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    See More:   Breakfast Comfort Food Condiments & Spices Gluten-Free Raising Foodie Kids Recipes for Beginners Snacks

    Last Modified: Aug 8, 2022 by Tara Ziegmont 33 Comments

    Homemade Apple Butter on the Stove or in the CrockPot

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy recipe will show you how to make the best thick and rich homemade apple butter in the slow cooker or on the stove. Spiced only with cinnamon for the authentic flavor you love!

    A bowl of fruit sitting on top of a wooden table, with Apple and ButterPin

    I can't resist warm homemade bread when it's topped with melting butter and homemade apple butter.

    So now you know, Dear Reader. Want to hear my secrets? Tempt me with some warm homemade bread with butter and homemade apple butter. I'll tell you everything I know.

    Now that we've perfected the whole wheat bread recipe, we've been making it a couple of times a week. A loaf of bread used to sit around here for a month, but that was when we bought the cardboard-like diet bread.

    Homemade whole wheat bread doesn't last a whole week around here; all three of us love it, especially when it's topped with butter and apple butter.

    I know you're dying for my apple butter recipe, and it's quite complicated, {cough, cough} but I'll share it with you.

    Contrary to what the name implies, there is no actual butter in it. It's even sorta healthy.

    One more thing.

    You can make pear butter, cherry butter, peach butter, and just about any other kind of butter you can think of with this same recipe. Just substitute whatever fruit you want for the apples and adjust the seasonings to taste. It will be just as delicious as the original apple butter.

    You may notice in the recipe below that I use 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of Splenda. You will want to use somewhere around 2 cups of whatever, but it is totally up to you. Some people prefer all sugar, some prefer all artificial sweetener. Before bariatric surgery, I used a blend. After, I use all Splenda or stevia, whichever we have at the time.

    How to make the best homemade apple butter on the stove

    1. Wash, quarter, and core the apples.
    2. Toss all the apple quarters into a very large stockpot, 8 or 10 quarts and add ½ cup of apple juice. Cover and cook on medium-high for about a half an hour, until the apples are soft.
    3. At this point, you need to run the apple sauce through a food grinder, food mill, or food processor to get the chunks out. Now you have a nice, smooth applesauce, but you need to keep cooking to make apple butter.
    4. Return the applesauce to the stockpot. Add sugar and/or Splenda and cinnamon to taste.
    5. Reduce heat to low and cook another half hour, stirring often, until the sauce has become thicker and brown.
    6. If the apple butter gets too thick, you can thin it out with a splash of apple juice or water.

    How to make the best homemade apple butter in the CrockPot

    1. Wash, quarter, and core the apples.
    2. Toss all the apple quarters into a your largest slow cooker and add ½ cup of apple juice. Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours, until the apples are soft.
    3. At this point, you need to run the apple sauce through a food grinder, food mill, or food processor to get the chunks out. Now you have a nice, smooth applesauce, but you need to keep cooking to make apple butter.
    4. Return the applesauce to the slow cooker. Add sugar and/or Splenda and cinnamon to taste.
    5. Continue on high and cook another 3-6 hours, until the sauce has become thicker and brown.
    6. If the apple butter gets too thick, you can thin it out with a splash of apple juice or water.

    While you're here, take a look at these other apple recipes:

    • Stuffed Baked Apples (Gluten-Free)
    • Ham and Rice with Apples - Leftover Ham Recipe
    • Cracker Barrel Copycat Skillet Fried Apples
    • My Favorite Apple Crisp Recipe
    • Baked Apple Pecan Pancakes

    Homemade Apple Butter

    This easy recipe will show you how to make the best thick and rich homemade apple butter in the slow cooker or on the stove. Spiced only with cinnamon for the authentic flavor you love!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine American

