Apple Butter is our favorite spread for the season! While you’ll find it at stores everywhere, making homemade butter is so easy and will have your home smell so warm, especially when you make it in your crockpot. We share step by step for making it in the slow cooker, instant pot and storing below.
There’s something about the smell of apples and cinnamon cooking that makes your home feel so cozy and warm 💛 And that’s why we can’t get enough apple recipes to make this season!
Our Apple Crisp Recipe and Apple Crumble are the perfect one bowl dessert. You also got Apple Muffins, Apple Pie Stuffed Apples and Baked Apples that are quick and light as air. And slow simmering Homemade Apple Cider is pure comfort.
Today’s recipe is just an extension of our apple love, and we’ve got so many more coming up.
Why Make Apple Butter Recipe
- It’s a great way to use ripe seasonal apples and enjoy them at the peak of their flavor.
- Your home will smell amazing!
- You can use apple butter on so many things–think of ice creams, desserts, toast, croissants, pancakes, waffles and more!
- The apple butter recipe keeps so well in your fridge, and you can even cane it for longer shelf life!
- It makes great Holiday gifts! Similar to our Hot Honey Recipe, this is a great homemade gift in a jar💛
- You can make it in a slow cooker, instant pot or just on the stove–depending on what you have on hand, and the time you need it to be ready.
Ingredients for Apple Butter Recipe
As simple as it, the ingredients when combined together are really MAGIC:
- Apples. The hero and star of our recipe, use a combo for a complex flavored sauce, or use your favorite for eas.
- Sugars. We love a combo of white and brown sugar for a rich sweet taste.
- Cinnamon. Our favorite spice here is by far cinnamon, so we use plenty of it! You may add apple spice, nutmeg, cloves and cardamoms if you like a chai like flavored butter, or just apple spice.
- Salt and vanilla. It really highlights and flavors.
How to Make Apple Butter
I’ll break down below the difference between slow cooker apple butter and instant post apple butter. Since the first few steps are common, let’s start with those.
- Peel and core your apples, and dice them or slice them into equal sizes. While you may prefer to keep the peel on, we find that the peel adds a slightly gritty texture which we don’t prefer. We love a smooth and creamy texture to it.
- To the bowl of diced apples, add in all the ingredients above. Both sugars, cinnamon, salt and toss them well.
Crockpot Apple Butter
For crockpot apple butter, you’ll add on the vanilla as well and toss the mixture well. Set the crockpot to cook on low for 10 hours, then use an immersion blender to blend the apple butter until smooth and creamy.
And just like that your crockpot apple butter is ready to enjoy!
Instant Pot Apple Butter
The instant pot apple butter requires an extra bit of liquid as it’s not slow cooked. We add our Homemade Apple Cider to boost the flavors instead of adding just water. Another tip when using the instant pot is to hold off on adding the vanilla until the end.
Set the instant pot to pressure cook manual for 20 minutes and then allow it to release.
Use an immersion blender as well to smooth out the apple butter. At this point you’ll notice the mixture is more saucy because of the pressure cooking, so you’ll need to set the instant pot to sauté.
At that point, use a wooden spoon or spatula to keep stirring the sauce for 10 minutes until it has thickened. Add in the vanill and your instant pot apple butter is ready!
Apple Butter TIPS and FAQ
- Choose your favorite type of apple or use a combo for a rich flavored butter.
- A combination of white and brown sugar is great for sweetness and a richer taste.
- Follow the instructions closely if using a crockpot vs instant pot as they are quite different.
- To make this recipe on the stove, follow the instant pot instructions, all0owing for 30 minutes more of cooking time.
- Flavor up the recipe with extra spice like apple pie spice, or chai spice, or add in ginger if you prefer.
- It’s recommended to peel the apples for a smoother texture, however you may keep them on if you prefer.
- This recipe makes about 3 cups of apple butter (may look like more or less depending on the thickness you end up with).
What is the difference between Applesauce and Apple Butter?
The main difference is the texture and color. While both are made by cooking apples, apple butter is cooked longer and has barely no liquid. So the apple butter is smoother, richer, darker in color and hence more intensely flavored.
Which apples are best for apple butter?
As we mentioned, it’s best to use YOUR favorite type of apple as that’s the flavor that will come through. If you’re looking for a richer flavor, you can use a combo of different apples. We use a combo of Gala, golden delicious, granny and red delicious.
How to make smooth apple butter?
You can use a food processor or blender, however we find an immersion blender the easiest way to get the job done. Simply blend everything right in the pot (crockpot or instant pot or stove top pot) right after cooking while it’ still hot.
