In today’s post: Learn how to make a big batch of caramel apple butter in your crockpot, then divide it up into cute little jars for a delicious gift!
I’m not sure where apple butter has been all my life, but I recently discovered it and wow it’s amazing. I want to put it on everything: pancakes and English muffins and toast and ice cream. And graham crackers. Don’t get me wrong, I love homemade jam, but right now it’s apple butter all the way. Caramel apple butter, to be exact. I combined a few recipes to come up with an easy way to make apple butter in the slow cooker, adding in a hefty dose of melted caramel to take it from delicious to divine.
Easy DIY Gift
What I love most about this apple butter – other than how delicious it tastes – is that it makes an adorable little gift! You can make a nice big batch of this in your crockpot, then portion it out into small jars and add the printable tags and you have an easy, inexpensive gift for your friends and neighbors. You could even save this recipe and make a batch at Christmas for neighbor gifts!
Caramel Apple Butter Video
This quick video shows how easy it is to make:
What Type of Apples?
You can use any kind of apples you like for this recipe, but different apples will yield slightly different results.
- The first time I made this recipe I used mostly Jazz apples, which are tart-sweet, and the end result was an extremely flavorful apple butter.
- Honeycrisps, Cosmic Crisps, or Pink Ladies would all be delicious in this recipe!
- You can even make this recipe with Red Delicious apples, since they’re so inexpensive, but I recommend adding a few tart apples as well, such as Granny Smiths. The finished apple butter might not be as flavorful with Red Delicious apples, but it will still taste great.
Inexpensive Gift Idea
You’ll need 7-8 pounds of apples to make a BIG batch of caramel apple butter. Each batch will yield about 7 cups of apple butter. I split that up into 12 4-oz jars and 2 8-oz jars, so that makes a lot of gifts! You can see the different sizes of the jars in the photo below (remember if you are using my printable tags to get jars with regular size lids, NOT wide mouth).
Be aware that your yield may vary a little depending on how long you cook the apple butter. If you stop when it’s a medium caramel color, like you see here, it will be plenty thick to spread nicely. This is what you get if you cook the apple butter for 1 hour after blending (as directed in the recipe).
But if you want it a deeper brown and even thicker (so that when you tip the jar upside down it won’t move from the bottom) you can cook it longer, which will reduce it further and give you a smaller yield. This would probably take 2+ hours of cooking time after blending. If you do decide to cook it longer, be sure to give it a stir every once in a while to make sure it doesn’t burn.
My batch yielded about 7 cups of apple butter. I split that up into 12 4-oz jars and 2 8-oz jars, so that makes a lot of gifts! You can see the different sizes of the jars in the photo below. Links to the jars I used: 4 oz jars | 8 oz jars
Is this a canning recipe?
I’ve had many people ask about canning this recipe to preserve it in jars – unfortunately I’m not a canner so I do not have information on whether that is safe or not! I recommend storing the apple butter in the fridge and using it within two weeks or freezing for longer storage.
Crockpot Apple Butter
One last note: I used the HIGH setting on my slow cooker to make this apple butter because I didn’t want it to take so long. However, you could also use the low setting and double the time listed (for example to let it cook overnight). If you are going to decrease the amounts to make a half batch, it will cook faster, so watch it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Caramel Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 15-16 Medium Sized Apples about 7-8 pounds
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon Ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 30 Unwrapped Caramels most of an 11 oz bag
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Instructions
- Peel and dice the apples. You should have about 16 cups of apple.
- Mix in the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, then place apples in a slow cooker and cover with lid. Cook on high for 6 hours.
- Blend the apples until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by transferring apples into a blender.
- Return apple mixture to slow cooker. Stir in vanilla.
- Melt caramels by microwaving for 30 second intervals until they are soft enough to stir.
- Pour melted caramels into apple mixture and stir or blend to combine.
- Replace slow cooker lid, but pit it on crooked so air can vent.
- Continue cooking on high for 1-2 more hours until mixture starts to thicken (it will get even thicker as it cools).
- Transfer apple butter to airtight containers. Keep in the fridge for 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Melissa Tuton says
Looking good. Curious if it needs to cool before you lid and place in fridge?
Shelly Bennett says
Can you suggest a cookie or cracker to give along side this delicious spread? As a gift set!
Fiona says
For airtight container, do you use heated glass jars to pour the warm spread into? If freezing presumably plastic containers are better, but can the warm spread be poured into the plastic?
Autumn says
I haven’t had any trouble freezing glass jars – just allow the apple butter to cool to room temp (inside the jars) before placing in the freezer. And then when you want to use it, defrost in the fridge! You can also let it cool slightly and then pour into plastic containers to freeze.
Shelly Bennett says
What’s the best apple to use for this?
Autumn says
I think it tastes best using an apple with a lot of flavor, like a honeycrisp, Pink lady, or even Granny Smith (although Granny’s will make it a little less sweet).
Mary says
Is this recipe suitable for canning?
Autumn says
Sorry I don’t know, I don’t can!
Brittany Austin says
It is suitable for water bath canning! Water bath can for 10 minutes. Don’t need to add lemon juice since apples are acidic enough on their own
Gigi says
Well, this is my first time using this recipe and apparently the crock pot I have is not a 6 at. Can I cook the apples on the stove top and if yes, is it still on high and 6 hours?
Autumn says
Hi, I wouldn’t recommend using the stovetop for this – a crockpot cooks at a much lower temperature, I’d be worried it would burn on the stove.
Kataryn says
I ended up using stove top at a low temp and had no burning! Just check on it and stirred every couple hours!