Homemade Crock Pot Apple Butter

 Homemade apple butter cooked to perfection all day in a crock pot. 

Is there anything better than a hot piece of buttered sourdough toast with homemade apple butter spread across the top?! Arguably, not. The only thing that could possibly make it better is the chill in the autumn air and a fireplace roaring. Everything fall comes together to make the most delightful moments.

Today, I'm sharing my recipe for homemade crock pot apple butter so that you can easily make your own at home to enjoy on these brisk fall days. You can not only add it to toast, but mix it into dessert recipes; top oatmeal; or add it to a charcuterie board. The possibilities are endless. And it's always a nice way to treat your loved ones, with a can of homemade apple butter and some pretty ribbon! 

• What You'll Need
• 5 pounds of cored; peeled; and sliced apples ( I used Goldrush apples from a local orchard)
• Keep in mind this was 5 pounds of apples after being cored and peeled.
• Other good varieties to use: Fuji; Golden Delicious; McIntosh; or Jonagold
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 TSP ground cinnamon
• 1/2 TSP ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  
  
  
  

• What You'll Do
• Start by peeling, coring, and slicing your apples. I highly recommend using this peeler and corer to keep the job of prepping apples simple at best. After being spiraled, I cut the apples down into smaller pieces so they would break down easier. 
• Add the apple slices to the crock pot, then spread 1 1/2 cups of sugar out across the top. No need to stir . Set the crock pot to low for the next 6 hours.
• Stir about 2 hours in. Check on it every now and then to make sure it's not sticking to the side.
• Once the 6 hours have passed, add the spices and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar.
• Continue to let the apples cook for another 3.5 hours, stirring intermittently to make sure it's not burning to the bottom of the crock pot.  
• When all of the apples have completely cooked down and you have achieved your desired taste, it's time to store your apple butter!  

• Canning
• From this recipe, I canned 9 jars of apple butter. 
• To can, you'll want to prepare simmering water in a large stock pot. Add glass jars and lids to the water for a few minutes. Set the bands to the side. 
• Fill the hot jars with the finished apple butter. Place the lid on and tighten the band to fingertip tight (so not tight!). Put the filled and closed jars back into the simmering water and leave for 10 minutes. 
• Remove and set on a towel. Let stand for 24 hours and check the seal before storing. The seal in the middle of the lid should not flex when pressed if sealed correctly! 
• If you don't can the apple butter, you can store it in an airtight container for about a month and a half!

• A few notes
• My crock pot cooks hot. Pay attention to yours so that you don't burn your apples or have it set too low that it doesn't cook. 
• You'll want to start this early in the morning. The overall cook time is approximately 9.5 hours.
• I am making one more batch of apple butter with my remaining apples, except this time I'm adding my Grandmom's special ingredient. If it works, I'll share what that ingredient is!