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Sharing my favorite homemade slow cooker maple apple butter recipe today, since you guys have been asking for it all month long.
As a lot of you have noticed, I’ve been using a ton of apple butter this September, see this honey, apple, cheddar, and bacon panini, this brussels sprout mushroom pizza, this honeycrisp apple old fashioned, and this pastry wrapped baked brie with maple roasted apples. To my surprise, many of you are actually unfamiliar with apple butter. If that happens to be you, apple butter is basically just apple sauce, but thicker and spiced with warm autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s sweet, smooth, and possibly one of the most delicious spreads to keep in the pantry and put on toast throughout the fall season.
I’ll usually buy apple butter from the store, but on my fall bucket list this year I had written down “make homemade apple butter”. I was so excited that I actually checked the item off my list within the second week of September! I mean, this is amazing because my fall bucket list is huge, and I’ll often make a bucket list and never check anything off!
Anyway, I guess my point is that I was very excited to finally make some homemade apple butter. I’m also extremely excited, not only in how delicious it turned out, but how easy was to make!
If you have been following along on the blog for a year or more, than you know, come fall, I love to break out my slow cooker. Something about slow cooking a recipe all day long, just screams out to me during the fall months.
This apple butter is the perfect recipe to make on a crisp Sunday morning. Then maybe go out for a mid-day hike or bike ride and when you come back in the house will smell all cozy and delicious. then just spend an hour or two curled up on the couch and taking in the smell of apples cooking with cider, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg…nothing short of amazing. Honestly, I would make this apple butter recipe simply for the smell it gives off. It’s like your favorite fall candles, but so much better.
Of course, unlike a candle, you get to eat this at the end of cooking, which is obviously much more ideal than just blowing something out, you know?
OKAY, so here’s how this recipe works. Chop up your apples (I love using Honeycrisp) and add them to your slow cooker along with, apple cider, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover and cook on low and slow all day long (or at least that’s how I prefer to do it). Then remove the sauce, puree in a blender and place back in the slow cooker for another hour or so. This will help thicken the sauce into more of a “butter”.
There’s almost zero work involved in the recipe and the end result is just so delicious. So far, I’ve used this apple butter in four recipes and it has taken them from good to incredible. AND I love that the only added sugar I used in the recipe is maple syrup, no brown sugar or coarse sugar needed. Meaning, this totally is totally acceptable to call healthy. Cool. Cool.
I have truly been using this apple butter almost daily. It is delicious in so many recipes (try it with pork chops!) or just spread it over a piece of toasted bread.
Plus, it’s the perfect way to use up all the fall apples you went and picked over the weekend…or that I hope you picked!
And you guys! Speaking of the weekend! I have so many fun details to share about the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook retreat. Would you like a full post on the retreat? I don’t have too many photos, but I have so much to say! Maybe I will share the details in my favorite’s post this Sunday!
Just to quickly recap though, the retreat went so amazingly well and was so much fun! Fortunately, the dinner on Saturday night went great. I worked with Crate and Barrel on the tables, and Kroger on the dinner. The tables turned out so cute that I might just need to recreate them and snap some better photos. I always LOVE the tablescapes I’m able to create with Crate and Barrel product. The actual meal thankfully turned out great. Thank you to Kroger for all my delicious produce…oh, and the ice cream social we did together was so delish.
Sunday morning was brunch with my friends at Land O’Lakes. It could not have been more delicious. All of their special butters take recipes to another level…their pumpkin spice butter is just too good.
I will go into more detail on Sunday, so stay tuned for that!
In the meantime, how about we all make some apple butter and then this apple cheddar Panini and this cocktail?!
Homemade Slow Cooker Maple Apple Butter
Servings: 6 cups
Calories Per Serving: 232 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Honeycrisp apples, cored and diced
- 1 1/4 cups apple cider
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon or 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cloves (about 1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 pinch sea salt or kosher salt
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- 1. In the bowl of your slow cooker, combine the apples, apple cider, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, stirring halfway through cooking.2. Remove the cinnamon stick and then transfer the apples to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the crockpot and cook, uncovered on high for 1-2 hours or until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust sweetness level to your liking by adding more maple. Cool and store in glass jars in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Instant Pot
- 1. In the bowl of your instant pot, combine the apples, apple cider, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Cover and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Release the steam.2. Remove the cinnamon stick and then transfer the apples to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the instant pot and cook, uncovered on sauté for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust sweetness level to your liking by adding more maple. Cool and store in glass jars in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Stove-Top
- 1. Combine the apples, apple cider, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and 1 cup water in a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely softened and the liquid has reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes, adding water if needed to keep the apples in liquid. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.2. Remove the cinnamon stick and then transfer the apples to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot and cook, uncovered over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust sweetness level to your liking by adding more maple. Cool and store in glass jars in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
Nutritional values are based on one cup
Yes, lets! No boring Tuesdays around here!
