Slow Cooker Apple Butter

We're finally getting cooler temps and though I don't know how long they will last, I'm planning on squeezing every available moment out of it.

Fall to me is all about pumpkins, and changing leaves, cooler temps, cinnamon, stews, soups and apple butter.  Yum!

Honestly,  I could buy apple butter and sometimes I still do when I go to the farm to pick pumpkins, but it's SO easy to make at home and tastier too, in my opinion.

Now I know there are a gazillion and one recipes out there floating around for homemade apple butter, on the stove, in the oven, in the crockpot etc.  Some take two days, others take 10 days, but I don't have the patience to wait that long because once my house starts smelling like baked apples and cinnamon it takes everything out of me not to shove my face in that pot.

I've been making this apple butter for years and I don't really have a recipe for it, per say, it's just what I've come up with in my attempt to use both a slow cooker and not have to wait days to taste the result.



Slow cooker Apple Butter

Peeled and cored apples, cut into chunks (If you're going to can the butter or make it for gift giving and want a lot, then just use as many apples as needed to fill the crockpot)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (sometimes I just use all white sugar, so if you don't have brown, then it's fine to omit)
cinnamon
nutmeg
vanilla extract

Fill the crockpot with the apples, add the sugar and sprinkle on cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Add the vanilla extract, I add about a tablespoon depending on how much I'm making, again just eyeball it and add to taste.

Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 hours. When it's done cooking, take a potato masher and start mashing the apples. Some people like it chunky, others like it really smooth, if that's how you prefer then just give it a good blitz with an immersion blender. I find that for us, I just mash it with the masher, then mash it again, then again etc until I get it smooth but still has a few little pieces floating around.

Pour into mason jars, put the lid on and set it on the counter overnight. By the time you wake up in the morning, you'll have some delicious apple butter for breakfast :)



I don't need to can these because I didn't make too much, just enough for two small jars and they will be gone FAST.

If you're making a big batch, just remember to can the butter accordingly.

EDIT:  You can use tupperware to store it in as well, it will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week :)