Pioneer Woman Crockpot Apple Butter: Easy Homemade Recipe

By Sarah Olson

Make your own delicious Slow Cooker Apple Butter at home for a fraction of the store-bought price. This recipe yields a generous batch, perfect for gifting and stocking your freezer. With just apples, brown sugar, and spices, you can create a wonderfully flavorful spread.

We absolutely love using this apple butter on morning toast or incorporating it into dishes like Apple Butter Pork Chops!.

slow cooker half full of cooked apple butter

Understanding Apple Butter: More Than Just Applesauce

I rarely consider purchasing apple butter from the grocery store because it’s often overpriced. With this incredibly easy slow cooker apple butter recipe, you’ll realize making it yourself is the way to go! It freezes beautifully and makes a thoughtful, homemade gift. Please note, this is not intended for canning, so refrigeration or freezing is necessary for storage. If you’re looking for a twist, you might also enjoy my slow cooker caramel apple butter.

Applesauce vs. Apple Butter: What’s the Real Difference?

While both are apple-based, they are distinct:

Slow Cooker Applesauce has a thinner consistency and a slightly chunky texture, not blended to the smooth finish of apple butter.
Apple butter boasts a deeper, richer color and a more intense flavor profile thanks to the addition of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Think of apple butter as a concentrated apple spread, similar to jam, fantastic on toast or used in various recipes.

Simple Ingredients for Crockpot Apple Butter

Ingredients for apple butter, apples, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and brown sugar.

Apples: The beauty of this recipe is that you can use almost any type of apple! For the best flavor and texture, I recommend using a mix or your favorite varieties. Gala or Fuji apples are excellent choices as they are naturally juicy and sweet, contributing to a smoother apple butter.
Brown Sugar: Adding brown sugar right at the beginning of the cooking process is key. It not only sweetens the apple butter but also deepens its color, giving it that rich, molasses-like hue as it slow cooks.
Spices: Spices are the soul of apple butter, transforming simple apples into a fragrant, autumnal treat. This recipe uses a classic blend of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, creating that quintessential warm spice flavor we all love.

Easy Steps to Homemade Apple Butter in a Crockpot

Step 1: Begin with 5 pounds of fresh apples. Remember, you can use a single variety or a combination to create a more complex flavor. Gala apples are my go-to for their consistent results.

Step 2: The prep work is straightforward: peel, core, and slice all five pounds of apples. Add them directly into your 6-quart or larger slow cooker.

Step 3: Now for the flavor! Add the packed brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to the apples in the slow cooker.

Step 4: Give everything a good stir to ensure all the apple slices are nicely coated with the brown sugar and spices. This will help distribute the flavor evenly as it cooks.

apples after cooking for apple butter

Step 5: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set it to cook. You have two options depending on your schedule: cook on HIGH for 5 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours. The longer cook time on low will result in a richer, more caramelized flavor.

Step 6: Once the cooking time is complete, it’s time to achieve that smooth, buttery texture. Carefully transfer the cooked apple mixture into a blender. Secure the lid tightly, and to be extra safe, place a folded kitchen towel over the top of the lid (this prevents splatters in case of leaks). Hold the lid firmly and pulse blend until you reach a completely smooth consistency. Alternatively, if you have an immersion blender, you can blend the apple butter directly in the slow cooker for even easier cleanup!

Troubleshooting: My Apple Butter is Too Thin!

It’s true that some apple varieties are juicier than others, and occasionally, you might find your apple butter is a bit thinner than desired. Don’t worry, it’s an easy fix!
After blending, simply leave the apple butter right in the slow cooker.
Turn the slow cooker setting to HIGH and remove the lid.
Cook uncovered for an additional 45-60 minutes, stirring frequently. This allows excess moisture to evaporate, thickening the apple butter to the perfect spreadable consistency.

apple butter in jars

Delicious Ways to Serve Your Homemade Apple Butter

Toast & Pastries: Spread generously on toast, croissants, or muffins for a comforting breakfast or snack.
Biscuits & Scones: A dollop of apple butter elevates warm biscuits or scones to a new level of deliciousness.
Ice Cream Topping: Warm apple butter drizzled over vanilla ice cream is an unexpected and delightful dessert.
Milkshakes & Smoothies: Stir a spoonful into milkshakes or smoothies for a touch of fall flavor.

Beyond Spreading: Recipes to Utilize Your Apple Butter

(Link to recipes will be added here – Examples: Apple Butter Oatmeal, Apple Butter Muffins, Apple Butter Glazed Chicken)

Storing Your Apple Butter: Best Practices

Remember, this recipe is not designed for canning. Safe canning requires specific procedures and recipes to prevent spoilage.
For short-term storage, simply transfer the cooled apple butter to airtight containers, either plastic or glass, and refrigerate for up to one week.
For longer storage, freezing is an excellent option. Fill freezer-safe containers or straight-sided mason jars (avoid jars with rounded shoulders as they are more prone to cracking in the freezer), leaving about an inch of headspace at the top to allow for expansion during freezing. Frozen apple butter will keep for up to a year.
When you’re ready to use frozen apple butter, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

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close-up overhead of slow cooker apple butter.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.95 from 34 votes

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes

Servings: 15

By: Sarah Olson

Enjoy this thick, richly spiced apple butter made effortlessly in your slow cooker. It’s intensely flavorful, perfect for spreading on toast or incorporating into your favorite recipes.

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Equipment

Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger (Recommended Crock-Pot model)
Blender or Immersion Blender

Ingredients

5 lbs. Apples (Use your favorite variety, Gala recommended)
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
2 dashes Salt

[Get Recipe Ingredients]

Instructions

Peel, core, and slice the apples.
Place apples in the slow cooker, then add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours.
Once cooked, transfer the apple mixture and any liquid to a blender. Secure lid and cover with a towel. Blend until very smooth. For immersion blender, blend directly in the slow cooker.

How-to Video

(Video link will be added here if available)

Sarah’s Recipe Notes

For a quicker spice option, you can substitute individual spices with 1 Tablespoon plus one teaspoon of apple pie spice.

Ways to Enjoy Apple Butter:

On toast or croissants
With biscuits
As an ice cream topping
In milkshakes

Thickening Apple Butter:

If your apple butter is too thin after blending, return it to the slow cooker.
Set to HIGH with the lid off and cook for 45-60 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.

Storage Tips:

This is not a canning recipe.
Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to a week.
Freeze for longer storage (up to a year) in freezer-safe containers, leaving headspace. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.

Nutrition Information

Nutritional information is an estimate and auto-generated. For dietary concerns, please perform your own calculations.