Lastly, if you make this Homemade Slow Cooker Maple Apple Butter, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
This post was originally published on September 26, 2017
For anyone hoping to make this without a slow cooker: I had great success! I simmered all the ingredients for 45 minutes on medium in my Dutch oven (covered), then transferred it to a blender and blended until it was very smooth. I put the puree back in the pot and simmered it for 1 hour, uncovered on medium-low, stirring frequently. It was a great consistency by the end (and especially after a few hours in the fridge) and is absolutely delicious! As a side note: I did try the immersion blender but wasn’t satisfied with how chunky it still was. A minute in the blender gave me the texture I was looking for. Another fantastic HBH recipe I’m sure I will make again!!
I am so glad this turned out amazing for you Allie! Thank you!
I have an Instant Pot, could I use that instead of slow cooker? And if yes, any thoughts on time???
I went apple picking and now i have a TON of apples. All different varieties. Do you think this recipe would still work out if I used a mixture of different types of apples?
Thanks!
What do I do if it doesn’t thicken like it looks in your pictures? Do I just keep cooking it to see if it will thicken?
Thank you.
Hey Shelly! Yes, just keep cooking until it is thickened to your desired consistency. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Do you peel the apples?
HI! I do not peel my apples, I like the texture the skin provides. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Would an immersion blender work for this? I don’t have a blender and don’t want another appliance!!
HI! it might take a bit of elbow grease and a little more time, but I am sure you could get it blended with an immersion blender. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Hi! Does this recipe freeze well?
I want to make some to offer as Christmas’s gifts, and since apple picking season is now, I’d like to use apple I’ve picked.
Thank you,
Sam
HI! This freezes great and is perfect for gifts! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
We came home with Ambrosia, Honey Crisp and MacIntosh Apples. I am going to use all 3 in the apple butter as I have 1/2 bushel of each. Last year I used honey crisp and it was amazing. We canned it and it was great! Tiegan your recipes are fantastic. We are a Half Baked Harvest Family!
Thank you so much Kim!
Hi Tieghan!
I just made this! My house smells amazing! Lol! I was wondering if this recipe can be canned? I seem to the canning bug right now! I did peel the apples (I don’t know how I missed the part of keeping the skin on!). Clearly I was a bit to excited about the recipe and didn’t read it thoroughly!
Thanks!
Tammy
Hey Tammy! I have not tried canning this, but I don’t see why it would not work. Please let me know how it goes! I am so glad you love this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Tieghen – I agree with Victoria S. that you have a beautiful eye for food photography – it is what first drew me to your site – thanks for sharing your talents! While I don’t love to cook, I’ve started cooking more and counting less on prepared foods.
As as a happy consequence have lowered my blood pressure …whole food is so much better than processed! So, thank you so much for sharing your inspiration and best wishes for your continued success …and happiness!
Awh thank you so much Karen! This is so sweet and I am so glad you have been loving my blog!
With the 1st day of September being tomorrow I have all the fall feels and your blog is the BEST for fall recipes! I have made many of your recipes and love them all. I use apple butter a ton in both savory and sweet applications and loved your other recipes in the top that mentioned ways to use it! My husband and I were in Boston/vermont last year and of course purchased maple syrup from Vermont which I have been dying to use! . We also had a pizza that made me think of you and a great use for apple butter!-apple butter base, smoked pork, red onion, gruyere, mozarella, and sage! I made this apple butter yesterday and it is truly amazing. I can’t wait to re-create that pizza and make your others recipes using it! Any other riffs on pizza with apple butter you can think of would be awesome because who doesn’t like a Friday pizza night!
I am so glad you’re so excited for Fall recipes because.. SAME! Thank you so much Taylor! I hope you love your pizza tomorrow!
i very like it and i always drink this almost every days. i like ur website always have good article for us.
Thank you so much!
Nice recipe. i’ll try make this.
Thanks for sharing with us
Thank you! I hope you love this!
Wow, i love you site.
many cool recipe i got from here,
Keep update a new recipe 🙂
Thank you!!
I really like apple..
Thanks for sharing this with us
Glad you like this! Thank you!