Homemade Apple Butter
So basically, my crock pot hates me.
It’s supposed to be one of the easiest appliances to use, right? Everytime I’ve tried to something has gone wrong. Things are either over cooked or undercooked, and definitely not very tasty. I decided I needed to find a recipe that couldn’t possibly fail. When I realized I had 5 pounds of apples, I had my answer.
I found a recipe for crock pot apple butter, and it seemed super easy. Peel and chop the apples, add sugar and spices, let cook overnight. I could do that. My crock pot could do that.
It turns out peeling and chopping 5 1/2 pounds of apples is kind of a pain in the a…pple. Your hands get all slippery and tired, and you get sticky apple juice everywhere. Then the apples didn’t fit into my crockpot, so I had to puree them all in order to make the most of the space I had. Finally I got everything in the crock pot and turned it on. The recipe said the whole thing would take less than 12 hours. Great!
12 hours later? Not even close to done.
I ended up cooking this apple butter for a full 24 hours. Between prepping, cooking, and canning, the whole project took 26 hours! 26! A lot of that was downtime, but still. My crock pot is cursed.
It was so worth it though. It’s dark, sweet, tangy, silky, and spicy. It is SO GOOD on toast with a little vegan margarine, you have no idea. It’s like concentrated apple pie. I wish you could taste it. Well, actually, you might be able to!
Since I have a lot of this stuff, and it’s such a b…anana to make, I’m going to give away three jars to VeganYumYum readers. Yay!
Win Homemade Organic Apple Butter!
Contest is closed! Stay tuned for the winners!
1) Comment!
2) Use a valid email address! (Will not be published!)
3) Win apple butter!
In one week (November 11th at 5 PM), I’ll use a random number generator to pick three numbers, corresponding to the comments here. Those people win a 1/2 pint jar of organic apple butter, complete with fun spreader knife and recipe card. I’ll email you to tell you you’ve won: just reply with a mailing address.
Some general rules: If you don’t leave a valid email address with your comment, I’ll pick another person. If I don’t hear back from you with your mailing address, I’ll pick another person. I’ll ship overseas, so don’t worry, everyone can play!
For those of you who don’t win, here’s the recipe. I used this recipe found I online.
Crock Pot Apple Butter
Makes 4 Pints
5 1/2 lbs Apples, peeled and finely chopped (as many different kinds as you can!)
4 Cups Sugar
2-3 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Sprinkle Nutmeg
Peel and core the apples. Slice finely or puree in a food processor. Add apples and remaining ingredients to your crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour, then on low for 8-10 hours. Remove lid (or crack it open a bit) and cook on high until a wooden spoon stands upright in it. The apple butter will have reduced by about half to get to this point. Blend if desired.
Fill sterilized jars with simmering apple butter and process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Remove jars and let sit, undisturbed, overnight. Test the seals and refrigerate any jars that have not sealed completely. Fully sealed jars will keep for 18-24 months unopened. Once opened, the apple butter will keep for 2 months in the refrigerator, or indefinitely in the freezer.
Good luck!
I can just smell and taste the apple butter. Looks good.
looks absolutely delicious! keeping my fingers crossed!
Well butter my buns and call me a biscuit!
In short, I love apple butter
:)
I would LOVE to win this! Apple butter is yummy…especially on english muffuns…Never had it homemade before!
holy moly, i’m 558. well, i adore apple butter and i’ve never had it homemade, plus there’s nothing to lose. and even if i don’t win, i’m inspired to collect apples from our dining hall and attempt my own!
awesome, thanks! this sounds de-lish!!
560 seems like a nice random number. I love apple butter!!!
Oh my, I hope I win! Your recipes always look so delish and I’m delighted to have an opportunity to taste something you’ve made. Hooray for contests and vegan goodness.
Mmmmmmm… free apple butter. Yes please.
I stumbled across your blog today looking for a recipe for Delicata Squash, which my roommate and I received in our organic produce box this week. The bisque sounds great, and I can’t wait to try it!
Yay apple butter!
