- Let cool for a few hours, lable, and put away!
Notes
Nutrition
PIN THIS FOR LATER
More Canning Posts You May Enjoy:
This apple butter makes an amazing gift for anytime, but especially during the fall and winter holidays!
If you're looking for more great gift ideas, a bunch of my friends and I created some fabulous ideas for you to choose from. Check them out below!
They are sorted by how much time you have, so you can find exactly what you need! Enjoy!
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How to Make & Give Homemade Hot Cocoa Mixes || Homespun Seasonal Living
How to Can Homemade Salsa || Not So Modern Housewife
Make Gift-Worthy Bread Mix In A Jar - Great for Your Own Pantry Shelf Too! || Oak Hill Homestead
Make Your Own Lotion Bars || Learning and Yearning
Easy Homemade Bath Salts Recipe || Better Hens and Gardens
Peppermint Foot Salve || The Self Sufficient Home Acre
SPF Lip Balm Recipe || Our Inspired Roots
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Gifts You Can Make in a Day or Less
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Crockpot Apple Butter with Canning Instructions || A Modern Homestead
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Feathers & Hugs - How to Create a Psalms 91 Throw || The Farm Wife
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Gifts You Can Make in a Week
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Special Gifts That Take One Month to Create (but are well worth the wait)
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Ellen Grimaldi says
I cooked up a batch of this apple butter deliciousness for canning yesterday, and OMG I may never have to try another recipe again!! I do have a question for you though, I unfortunately didnt have any canning jars yesterday, so once it all cooled i popped the whole crockpot dish in the fridge until today when I could get more canning jars and lids. My question is, does the apple butter need to be a certain temp for canning? In other words, can I can it as it is chilled now? Or should I turn crockpot back on to heat up the apple butter before I begin the canning process? Thank you so much for this awesome recipe and for your time!! Cheers!
Victoria says
Yay Ellen! I’m glad you love it! For canning, yes, you’ll want to heat the jars in the oven (place clean jars on a tray, put them in a cold oven, heat them to 250°), and heat the apple butter back up. You can do this in the crockpot or in a large pot on the stove. But both should be hot prior to canning to avoid breakage when you place the jars in the boiling water :-)
Enjoy!
Karen Birkelbach says
I’ve always wondered how apple butter was made and now I’m ready to give it a try. However, we’re trying to cut down on sugar and I’m wondering if this recipe works with less sugar to apple ratio?
Victoria says
Hi Karen! Great question. So, applesauce is basically apple butter but without sugar, which I have a recipe for here and it is safe to make and can that way. I’m not sure exactly how the apple butter taste will compare without as much sugar, but you could definitely try a small batch and see how you like it! For us, though it is a lot of sugar in the recipe, we don’t use that much as a time. Maybe a tablespoon, so it’s not too bad. Let me know if you try it!
Brenda Brumfield says
Question, do you not add any spices to your apple butter? I’m used to adding cinnamon and ground clove.
Victoria says
Hi Brenda! I don’t for this recipe (and it’s so good!), however, you can add any spices you’d like to taste and then continue with the canning instructions (if desired)!
Let me know if you give it a try!
Jessica says
Just trying your recipe now ? how long does the Apple butter last in fridge if I don’t can them properly? I also did 3 cups of sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar. I will see how it turns out.
Victoria says
Sounds delicious! Let me know how it goes! You can keep them in the fridge for about a month, OR until mold appears on the top ;-)
Jessica says
Thanks!
Recipe came out delicious! I also properly canned them. Boiled them for 10min. I checked online, this should last for a year :)
Victoria says
Whoo hoo! So glad you liked it! Yes, 10 minutes is the processing time I recommend and when properly canned (like you did) these will last basically forever. We are still opening and enjoying apple butter from 2010 without any issues!
As long as there isn’t mold on it, and the seal pops when you open it, then you are good to go since the rest of the process ensures that there is no botulism :-) Enjoy!
Debbie says
Can i use unripened apples to make apple butter
Victoria says
Probably, though I haven’t tried it personally. You might need to adjust the sugar content up to account for the lack of sweetness! Let me know if you try it!