Picture this…a schmear of your own slow cooker apple butter on toast, plus a container stored in the freezer so you can serve it on top of Brie with toasted walnuts as a holiday appetizer!
Maybe it was a Puritan’s sense of humor, or poor marketing on the Pilgrims’ part, but there isn’t any butter in apple butter; it’s really thick apple sauce made in the crock pot overnight with spices and honey. You can serve it on a pork chop, with morning pancakes, or fold it into loaf bread. Our recipe, adapted from one we like on Food.com is really easy. It’s the perfect make-ahead for Thanksgiving or any holiday brunch.
— Faith Middleton
Photo: Stef Noble/Flicker, creative commons
Ingredients
- 6 pounds local apples combining several varieties for complexity, peeled and chopped fine
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup local honey
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Servings: pints
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour it over the diced apples, add the honey and mix well.
- Place the apple mixture in a slow cooker and cook it, covered, on high, for 45 minutes. Taste the mixture and add more sugar or honey, if necessary. Recover it, set the crock pot temperature to low, and cook it overnight for 9-11 hours. (It will darken in color.)
- In the morning, remove the crock pot lid and cook it in low for an hour, which thickens it.
Recipe Notes
Once cool, the apple butter can be frozen and served later, defrosted.
