I’ve always loved teaching.
When I was a young girl, I used to play school with my stuffed animals and any friends that I could trick into being a student in my class. I made an Attendance List (the students didn’t always show up on time!) and I taught math, writing, art, and deep life lessons from a 4th grader.
Turning to my stuffed duck “Quackers”, I would often say, “Quackers, why were you late for school this morning? I’m going to have to see you after class today.”
Sighing, I marked a big “L” beside his name.
“Jonathan and Annabel, please stop talking while the lesson is being taught.”
”PLEASE STOP TALKING CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANNABELLLLLLLLLLL”
It wasn’t always roses and puppy dogs.
While I didn’t end up becoming a teacher, I do like to pretend I’m one on the blog. I also know when you’re skipping class!
But today, I’d like to be the student. And I think you can help…
I’m on a fruit butter making kick.
Earlier this week, I made my beloved pumpkin butter in a slow cooker and turned out wonderfully.
I’ve been spreading it on everything and mixing it into oatmeal. As soon as I see sugar pumpkins at the market, I will be making pumpkin butter from fresh pumpkins later this Fall.
After my pumpkin butter success, I decided to make apple butter. I’ve never made it before, but I absolutely LOVE it. I researched about 10 different apple butter recipes, trying to decide the best way to make it (there are a lot of methods!). I decided to go with the most popular apple butter recipe on All Recipes with 5 stars and 525 reviews. Although, without the 4 cups of white sugar…
I added fresh ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon sticks, 1/3 cup Sucanat, and a 1/4 cup of apple juice instead.
Then I bought 5 pounds of local, sweet apples!
It took me just 10 minutes to peel 5 pounds of apples. Not too shabby!
(That picture only shows half the apples)
I diced the apples. I added cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, apple juice, ground cloves, and a touch of Sucanat.
Mix in slow cooker:
I heated on high covered for 1 hour. I waited.
Then I turned the heat to low, still covered, and cooked for another 15 and 1/2 hours. I waited. I may have slept.
I came downstairs hoping to find thick and dark apple butter, but no such luck. I think it’s somewhere in between applesauce and apple butter right now!…
I’ve been cooking it on medium heat, uncovered, for a couple hours so far this morning.
And I’m praying for a miracle.
Anyone have any words of advice for me? Did I make it all wrong?
Can I get a hall pass, please? I really need to pee.
hmmm chunky apple butter isn’t so bad. Maybe try using an immersion blender? Or letting some moisture escape to condense it even more might work.
Keep us updated on how the apple butter turns out! I want to go apple picking in Georgia this fall and make lovely ciders and butters and all sorts of goodies :)
I’m just guessing here but I wonder if the 5 cups of sugar helped break down the apples in the original recipe….could you process it in the food proccessor beforehand or after? or just the apples beforehand or after?
I agree with the comments on leaving the lid off. I haven’t made this in a long time, but you do have to reduce it down by letting the moisture evaporate. Also, my father used to make apple butter without sugar. He would add raisins to the apples. It made the thickest, richest, most naturally sweet apple butter.
I can help you! First, I boil the apples over high heat to give them a head start breaking down. Make sure the apples are covered well with water to start. Boil for about 30 minutes. Then I throw it all in the vitamix once it’s cooled down. After blending, THEN put it in the slow cooker on low, with the lid barely cracked and cook for at least 12 hours! Perfection! Ps- don’t add anything to apples until after you purée. Good luck, you’re going to love it!
I should also note, purée the cooked apples WITH any leftover liquid – don’t drain! :)
I hope it turns out! I love apple butter and was turned off from making it because of the sugar.
Wow, this looks delicious, and now that fall is here (almost!) I just can’t eat enough cinnamony apples. Thank you for sharing this, I had no idea that apple butter could be made in the slow cooker. I have learned so much from your blog – you may not have a classroom, but you most definitely ARE a teacher, and a good one! :)
I put a dish cloth under tin lid to absorb low moisture. I use a hand blender to puree the apples whew they are transferred to the stove top. I use agave instead of succanant.
I had a quick question re: Sucanat. Does it have the same effect on your blood sugar as white sugar, or is it slower absorbing like molasses and brown rice syrup and other natural sweeteners? I can’t eat the former but natural sweeteners don’t seem to affect me as much so I’m curious about Sucanat :).
I’m not sure about its effects on blood sugar, but I do know that Sucanat is whole cane sugar which means it is pure dried sugar cane juice and the least refined. I loooove it. It’s not perfect for every recipe (tends to be dry), but it’s very wholesome tasting.
brown rice syrup is a sweetener that’s not supposed to spike blood sugar levels, but give a slow release. I don’t know if that’s been confirmed or not?
When I made apple butter I blended all my apples into applesauce before I baked them down in oven (the house smells divine!)…but I really like the slow cooker idea because mine had a tendency to burn near the end :/ I would suggest blending yours’ up either with an immersion blender or a regular ol’ blender, to get it nice and creamy and spreadable :) then cook it some more with the lid off to get rid of any excess liquid…if you can wait!
We made ours in the oven, but always make applesauce first and then turn it into apple butter with all the spices. It takes about 2 hours in the oven, and a lot of moisture evaporates. That would be a quicker method if you’re not set on using the slow cooker.
I can’t really offer much more either except to give it a run through the food processor. I say can it and give it to readers. Oh um, did I say that outloud? :-)
oooooo fruit butters!! I think I wanna make some too now! Hmmm Never tried making it before Angela, but I think fruit butters actually have MORE sugar in them than jams/preserves do? So perhaps it wasn’t enough sugar?
I have never made apple butter before but I LOVE it! I would definately like to make some soon! I can see [from your reply to Leanne] that you got it done! Hopefully we’ll see some photos :) & I played school ALL the time when I was little :) Along with dentist & store!
4 hours is fast! Good for you. Mine took so many hours I forgot to count. It was a multi-day project. But a very large batch, too, from almost a half bushel of seconds apples.
I core the apples (’cause of the cyanide in the seeds) but I don’t peel or chop as finely as you did. If you have a food mill, it’s awesome for smoothing out a puree while removing the peels. If I had a strong blender like a Vitamix, though, I might keep the peels.
I’ve never made apple butter, but what you described is exactly how I make homemade applesauce (minus the sugar)! Also, it’s not necessary to chop the apples as you did. Within 3 hours in the slow cooker on low, they turn to complete mush. I just use an apple slicer and throw them in that way. I’d be interested to know if I keep cooking my applesauce, would it turn into apple butter??
I think so. I started by making applesauce and cooked it down further (a LOT) into butter. Another previous poster started with sauce, too. I think I reduced it 300% or more. I also added spices, but I don’t suppose that’s required.
All I know is your house must SMELL AMAZING!!!
I think like others taking the lid off would help, You would think anyways. :)
Do you need a slow cooker to make apple butter? I would LOVE to make some but don’t have a slow cooker and wasn’t planning on getting one anytime soon.
And ps I just tried my first green monster this morning and I’m HOOKED!! Thanks for sharing I love your blog :)
I know someone who used an oven, but I don’t know the specifics.
My mom always used a stovetop or ove method. It takes more monitoring than a slow-cooker, but the results are still great.