Slow Cooker Apple Butter Easy And Delicious Wellplated Com

Other contenders for the #1 spot on the Official Apple Recipe Bucket List: Apple Bread, Vegan Apple Crisp, Apple Oatmeal Cookies…or any number of these healthy apple recipes. While the options are many, a batch of homemade apple butter always turns out to be one of my favorite apple recipes every year. It is one of the best uses for apples, especially if you have a large number you are looking to use up. This traditional apple butter recipe is made with fresh apples, spices, and a touch of pure maple syrup and vanilla exact. The slow cooker does all the work. By the time the batch is ready, your entire house will smell like a tantalizing autumn wonderland. While the spices, maple syrup, and vanilla give the crockpot apple butter an extra dimension of flavor, this recipe is all about letting the apples shine. The long, slow cooking process concentrates their natural sweetness and intensifies their inherent apple-ness. Apple-ness. It’s a word. Every year, I can’t help but think that apple butter tastes so pure and so…fall.

How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Have a big batch of fresh apples? Don’t wait to make this slow cooker apple butter recipe. It’s simple and the results are so magnificent, you’ll start making it every year too.

The Ingredients

Apples. Juicy, naturally sweet, and delicious paired with warm spices, vanilla, and maple syrup. Plus, apples are good for you! They’re packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Maple Syrup. While I’ve seen other slow cooker apple butter recipes that call for supplementing the apples with apple cider or brown sugar, this homemade apple butter recipe truly does not need it. I chose to add maple syrup because it’s one of my favorite flavor combos with apples, but if you prefer to make a slow cooker apple butter (no sugar), you can omit it.Vanilla. Apple butter tastes like a cozy, fall dream with a splash of vanilla.Spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice wrap the apples up in a dreamy, flavor-packed hug.

The Directions

How to Use Apple Butter

In addition to eating it by the spoonful directly out of the jar, here are a few other apple butter uses:

The best apple for apple butter is one that is crisp and sweet.Using an apple with natural sweetness will enhance the flavor of the apple butter without the need for added, refined sugars.My favorite apple varieties to use for apple butter are Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady. Use one variety or try a mix.

On Bread. Spread some on peanut butter toast for a truly delicious treat, or use apple butter for this scrumptious Apple Grilled Cheese with Turkey, Cheddar, and Apple Butter.With Yogurt. Mix some into your yogurt for a touch of sweet apple flavor.On Ice Cream. Serve this apple butter on ice cream with an extra pinch of cinnamon and a handful of crushed graham crackers. YUM!On Pancakes or Waffles. The perfect, cozy fall weekend breakfast (especially Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes).On Meat. Apple butter on pork is a fabulous flavor combination!In Biscuits. Make these truly delish Apple Butter Cheddar Dill Biscuits.

Storage Tips

If you go as crazy picking apples every fall as I do, know how to can apple butter, or want to make a few extra jars to freeze or share with friends, you can easily scale the recipe up to make a larger batch.

To Store. Homemade apple butter will last about 2 weeks when stored in the refrigerator. It will taste even better the next day once it has rested in the refrigerator, and the flavors have blended.To Freeze. You can freeze apple butter. Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Slow Cooker. An appliance you’ll love having for this recipe and so many others.Peeler. Makes light work of peeling apples.Glass Jars. Great for storing your apple butter (especially if you plan to make slow cooker apple butter for canning).