    Ingredients
      

    • 10 large apples I prefer to use a variety of apples if I can and I like them to be sweeter cooking apples. I buy my apples at a local farm, and I suggest you do the same. If you're in a pinch, you could make apple butter with supermarket apples or even jarred applesauce, but you will lose some quality in the finished product.
    • apple juice
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 cup Splenda or Stevia (depending on what kind you use you might need a different amount. You need it to equal 1 cup of sugar. If you prefer not to use artificial sweeteners, use a second cup of sugar.)
    • ½-1 tablespoons ground cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Wash the apples.
    • Quarter and core the apples, but don't peel them. Toss them, peels and all, into the biggest pot you have. I use an 8 or 10 quart stockpot.
    • Pour an inch or two of water or apple juice in the pot, and cook the apples. I have stainless steel pots, so I cook them for a half hour or so on high. Depending on your cookware, you may have to cook the apples at a lower temperature. It will take a bit longer, but is otherwise not a big deal.
    • Take the cooked apples out of the pan and run them through a vegetable grinder/strainer, food mill, or blender. It will turn into applesauce. (So you could stop here if that's what you wanted.)
    • Put the applesauce back into the pot. Add the sugar, Splenda, and cinnamon to taste.
    • Cook the applesauce on low, stirring often (though not continuously). It will take another half hour or longer until it is a rich brown and a nice, thick consistency. Be careful that it doesn't burn; that will ruin the whole batch.
    • If your apple butter gets too thick, you can either put it in the blender or thin it with a wee bit of water or apple juice.
    • If you can it in sterile jars, the apple butter will last almost forever. In the freezer, you can keep apple butter for six months to a year. In the refrigerator, it will stay good for about a month (If you don't eat it sooner).

    Notes

    If you prefer, you can also make apple butter in the CrockPot. (I prefer to use the stove top because it's quicker.) When you make it in the CrockPot, it takes pretty much a whole day of cooking, sometimes longer, but otherwise the steps are the same.
    1. Cook it on high until the apples are soft, about 3 hours.
    2. Run it through the strainer to make applesauce.
    3. Return the apples to the slow cooker and cook on low until the applesauce has turned a nice brown color, about 3-6 hours more.
    4. Season with cinnamon and sugar to taste.
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Follow @FeelsLikeHome or tag #FeelsLikeHomeBlog!
    A jar of apple butter sitting on top of a wooden tablePin

    An apple sitting on top of a wooden table with butter and cinnamonPin

    A bowl of fruit, with Apple butterPin

    Red apples, cinnamon sticks, and green applesPin

    Apples on a tree and a jar of apple butter on a wooden tablePin

    Apples on a tree and a jar of apple butter spread on breadPin

    A collage of red apples, cinnamon sticks, and green applesPin

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Anonymous says

      June 02, 2009 at 9:02 am

      This is such a DUH moment for me- why didn't I think to freeze apple butter?! Thanks for the idea and your recipe!

      mub's last blog post..Potato, Green Bean, and Tuna Salad

      Reply
    2. mub says

      June 02, 2009 at 4:02 am

      This is such a DUH moment for me- why didn't I think to freeze apple butter?! Thanks for the idea and your recipe!

      mub's last blog post..Potato, Green Bean, and Tuna Salad

      Reply
    3. Mum-me says

      June 02, 2009 at 5:16 am

      Sounds wonderful ... now I just have to find an apple orchard.

      Mum-me's last blog post..Two Beautiful Bays

      Reply
    4. Dusty says

      June 02, 2009 at 6:31 am

      Mmm...I might have to give this a try. My last attempt at homemade apple butter did not turn out so well!

      Dusty's last blog post..Homemade Bread

      Reply
    5. Sherry says

      June 02, 2009 at 7:13 am

      Oh, yum! I love apple butter. 😀 Definitely need to try this one. Thanks for sharing!

      Have a great Tuesday!
      Sherry

      Sherry's last blog post..Fun with Jeffrey and God's Provision

      Reply
    6. zoe says

      June 02, 2009 at 7:34 am

      I made apple butter in my crockpot once. It went well.

      zoe's last blog post..Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day

      Reply
    7. Tara says

      June 02, 2009 at 1:31 pm

      Making it in the crockpot is certainly easier. You don't have to stir, and it's much less likely to burn. I just don't have the patience to wait for it that way. 🙂

      Reply
    8. Tara says

      June 02, 2009 at 8:31 am

      Making it in the crockpot is certainly easier. You don't have to stir, and it's much less likely to burn. I just don't have the patience to wait for it that way. 🙂

      Reply
    9. Mum-me says

      June 02, 2009 at 10:16 am

      Sounds wonderful ... now I just have to find an apple orchard.

      Mum-me's last blog post..Two Beautiful Bays

      Reply
    10. Dusty says

      June 02, 2009 at 11:31 am

      Mmm...I might have to give this a try. My last attempt at homemade apple butter did not turn out so well!

      Dusty's last blog post..Homemade Bread

      Reply
    11. SweetsLady says

      June 02, 2009 at 12:13 pm

      Oh, yum! I love apple butter. 😀 Definitely need to try this one. Thanks for sharing!

