Homemade Apple Butter

I recently made this recipe to give as favors for a bridal shower I hosted. I thought it was pretty delish! For a yummy fall treat, check out this recipe.

Homemade Apple Butter

A simple apple butter recipe perfect to use as a spread or a warm sauce over ice cream. Yum!

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 10 Hours

Servings: About 15 cups

6 1/2 lbs apples, cored and peeled (best to use gala, red delicious, or macintosh apples)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. After all apples are cored and peeled, cut into slices or chunks and place in slow cooker.

2. Add the sugars, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla and mix well into apples.

3. Cook on low for approx. 10 hours. The apple butter should be dark brown and fairly thick**. 

4. If desired, use a blender to puree the apple butter until you achieved your desired consistency.

5. Keep refrigerated up to two weeks or freeze in small containers. 

Serve on toast or warm it up and drizzle over vanilla bean ice cream for a yummy fall treat. 

** When I've made this before, the apple butter does not turn out to be as thick as I have wanted.

Here are a few things you can do:

- Make a slurry and stir into pureed apple butter. A slurry is a mix of cornstarch and water. 

- Turn your slow cooker back on after pouring your pureed butter back into it and cook apple butter a couple hours longer on high to essentially boil off some of the excess water in the puree. 

I have done a combination of these two to thicken up my apple butter and it has worked well!