- 6-8 apples
- 1 1/4 sugar or natural sweetener (can also use half white and half brown)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
This apple butter is super easy and can be stored in the fridge or can be canned for shelf stability.
I don’t measure anything, so this recipe is an estimated amount. You can add or reduce the apples, seasonings, etc to your own taste.
I have made this without sugar or sweetener and it’s very good when using sweet apples, but if you’re using a more tart variety of apples, you may want to add something. This batch I’m showing I actually used half erythritol and half brown sugar.
Instructions:
Core and slice 6-8 apples and place in crock pot on high. (Or however many apples will fill your crock pot!) No peeling necessary!
Add 1 1/4 c of sweetener of your choice, if desired. When using tart apples, I use erythritol. (I’ve found this brand the best price when added to my Amazon subscribe and save order.)
Add lemon juice, vanilla and spices on top of apples and cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
At this point, I use my immersion blender until the mixture is totally smooth. You can also transfer the mixture into a blender for the same result.
Crack the lid open slightly, and continue cooking on high for another 4-5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
One it has reached the thickness you prefer, let it cool in the crock pot before transferring to jars.
It can keep covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks, or you can process in pint jars in a water bath canner for 7-10 minutes if you want them to be shelf stable.
