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Make Crock-Pot Apple Butter sugar-free or with low sugar. This easy, healthy recipe naturally sweetens breakfast foods and desserts.
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Do you have fresh apples on hand from a day at an apple orchard? Lucky you! Even if you pick them up at the grocery store, you won't regret making homemade apple butter in your slow cooker.
The best thing about making it yourself is that you control the amount of added sugar. And we've made it every way imaginable, from no sugar at all or with a stevia sugar blend to a small amount of brown sugar.
You'll find so many ways to use it, from stirring it into your morning steel-cut oats at breakfast to drizzling it over yogurt.
When I needed a "glue" to hold together stuffing in muffin tins, it was fully up to the task and gave them a spectacular burst of flavor.
It's not difficult to make this healthy apple butter recipe, but there's quite a bit of cooking time. Make it overnight, and your house will smell amazing in the morning. Problem solved!
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Ingredients
You'll need just a few simple ingredients to make delicious apple butter with little to no sugar.
- Apples - only use sweet apples!
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract
- Optional Added Sweetener - see the section below for options.
The recipe card below includes ingredient amounts, step-by-step instructions, and nutritional information.
Best Apples for Sugar-Free Apple Butter
Use sweet apples if you plan to cut back on the sugar. A variety of apples will give the best flavor. Apples on the sweeter side include:
- Ambrosia
- Honey crisp
- Gala apples
- Pink Lady
- Golden Delicious
- Red Delicious.
Tart apples, like Granny Smith, are easy to find in the grocery store. Use those in another recipe.
Do you have to use sugar to make apple butter?
No. You don't have to add any sugar at all to this homemade apple butter recipe. It's a matter of taste and dietary restrictions. The amount and type of sugar added is up to you!
I adapted this recipe from the one at My Baking Addiction. And, yes...the apple butter is divine. But I found that I absolutely didn't need as much sugar. I cut the amount in half, and in later batches, I cut it down even further.
- I've made it with none at all. The sweetness of the apples and the spices make up the difference.
- You can also use a sugar substitute or a sugar blend with a combination of refined sugar and stevia or erythritol.
Step-by-Step Process with Pictures
Here's the easy process to make healthy slow cooker apple butter that's sugar-free or low-sugar:
1. Core, peel, and chop apples. It sounds like quite an ordeal. But it's not that bad, particularly if you use an apple corer. This recipe makes A LOT of apple butter. Make a half batch if you're not planning to share it as a gift or want to avoid stowing some jars away in the freezer.
Note: Peeling the apples is optional! Puree the apple peels with the softened apples. The skins will almost disappear at the end of the process, with just a few small pieces here and there.
2. Place the apple chunks in a slow cooker and toss with spices (except for the vanilla) and sugar (if using.) Cover and cook on low in a slow cooker for 10 hours.
Tip: Cook it overnight and wake up to a home filled with an amazing aroma. You're welcome!
3. After the apples have been slow-cooked for 10 hours, stir in the vanilla extract and break up the apple slices with a spoon or potato masher. Re-cover and cook for 2 hours more.
4. Allow the apple mixture to cool, then puree it with an immersion blender, a regular blender, or in batches in a food processor. Process until the finish is smooth. However, it's okay to leave some chunks if that's how you roll. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
How to Make Apple Butter Thicker
Apple butter should be thick and creamy. Added sweetener helps make it that way. But it's not the only way!
Leave the lid ajar on the crock-pot for the last hour of cooking so that the excess liquid evaporates! Also, apple butter will continue to thicken as it cools.
If you're in a hurry, you can also make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Stir it into the apple butter.
FAQ
Apple butter has been cooked longer and is more concentrated than apple sauce. It's thicker and has a more intense flavor. It's generally flavored with spices and extracts too. Apple sauce is made by cooking and processing apples until they are smooth. It typically has a thinner consistency and fewer spices added.
The consistency of the apple butter will be thick and silky, and slide off a spoon slowly. Cook it as long as you like. It will fall somewhere between apple sauce and apple butter.
Storage
This recipe makes about 8 cups. So, there will be plenty to share!
Spoon apple butter into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to two months.
It makes a fun edible gift too. Decorate small mason jars with ribbons and tags if you are giving some away. Even better... pair it with a loaf of bread.
How to Use Apple Butter
There is no shortage of ways to enjoy it:
- Slather it on toast, an English muffin, or crackers.
- Stir it into oatmeal.
- Drizzle it over pancakes or waffles.
- Use as a dip for cookies and graham crackers
- Use it as a sweetener for recipes that call for applesauce.
- Top yogurt, whipped cottage cheese pudding, or ice cream with it.
These recipes also use or would be perfect with healthy sugar-free apple butter:
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Crock-Pot Apple Butter (Sugar-Free or Low Sugar)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 pounds apples A mixture of sweet apples, such as honey crisp, pink lady, gala, or golden delicious works best
- 1 cup brown sugar (or sugar-free sweetener) Use up to this amount or none at all. See notes below regarding options.
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Core and slice apples and place them in the bottom of a crock-pot. Note: peeling is optional and can be pureed with the softened apples later in the process.
- Mix together cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and added sweetener if you're using any.
- Toss apple slices with spice mixture.
- Cook on low for 10 hours.