      Have a great Tuesday!
      Sherry

      Sherry's last blog post..Fun with Jeffrey and God's Provision

      Reply
    12. Jerri says

      June 02, 2009 at 4:15 pm

      I love apple butter, too. My granny used to make it ...

      I've never tried to do it myself though ...If I did, I would do it in the crockpot because I'm sure I'd burn it on the stove!

      Jerri's last blog post..What's On Your Mind '09 - Why Worry?

      Reply
    13. Jerri says

      June 02, 2009 at 11:15 am

      I love apple butter, too. My granny used to make it ...

      I've never tried to do it myself though ...If I did, I would do it in the crockpot because I'm sure I'd burn it on the stove!

      Jerri's last blog post..What's On Your Mind '09 - Why Worry?

      Reply
    14. zoe says

      June 02, 2009 at 12:34 pm

      I made apple butter in my crockpot once. It went well.

      zoe's last blog post..Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day

      Reply
    15. Brenda says

      June 02, 2009 at 11:48 am

      I love apple butter and have several jars in the cupboard that a friend gave me. Does it have the same consistency when you make it with splenda?

      Brenda's last blog post..Empanadas/TMTT

      Reply
    16. Heather says

      June 02, 2009 at 5:58 pm

      I once bought a bushel of apples at the farmer's market with the intention of making apple butter for my co-worker's Christmas presents. I spent my fall break cutting up, cooking and canning 20-some jars of apple butter. It turned out really well except for the fact that I forgot to add sugar!

      Heather's last blog post..Waiting

      Reply
    17. Heather says

      June 02, 2009 at 12:58 pm

      I once bought a bushel of apples at the farmer's market with the intention of making apple butter for my co-worker's Christmas presents. I spent my fall break cutting up, cooking and canning 20-some jars of apple butter. It turned out really well except for the fact that I forgot to add sugar!

      Heather's last blog post..Waiting

      Reply
    18. Brenda says

      June 02, 2009 at 4:48 pm

      I love apple butter and have several jars in the cupboard that a friend gave me. Does it have the same consistency when you make it with splenda?

      Brenda's last blog post..Empanadas/TMTT

      Reply
    19. [email protected] says

      June 02, 2009 at 10:18 pm

      Apple butter is one of my favorites too! I made some for the first time last Fall.
      ~Liz

      [email protected]'s last blog post..Summer Fun

      Reply
    20. [email protected] says

      June 03, 2009 at 3:18 am

      Apple butter is one of my favorites too! I made some for the first time last Fall.
      ~Liz

      [email protected]'s last blog post..Summer Fun

      Reply
    21. Len of Fagor Pressure Cooker says

      March 12, 2010 at 5:11 am

      Homemade bread and homemade apple butter...what could be better...thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    22. big cooking pots says

      November 09, 2010 at 12:08 pm

      Yep! I was agreed, I'll keep in touch to your blog. This blog is so usefully, Thanks for the posted 😉

      Reply
    23. Selma says

      January 13, 2011 at 7:09 pm

      Thanks for the receipes & tips! Do you share your bread receipe? My e-mail add is:
      [email protected]

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Heather S. says

        November 20, 2021 at 9:28 am

        5 stars
        I’m new to canning and wondered if you can use just the one cup of sugar or substitute and have it can ok?

        Reply
    24. Homemade canning says

      January 29, 2011 at 1:02 pm

      No doubt you, or members in your family had their own favourite homemade barbecue sauces that they grew up with, well now is your chance to get involved and enjoy learning something new, how to make your own, personal favourite, homemade barbecue sauce.

      Reply
    25. Stephanie says

      October 09, 2012 at 6:48 pm

      I make apple butter for Christmas presents, but I also make Apple Stack Cake. 9-layers of apple-y goodness, and I cook dried apples and make it into an apple butter type consistency just for cake.

      Reply
    26. gail says

      November 10, 2015 at 10:06 am

      could not find a quantity that your apple butter recipe makes. how many pint? thanks

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        November 12, 2015 at 10:57 pm

        I'm not sure to tell you the truth. I've never canned it. I would estimate that it makes about 3 quarts maybe? That's just a guess though.

        Reply
    27. Beau says

      November 14, 2016 at 6:34 pm

      I have a pressure cooker which has a canning option. I've not canned until this past weekend when I made Macintosh apple sauce (my favorite apples). Perfect!! I over bought apples so after 36 jars of apple sauce and 50 apples left, I'm going to try this recipe and can these too. Wish me luck...next summer, tomatoes!

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        November 16, 2016 at 7:13 pm

        You're going to love it!

        Reply

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