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Spiced Apple Butter

Spiced apple butter made slow-cooker or stovetop, simmered until very soft, then blended smooth and cooked down to a deep mahogany-brown spread. Velvety texture, warm fall spices, and a tangy finish from apple cider vinegar.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 half-pint jars
Cuisine: American
Calories: 840
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apples
  • 5 lb apples Peeled, cored, and roughly chopped.
Sugar and spices
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar Packed.
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp allspice
  • 0.5 tsp cloves
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ginger
Finishers
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 Immersion blender or food processor

Method
 

Cook apples with sugars and spices
  1. Place chopped apples in a large slow cooker or heavy pot, then stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and apple cider vinegar until evenly coated. Heat until it begins gently bubbling or steaming, with the apples becoming glossy and juicy.
  2. Slow cooker method: cook on Low for 8-10 hours until the apples are very soft and mash easily with minimal pressure, stirring once or twice if needed. The mixture should look thick and uniform before blending.
  3. Stovetop method: simmer over medium-low heat for 45-60 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are very soft. You should see the apples breaking down into a thick applesauce texture.
Blend and thicken
  1. Blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender or food processor, stopping to scrape down as needed so no chunks remain. The puree should look silky and even.
  2. Return to heat and cook uncovered over low heat for 30-60 more minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened and deep brown. The surface should slow when spooned and the color should darken noticeably.
Season, jar, and store
  1. Stir in vanilla extract, then taste and adjust spices if needed. The spread should smell fragrant and warm with balanced spice.
  2. Ladle into sterilized jars and refrigerate up to 3 weeks, or water-bath can for 10 minutes for shelf stability. The jar contents should settle into a smooth, spoonable butter.

Notes

For the smoothest, spoon-coating texture, blend while the mixture is still hot and keep scraping the sides of the pot. Refrigerate spiced apple butter in sealed jars for up to 3 weeks; it can be water-bath canned with a 10-minute process for shelf stability. For a lower-sugar option, replace some of the sugars with a sugar substitute designed for cooking and adjust to taste at the end.