There’s something magical about the warm, spiced aroma of apple butter simmering away on a chilly day. It fills the house with the coziest vibes and tastes even better when made from scratch. Let me take you through the process of creating homemade apple butter in a crock pot—an easy, fuss-free recipe that yields rich, spiced deliciousness perfect for spreading on toast, biscuits, or pancakes.

To make it even more rewarding, I found a way to put every part of the process to good use: the apple peelings didn’t go to waste. My chickens were more than happy to gobble up those tasty scraps, making this a no-waste kitchen project. And for gifting, I’ll show you how to spray-paint the jar lids to add a festive touch. Whether you store your apple butter in the fridge or can it for longer preservation, this recipe is a winner.

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Ingredients:

• 5-6 pounds of apples (I recommend a mix of sweet and tart varieties)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Apples: Peel, core, and slice your apples. Keep those peels for your chickens or compost bin! Slice the apples into small chunks for even cooking.
2. Set Up the Slow Cooker: Place the apple slices in your crock pot. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to coat the apples evenly.
3. Cook Low and Slow: Set your slow cooker to LOW and cook for 10-12 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours. Stir occasionally. The apples will break down and become soft and caramelized over time.
4. Blend to Perfection: Once the apples are fully cooked and fragrant, use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier texture, mash the apples with a potato masher instead.
5. Add the Finishing Touches: Stir in the vanilla extract and continue cooking for another 1-2 hours (on LOW) with the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. This step helps thicken the apple butter.
6. Jar It Up: Once the apple butter is done, spoon it into clean jars. If you’re canning, process the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. If not, let them cool before storing in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Festive Jar Lids:

To make your apple butter gift-ready, spray-paint the jar lids in festive colors. Gold, silver, or red are beautiful choices for the season. Be sure to use food-safe paint and let the lids dry completely before attaching them to the jars. Add a ribbon or a hand-written label for an extra touch of charm.

❤️A Gift from the Heart

Homemade apple butter is more than just a treat; it’s a little jar of comfort and care. Whether you keep it for your family or share it with friends, this simple recipe turns a batch of apples into something truly special. Plus, feeding the peelings to the chickens adds a sustainable touch that warms my heart.

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out for you. Have fun spray-painting those lids and enjoy spreading (and sharing) your apple butter love!

Things Used in this Recipe:

The link to these apples are grown in the USA:

Of course, I found a blue crock pot!

And yes, Here’s a blue immersion blender!

This apple corer made my job so simple! (Don’t feed the cores to your chickens! The seeds are poisonous to chickens!)

Here’ pure vanilla extract, none of the imitation stuff for my apple butter! AND it’s gluten-free!

These jars are food grade, microwave safe and dishwasher safe.