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Pioneer Woman Crock Pot Apple Butter

Pioneer Woman Crock Pot Apple Butter - recipe card
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This slow-cooked apple butter is deeply spiced, silky-smooth, and intensely sweet with a natural caramelized apple flavor. Made with tender apples, warm cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla, it’s a homemade staple perfect for spreading on toast, biscuits, or swirling into yogurt.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 lb (about 8 medium) apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (use a mix of sweet and tart, like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Place the peeled, cored, and chopped apple chunks into the bowl of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Mix in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt, stirring until the apples are evenly coated. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to draw out some of the apples’ natural juices.
  2. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. The lemon juice brightens the flavor and helps preserve the color during the long cooking process. Spread the apples into an even layer.
  3. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW heat for 10 hours, or on HIGH for 5 hours. The apples should become very tender and completely mashable with a fork; the mixture will look slightly translucent and caramelized at the edges.
  4. Once the apples are fork-tender, uncover the slow cooker. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture directly in the pot until completely smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the mixture in batches to a regular blender, venting the lid, and blend until smooth, then return to the slow cooker. Be cautious with hot liquid — never fill the blender more than halfway.
  5. After pureeing, leave the slow cooker uncovered and continue cooking on LOW for an additional 2–3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. This second cooking phase allows excess moisture to evaporate, concentrating the flavors and thickening the butter to a spreadable consistency. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture coats the back of a spoon and no watery liquid pools in the center.
  6. To test the consistency, place a small spoonful on a chilled plate and let it rest for 1 minute. Tilt the plate — if the apple butter stays in place and doesn’t run, it’s done. If it’s too thin, continue cooking, uncovered, for another 30 minutes and test again.
  7. Once the desired thickness is reached, turn off the slow cooker and let the apple butter cool to room temperature, about 1–2 hours. As it cools, it will thicken slightly more. Scrape into clean glass jars or airtight containers.
  8. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. To serve, spoon at room temperature or gently warm in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Notes

Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Freezing: Spoon into freezer-safe jars or resealable freezer bags, leaving 1/2-inch headroom; freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. Reheating: Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, or in a microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between. The apple butter will thicken when cold — add a teaspoon of water or apple juice if you prefer a looser consistency.

Nutrition

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