That looks and sounds absolutely delicious! Definitely om nom nom appropriate!
Wow. You are amazing when it comes to the photos. Apple butter is so wonderful! My husband ate the last jar that was in our pantry and the day I go to get it, it was gone. It sounds so easy I don’t know why I didn’t look it up sooner. Thank you for the post.
- A new fan of the blog
Rebecca
looks fantastic! and of course you’re a spectacular photographer.
never had apple butter but really want to try it now! i’ll remember to cross my fingers at 5pm on november 11 :)
even if i don’t win, i think this recipe is a must! although i may have to recruit people to peel and such… (i’m lazy)
I’ve never had apple butter but with all those spices, it reminds me of the holidays!
You are a great inspiration!!!!!!!!
I think our crockpots are related. Mine overcooks, nothing is perfect 8 hrs later, it’s over cooked! I did overnight oatmeal once, it was burnt. :(
I love apple butter, homemade would be a real treat :)
What a great give-away — the apple butter sounds AMAZING!
YUM! WANT!
APPLE BUTTERS!
I LOVE apple butter! My mom always made ours in the oven. I think the crock pot might be easier. Even if it is longer!
Woo yum apple butter!!
I need to try this recipe! Thanks for blogging it!
This apple butter adventure made me giggle. It reminded me of many kitchen adventures I have! The apple butter sounds magnificent! Thank you for sharing.
It looks really yummy! This might just be redemption for my crockpot and its hit and misses. Can’t wait to put it to use!
Arrigatto!
apple butter!
this looks and sounds so good! and the pictures, as always, are lovely.
mmm good!
Wow–there are a HUGE number of people in this contest! I am sure I have no chance, but here it goes!
Courtney
Your photographs are beautiful on this site. My son told me about your site as he uses it often for good recipes. Your apple butter post reminded me of the time before My father-in-law passed away. I also had lots of apples and I decided to make him some homemade apple butter. It was my first try. I took him over several jars and he tried it on his toast. The greatest compliment I ever received was when he told me it tasted as good as what his mother used to make for him when he was a young boy. He said he hadn’t had any that good until the day I brought him his gift. I was so happy.
I haven’t had apple butter in ages! How much modification do you think the recipe would take to transform it into pear butter (even more delicious, IMHO)?
I love apple butter! It’s been so long since i’ve had it; my grandma used to make it when I was little.
Yum… I love how this recipe turned out so dark… mine is always funky light brown. :)
Maybe there is a reason I have never won… It’s now my turn.
Apple butter!
I love apple butter! Winning would motivate me to get baking!
Came here looking for leek/beet recipes; left hoping to win homemade apple butter for The Mr.!
Apple Butter on waffles makes life worth living, I would LOVE some!!
looks amazing!! i would love to win. (selfish? guilty.)
This sounds delicious and interesting, I must say.
I totally love the fantastic photos on this blog! Thank you for that, and thanks for the opportunity to win! :)
[email protected]
thanks!!
yum. can’t wait to try to make my own!
apple butter is perfect is the fall! Can’t wait to bring out the Crock Pot
The Crock Pot is the absolute BEST.
I made my crock pot go away, I’m too impatient. I do as much as I can in a pressure cooker – this recipe got me thinking – I’m not sure a pressure cooker will do the trick in this case.
So before I go off and experiment once again with my pressure cooker, I’ll toss my hat in the ring for some apple butter! Either way I love your site and I’ll be back.
MMMMM! I love homemade jams, butters, and jelly’s! I would def. Love LOVE LOVE to win this!
1% chance!
Has anyone tried halving this recipe yet? Just wondering. I’m not sure I have the patience to deal with 5.5 lbs of apples… Kudos to those of you who make the effort!
I’d love to try your apple butter! And if I don’t win it, II will try your recipe. I haven’t had apple butter in 30 years. I’ll bet the house smells great for those 24 hours!
Even though we can get great local apple butter (from Julian, Calif., near San Diego), I’d love to win some of yours. IMO, there’s no such thing as too much apple butter! :)