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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Snickerdoodle Cookies || Nancy On The Homefront
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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
Easy Applesauce Recipe For Canning or Eating Fresh || Hidden Springs Homestead
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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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Make Your Own Plant Pots and Baskets || Homestead Lady
Special Gifts That Take One Month to Create (but are well worth the wait)
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Elizabeth Brown says
Do you have to add sugar if water bath canning. I made some apple butter and it tasted delicious. But, I didn’t use any sugar. I made a lot. Haha. So I’d prefer to an it than take up freezer space.
Victoria says
Hi Elizabeth! Without the sugar, it’s just apple sauce basically, which is totally fine to can!
Here are the directions for canning applesauce or apples without sugar.
Dalia says
This year I’m trying to make apple butter once again.
Yours looks simply delicious!
Victoria says
Hi Dalia! I hope you do get to try it! I’m hoping to be able to make it again soon myself!
Kirstie Inholt says
How long does this last after opened and how long does it last canned?
Victoria says
Hi Kirstie! Opened in the fridge, I treat this like jam/jelly. If it doesn’t have mold in it and it still tastes right, we call it good. In all fairness, it doesn’t last that long because we eat it quickly! Canned properly it will last for 5-10 years (stored in a cool, dark place). Enjoy!
Sharon says
Can this be made with stevia?
Victoria says
Hi Sharon! The caramelization of the sugar is what makes it apple butter instead of applesauce, so you won’t get that with stevia, sadly. Perhaps honey? If you want to try that, it would be about 3/4 of the sugar called for as honey. So for this recipe it would be 3 cups of honey instead of the 4 cups of sugar. I hope that helps!
Rana says
I would love to try this recipe & can for Xmas. Question one recipe I read said you need to add vinegar to ensure no bacteria growth when canning. Is that something I need to do?
Victoria says
Hi Rana! Acid is only needed in certain recipes, this is thankfully not one of them! You can make and can it as written! :-) Enjoy!