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+ servings
crock pot apple butter with spoon, apple and cinnamon.
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4.93 from 13 votes

Slow Cooker Maple Apple Butter

Our slow cooker maple apple butter is the perfect fall recipe made with crisp, fresh apples, cozy spices and sweetened with maple syrup. This sugar free apple butter is one of the best apple butter recipes for canning. You can spread homemade apple butter on toast, fresh biscuits, pancakes, or even make an apple butter sandwich!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 hours 5 minutes
Total Time8 hours 20 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 385kcal

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • blender or food mill

Ingredients

  • 7 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced about 6 - 6.5 pounds
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ cup maple or light brown sugar

Instructions

  • Place sliced apples into your slow cooker. Add maple syrup, apple cider, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and ground cloves. Mix gently to combine.
  • Cook apples on low, with the lid tightly secured for 8 hours.
  • After 8 hours, use your immersion blender to puree the apple butter. If you don't have an immersion blender, use your regular blender and puree until smooth. 
  • Return the apple butter to a medium sauce pan, sweeten with the maple sugar to taste and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes on low, stirring often.
  • Cool and store apple butter in the refrigerator or freezer or follow the directions below for canning your apple butter.

Notes

Apples - for this recipe, be sure to use a firm, tart apple like a Cortland or Honey Crisp.
Maple Syrup - Use 100% pure maple syrup for the apple butter
Maple Sugar - Maple sugar is made from evaporated maple syrup. You can find maple sugar at farm stands, on Amazon and I've also seen it at Whole Foods Market.
Storing Apple Butter:
Refrigerator - Store apple butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 
Freezing - Fill your storage containers about ¾ of the way full. Tightly seal the jars and move to the freezer. The apple butter will expand a bit as it freezes. Apple butter lasts in the freezer for up to a year.
Canning:
  1. Start by sterilizing your jars in boiling hot water. Carefully lower the jars, their lids and rims into boiling hot water for ten minutes and then allow the jars to cool and then dry them out.
  2. Ladle the warm apple butter into your canning jars, leaving a little bit (about ¼ inch) of room at the top of the jar. Wipe the jars off and then seal with the lid and rim.
  3. Finally, submerge the filled jars in boiling water and process for 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the jars from the boiling water using tongs and allow to cool completely. The lids should be sealed tight and should not make a popping sound when you push down on them. 

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 81g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg