Apple Butter Recipe for Canning
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This is an incredibly easy apple butter recipe for canning. Make it in a crockpot. Slow cook the apples overnight, and your kitchen will smell heavenly in the morning. So good on morning toast.
After cooking to a thick puree, you will need to process the jars in a boiling water canner. Or you can freeze it or just put it in the refrigerator to use now.
Label your jars with pretty printable Canning Labels! Check them out.
Crockpot Apple Butter for Canning: Extended, Step-By-Step Directions
First you’ll make the apple butter in a crockpot, then I’ll show you how to can it.
Apple Butter Canning Labels
How to Make Crockpot Apple Butter
Gather your canning supplies:
- water bath canner
- canning jars
- canning lids and rings
- jar lifter and canning funnel
- apple peeler-corer-slicer (This is optional, but I HIGHLY recommend it.)
- bowls
- sharp knife
- towels and dish cloths
Apple butter ingredients:
- apples – enough to fill your Crockpot very full
- sugar
- spices to taste
First, peel, core, and slice your apples. The apple peeler-corer-slicer comes in handy. It will cut your time in half. (For my video review, click here.) If you do not have one of these, just prepare your apples the old-fashioned way, with a knife. If you do this with a knife, chop your apples up small.
Step 1: Prepare the Apples
- Peel, core, and slice your apples. The apple peeler-corer-slicer is a fantastic tool to speed things up. If you’re using a knife, chop the apples finely.
- Fill your crockpot to the brim with the apples. Don’t worry—it will look full at first, but the apples will cook down significantly.
Step 2: Begin Cooking
- Cover and cook the apples on high for about 3 hours. This gives the apples a good head start. (Tip: Add 1/4 cup water or apple juice if you want extra moisture, but apples usually release enough liquid on their own.)
- Switch to low after 3 hours and stir occasionally as the apples soften and start to break down.
Step 3: Add Sugar and Spices
Once the apples reach a soft consistency, it’s time to add the sugar and spices. Here’s a simple guideline but these are adjustable to taste.
- For every 2 quarts of fruit pulp: Add 4 cups sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, and 1/4 tsp salt.
- Or, use this ratio: 1/2 cup sugar for every 1 cup of fruit pulp. Adjust the spices to taste.
- Mix the sugar and spices in a bowl, then pour this mixture over the apples in the crockpot. Stir well to combine.
- Continue cooking on low until the apple butter reaches your desired consistency—smooth and silky, or a little chunky.
(Note: If your crockpot runs cool enough, you can even cook it overnight, but new models may get too hot and could scorch the apple butter.)
Step 4: Finishing Touches
Optional Thickening: For a thicker apple butter, leave the crockpot lid off during the last hour or two. You’re aiming for a consistency that “rounds up” on your spoon—not too thick, or it may become pasty. Apple butter should round up on your spoon. Do not cook until it is pasty…that would be too thick.
Whisk the apple butter for a smooth texture, if desired. As the apples cook down, they will whisk up beautifully, giving you that classic, velvety finish. You can also try an immersion blender but use caution. You don’t want to liquefy it.
Step 5: Canning Your Apple Butter
For more details check water bath canning for instructions on how to use a water bath canner.
- Fill your jars with the hot apple butter, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
- Remove any air bubbles with a bubble tool or any plastic utensil.
- Wipe the rims clean so any messes won’t interfere with the seal.
- Place the canning lids and screw bands on finger tight.
Processing Instructions
- Water Bath Process: To avoid pre-sterilizing jars, process pint-size jars for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude).
The National Center for Home Food preservation has you sterilize your pint-size jars and then process them for 5 minutes. To avoid the task of sterilizing jars, I use a 10-minute processing time which is perfectly approved.
(Ball Blue Book just says 10 minutes, adjust for altitude.) If you’d like more details on sterilizing jars, click here. - Note – Apple butter is a perfect project for steam canners too. I recommend you check them out. So much easier.
- Altitude Adjustments: Remember to adjust processing time according to your altitude. Find specific altitude adjustments in the recipe card below.
Read more about why altitude adjustments are important here.
Sugar & Why I Do Things This Way
Note: This recipe is based on an older Ball Blue Book method, which calls for 4 pounds of apples and 4 cups of sugar, along with spices—no added water and no lemon juice.
Today, many recipes suggest adding acidity with lemon juice. which can enhance flavor but isn’t necessary for safety. If you’d like, you can add 1/4 cup of bottled lemon juice for a slightly tangier apple butter.
I prefer cooking the apples to a sauce before measuring and adding sugar. This lets me keep a consistent ratio and remember the amount I used last time. By sticking to this method, you’ll get the same delicious results every time.
Other sweeteners like maple syrup or brown sugar can be used as a substitute.
What apples are best for Apple Butter?
I like to do a mix of sweet and tart apples for apple butter. Golden delicious is a super sweet apple combine that with a tart fuji apple… It’ll be divine! But remember, any variety of apples can be used. Adding that lemon juice will enhance the taste if you’ve got all sweet apples.
Recipe Card
Apple Butter Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- Apples
- Sugar to taste
- Spices to taste, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt
Instructions
- Once the fruit butter is made, you will need to start by preparing jars and getting water in the canner heating. You want the canner hot, but not boiling, when the jars are ready to be processed. See full water bath canning instructions here.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. Place in slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Stir and continue cooking on low. Stir often to prevent sticking and mush up apples.
- When you've got an applesauce textured puree, measure pulp.
- Add sugar. Suggestion is 4 cups sugar to 2 each 2 quarts pulp. Or to taste.
- Add spices to taste. A suggestion is 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1/4 tsp. salt.
- Stir well and continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally until smooth consistency. Butter will round up on spoon. Leave lid off or ajar to allow steam to escape if you've got too much moisture.
- Process in a water bath canner.
For a Hot Pack
- Fill jar, leaving 1/4” headspace.
- Remove air bubbles, wipe rim clean, and place seal and ring.
- Place jar in the warm canner. Proceed to fill all jars.
- Process according to the chart below.
Notes
Adapted from: The National Center for Home Food Preservation and the Ball Blue Book.
Crockpot Apple Butter FAQs & Tips
Apple Butter in Quarts or Pints?
I always can these in pints or half pints. Half pints are processed the same as pints. You can make fruit butter in quart jars, but I’d suggest you think about it first. A quart of any fruit butter will last a very, very long time. I do not include processing time for quarts. I did one of my Canning Chats on canning apple butter in quarts here.
Canning Caramel Apple Butter?
Can caramel apple butter be canned?
No caramel should not be added to the apple butter. You could probably add caramel when you open the jar to use it though. I’d try heating it up a little and stir in a caramel sauce. Then store it in the fridge.
What Should the Texture Be?
“This is the first time canning apple butter & everything seemed fine until the next day when I noticed a thin liquid @ top of apple butter; is this bad or just normal separation?”
Assuming you processed it in a water bath, it is most likely just a normal separation. Just stir it in when you open the jar to use it. Apple butter will be a smooth sauce consistency. You’ll know it is done when it rounds up on a spoon. It should be spreadable…but not sticky/tacky.
How Long Does Homemade Apple Butter Last?
If I get a hold of it? Not long! 🙂 I LOVE homemade apple butter. In all seriousness, however, homemade apple butter will keep for at least 12 months, likely more, if you store it in a cool, dry place. Once it is opened and in the fridge, plan on a couple of weeks.
What’s the Difference Between Applesauce and Apple Butter Recipe?
Applesauce is a apple puree that’s meant to be eaten by the bowlful. Apple butter is cooked longer, so it takes on a different consistency than applesauce, much smoother. It’s also sweeter and more spiced than applesauce.
Using a Food Mill to Make Apple Butter
“Hi Sharon, I’d like to make apple butter in the slow cooker, but I want to use my food mill to clear skins and seeds first. So, my question is: HOW? Just take the applesauce result and put it in the slow cooker? For how long? Thanks. Irene”
Hi Irene, great question. I would just make applesauce as usual with your food mill. Check here for specifics on how to make applesauce. Then add that, plus the sugar, to your Crockpot. The cook time will be less, but I can’t give you an exact time. I’d estimate 6 hours maybe? It all depends on how juicy your applesauce is and how your cooker cooks. Try it out and let me know how it goes. 🙂 – Sharon
Cooking Apple Butter in a Crockpot or on the Stove? Is There a Difference?
“It’s apple butter time! I make mine in the Crockpot & then water bath. Wondering if there a difference between cooking in the Crockpot vs. stove in the sweetness level? Thanks for your help.“
I’ve never tested it, but I don’t think there would be any difference in the sweetness. With the stove, the main thing is just being sure you are on hand to stir more often. The heat is all at the bottom of the pot; with a Crockpot the heat surrounds the apples and will be a gentler heat. It does take longer though. So it just depends on your preference in cooking style. The sweetness will be all about the type of apples and any sweetener you add.
Cooking Apple Butter Covered or Uncovered?
“Hello. My question is when I am cooking down my apple butter recipe, do I need to cover my pot or just leave it uncovered? I did this years ago, and I cannot remember. Thank you. Elise”
Elise, you should either leave the lid off or at least leave the lid ajar so moisture can escape. I’ll usually put it on high for the first hour or so. This gets things heated up quicker, but then turn it down. As the apple butter gets thicker, it may tend to splatter, so that is why I sometimes just suggest leaving the lid ajar. A splatter screen is also a good idea if you want to leave the lid completely off.
How Do You Store Canned Apple Butter?
You should store home canned apple butter in a cool, dark place. Read more about preparing canned food for storage here.
Tip for Getting Fruit
Gleaning from orchards after the main season is a great way to get free fruit. These will usually be seconds, but they’re still perfectly useable. Be sure and call ahead, and always treat the orchard with respect! That orchard owner is trusting that you won’t allow your children to climb trees
and break branches or otherwise be a nuisance. Pick up after yourself when you leave. This is their livelihood, so honor the trust they show by allowing you there.
Canning Apple Butter the Day After You Make It
This question came into my inbox. – Jennifer says, “Hello, I’m new to all of this. Here’s my question: Can I make apple butter today, but put it in jars and process it at a later date, like a week from now?
You can certainly wait and not process your apple butter immediately. Just put it in the fridge, when you are ready to can, take it out, heat it back up and then proceed with the canning isstructions. Heat it slowly and stir often so it does not scorch.
However…. I think a week is too long. Over night is fine, and 2 days would be ok… but I would not wait longer than that. It does need to be processed in a reasonable amount of time.
I’ve got a video here about canning your apple butter later.
Pin This to Find Later!
Adapted from: The National Center for Home Food Preservation and the Ball Blue Book.
How do you know if the apple butter is thick enough for canning?
The apple butter will round up on the spoon when it gets thick enough.
how many pounds of apples equal a pint jar?
Great question… I’ve never actually measured it. Other recipes I see list 4 pounds of apples for 3 pints. So a little over a pound per pint. I’d go extra just so you don’t run short. You can always put excess in the fridge. Also this will likely vary according to how juicy your apples are and how much you cook it down.
thanks so much-very helpful! Got 12 lbs in the slow cooker and sent my husband for another big bag!
Can you use artificial sweetener in apple butter or sauce in canning?
The only artificial sweetener I’ve researched is using Splenda in canning. you can read more here… .
Do you put water or butter in the crockpot when making apple butter
I put a small amount of water to keep the apples from sticking. like 1/4 cup is all that is needed. The apples will produce some juices as they soften.
A lot of old recipes call for adding apple cider vinegar before cooking it down to add a bit of a tang to the butter. This sounds like something I would like, but I’ve yet to find a up to date recipe from a trusted source that calls for ACV. Would it be all right to go ahead and add it?
It feels like a silly question sine ACV is acidic and is used for pickling, but this only my second year canning so I’m really nervous about making any modifications unless the recipe explicitly says it okay.
I would say yes. It can only add acidity so it should be fine.
I I’m going to be making this recipe instead of using ground cloves can I use allspice
Yes, you can change the spices up as you please. Use dehydrated spice, not fresh.
I haven’t canned anything in years. The last time, I’d canned salsa from the Blue Book using my garden. A week later I found most to be gone. My husband ate them! He didn’t know they were for colder months when no fresh tomatoes were outside. i grew up with a huge garden and my mother canned or froze everything. I even went to 4-H camp with my canning project. Lol. i was about to make more apple butter when I thought I’d can it and found you. I’d also been thinking about adding sugar at the end. thank you… Read more »
Can i use dark brown sugar instead?
yes! 🙂
I live in the south where during the middle spring the temperature is in the high 80’s and at might in the high 60’s to low 70’s. My home has a crawl space only. Is it ok to store my can goods under my home. It is cool down there during the summer but not like in the 60’s it might be 70’s to low 80’s during the day. Thanks Brent
That should probably be ok. If it freezes in the winter that will be a problem though. I talk more about storage conditions on this post. Check it out and it might be helpful. Home Canning Jars – Creative Storage Solutions
2nd time to make Crockpot applebutter, Refrig the first time, but want to can these, using your directions for water bath. First batch i refrigerated & it was great Thanks for the article. Am curious, didnt see any about pressure can applebutter?
Yes, apples are high acid, so apple butter is safe for processing in the water bath canner. No pressure canner required!
-Rachel (Sharon’s assistant)
thank you, hadnt thought about that