What can you make with apple butter?
- Serve it over ice creams for a fall inspired taste.
- Use it as a spread for croissants, english muffins, pancakes, waffles and toast.
- It makes a great condiment to any cheese board or charcuterie this holiday season.
- You can gift them in small jars, as they’re a perfect homemade gift!
- If you love flavored coffee, my daughter loves adding them to her latte to copycat an apple pie latte she loves!
- You can absolutely bake with it and make an apple butter cake.
- Spread them over Apple Muffins for a warm treat like NO OTHER!
How to store apple butter?
Once cooled, store it in a sealed jar and store in the fridge of you’re using within the next month. You can likewise freeze it once cooled and keep it for 3 months. To use it, simply defrost it in the fridge and use once thawed and spreadable.
Apple Recipes
Apple Butter
Apple Butter is our favorite spread for the season! While you'll find it at stores everywhere, making homemade butter is so easy and will have your home smell so warm, especially when you make it in your crockpot.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds apples use your favorite, peel and dice them into equal sizes
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup apple cider For Instant pot ONLY
Instructions
-
Start by peeling and dicing the apples into equal sizes. You may alternatively keep the skin on, however the texture will feel slightly gritty.
-
Add the sugars to the apple along with the cinnamon and salt and mix well.
-
To make in the crockpot:
Add the vanilla as well and toss with the apple mixture.
Place the apples in the crockpot and set to cook for 10 hours on low.
When ready, use an immersion blender and blend until a smooth apple butter is formed.
-
To make in the instant pot:
Do not add the vanilla to the apple mixture yet, instead add the apple cider.
Place the instant pot and set to pressure high for 20 minutes. Release the pressure and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
To thicken the butter, set the instant pot to sauté for 10 minutes and use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir continuously until you have smooth thick apple butter.
Add the vanilla at that point and it's ready.
-
The apple butter is ready and will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
-
Store in a jar and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Apple Butter TIPS and FAQ
- Choose your favorite type of apple or use a combo for a rich flavored butter.
- A combination of white and brown sugar is great for sweetness and a richer taste.
- Follow the instructions closely if using a crockpot vs instant pot as they are quite different.
- To make apple butter on the stove, follow the instant pot instructions, all0owing for 30 minutes more of cooking time.
- Flavor up the apple butter with extra spice like apple pie spice, or chai spice, or add in ginger if you prefer.
- It's recommended to peel the apples for a smoother texture, however you may keep them on if you prefer.
- This recipe makes about 3 cups of apple butter (may look like more or less depending on the thickness you end up with).
What is the difference between Applesauce and Apple Butter?
The main difference is the texture and color. While both are made by cooking apples, apple butter is cooked longer and has barely no liquid. So the apple butter is smoother, richer, darker in color and hence more intensely flavored.
Which apples are best for apple butter?
As we mentioned, it's best to use YOUR favorite type of apple as that's the flavor that will come through. If you're looking for a richer flavor, you can use a combo of different apples. We use a combo of Gala, golden delicious, granny and red delicious.
How to make smooth apple butter?
You can food process your apple butter or blend it, however we find an immersion blender the easiest way to get the job done. Simply blend the butter right in the pot (crockpot or instant pot or stove top pot) right after cooking while it' still hot.
What can you make with apple butter?
- Serve it over ice creams for a fall inspired taste.
- Use it as a spread for croissants, english muffins, pancakes, waffles and toast.
- It makes a great condiment to any cheese board or charcuterie this holiday season.
- You can gift them in small jars, as they’re a perfect homemade gift!
- If you love flavored coffee, my daughter loves adding them to her latte to copycat an apple pie latte she loves!
- You can absolutely bake with it and make an apple butter cake.
- Spread them over Apple Muffins for a warm treat like NO OTHER!
How to store apple butter?
Once cooled, place the apple butter in a sealed jar and store in the fridge of you're using within the next month. You can likewise freeze the apple butter once cooled and keep it for 3 months. To use it, simply defrost it in the fridge and use once thawed and spreadable.
I made this apple butter yesterday and it made the house smell AMAZING!! I’ll be making it all fall long!
Love apple butter on everything this time of year! Your recipe is absolute perfection and so easy to do!
MmmMMMM. Apple butter is my favorite thing to have with toast in the morning. I can’t wait to make my own.
I can’t believe it’s this simple to make fabulous apple butter. I can’t wait to use this in recipes and spread it on raisin toast. Yummy!