- Stir in vanilla extract and crush large apple pieces with a spoon.
- Cook on low for 2 more hours. Optional: Leave the lid ajar for the last hour of cooking to allow excess liquid to evaporate if you feel like the apple butter is too runny.
- Allow apples to cool slightly and then puree with an immersion blender or a regular blender (or transfer in batches to a food processor.) Apple butter will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks or store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Ambrosia
- Honey crisp
- Gala
- Pink Lady
- Golden Delicious
- Red delicious.
Nutrition
This post was originally posted on 12/17/13 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.
Susan Gaeta says
I absolutely love this recipe! We have been going to the local orchard every fall for the last 6 years or so and so we always have an abundance of apples. I ran across this recipe a few years back and have been making it every year since! I use Swerve brown sugar and no one knows the difference! It's always a hit in our house and with friends and family!
Marjory Pilley says
What a wonderful fall experience and I’m so happy you enjoy the recipe. Even though I don’t live anywhere near an orchard (not even in the same state!) I love making apple butter every fall!
Tammy says
How would you alter the time and instructions for making in the instant pot?
Marjory Pilley says
Hi! You can make apple butter in a pressure cooker, however, I have not made it this way so I can't offer any instructions. The ingredients should stay the same.
Linda says
Loved the recipe. Easy to make
Used half the amount of brown sugar which was slenda. Came out great. Will definitely make it again.
Bonnie says
I used about 4 lbs of Fuji & golden delicious apples, unpeeled & only 1/4 cup raw sugar & it was plenty sweet. Wanted to use honeycrip apples but they were not available. My crock pot was full. It cooked down to four 8 oz jars of delicious apple butter. I water bath canned them for 10 mins & they all sealed. I liked how this recipe was so simple without water or cider. This is a keeper!
Marjory Pilley says
Sounds fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Jen says
Do you use light brown or dark brown sugar?
Marjory Pilley says
I used light brown sugar but you can use either. In fact, I've been using a very sweet apple (Ambrosia) and I usually don't add any sugar at all!
Linda Bolt says
How many apples after you peel them
Marjory Pilley says
Hi! It really depends on the size of the apples. I generally use medium sized Ambrosia apples (because of their sweetness.) I have a brand new 2 pound bag and there are 7 medium apples in it. You can easily adjust the recipe amounts depending upon how much you want to make. I hope that helps!
Pam says
I have an apple tree and I make Apple Butter every year. I love the low sugar. It's so delicious. I try new recipes every year and this goes to the top of my favorites list.
April says
Great recipe! I had bought Granny Smith apples before reading your recipe, so I ended up adding another tablespoon or two of sugar and it came out great! I cut it down to only 3 pounds of apples since I'm not pressure canning it, and that made a mason jar and a half. It's absolutely delicious! I plan on making some english muffin bread to go with it tomorrow. Maybe because I'd cut the recipe down, but my apples were totally done by hour 10, so I used my stick blender to make it smooth and taste tested for the sugar then. It's perfect!
Jackie says
Do you pack the brown sugar
Marjory Pilley says
You do not need to pack the brown sugar!
Donna C says
Have not tried the recipe yet... I am looking for a low sugar apple butter to make to sell at a bake sale. This shows canned product but there are no directions for canning for long term winter use. Even a disclaimer " Can be processed in a boiling water bath using manufacturer's directions." would be helpful. My worry, will the apple butter made using these directions keep if canned and put on a shelf at room temperature? If so, for how long?
Marjory Pilley says
Hi! Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with canning so I can't offer any advice in this area, only storage times for the refrigerator and freezer. I found this site that might be helpful https://www.freshpreserving.com/canning-101-getting-started.html
Jackie Kreuzer says
Do you pack the brown sugar..
Thank you!
Marjory says
Hi! You do not need to pack it! It will result in more sugar if you do.
Marsha says
I also loved your recipe and am making a 2nd batch right now. This time I added cloves and will add pumpkin in with the vanilla. Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe. : )
Marjory says
Thanks so much for your comment! I loooove the idea of adding in some pumpkin!
Janice says
This recipe is delicious! Made it last night with a combo of 3 apples (York, Stayman & Golden Delicious - right from the orchard) & added 1/8 tsp ground cloves. Smells wonderful - will definitely make again & will try it with different apples. Thanks for the recipe!
Marjory says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Love the mix of apples you used!
Martha Gannon says
If I cut recipe in half, do I cut the cooking time also?
Marjory says
Hi! You can cut the cook time back by 2-3 hours. Note that initially you will have applesauce and then the mixture will get thicker and thicker. You can stop at any time. It tends to thicken a little in the refrigerator. Also, removing the lid during the last hour helps excess moisture to evaporate. I hope that helps!
Madonna Essing says
Made sugat less honey crisp apple butter it is a little funny what can I do?
Marjory says
Hi! What seems to be the problem. I'm happy to help you trouble shoot.
Barbara T says
Did you mean "runny"? If so, you can take the lid off the slow cooker and turn it on high for two hours, stirring occasionally.
Sharon says
How many cups of apples peeled, cored would you use for this recipe...is it like jam? It sounds good....
Marjory says
Hi! We used pounds for the recipe because the number of apples will vary depending upon the size. We used 6 pounds of apples. It is very much the consistency of jam. Thanks for your comment!