How to Make Apple Butter (No Added Sugar)
User Reviews
4.9
How to Make Apple Butter (No Added Sugar)
Description
How to Make Apple Butter (No Added Sugar) involves gently cooking peeled, cored, and chopped Fuji apples with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and a bit of water in a slow cooker. Initially, the apples cook covered until very soft. After pureeing to applesauce, the mixture cooks uncovered on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, allowing moisture to evaporate and flavors to concentrate, creating a thick, smooth apple butter.
The spices meld with the natural apple sugars to produce a richly flavored spread that requires no added sweeteners. This method emphasizes slow, controlled cooking to develop the characteristic apple butter consistency and flavor.
This apple butter can be enjoyed on toast, as a sweetener for oatmeal or yogurt, or used in baking. Cooking uncovered may cause some splattering; placing towels around the slow cooker helps manage cleanup.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs apple I used Fuji
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves ground
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Core and chop the apples (I used this handy apple slicer to do it quickly) and place them in the bowl of your slow cooker. Add in the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and water then cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the apples are tender enough to fall apart with mashed with a fork. (If you're using a VitaClay, this process only takes 2 hours.)
- To make applesauce, use an immersion blender to puree the cooked apples. (If you chose to peel your apples, you can just use a fork or potato masher to break down the apples.) You could stop here, and enjoy this delicious spiced applesauce, but you'll need to keep cooking it down to create apple butter.
- Loosely cover the pot with the lid, leaving a vent for steam to escape, and set the slow cooker to cook for another 6 to 8 hours on low, or until the applesauce has reduced by nearly half. Alternatively, you could heat the applesauce on high 45 minutes, then reduce the heat to low to quicken the process, but be sure to not leave it on high too long, or you'll risk burning the apples on the bottom. (I cooked mine in the VitaClay for 45 minutes on the "stew" setting-- which is high heat-- then transferred the applesauce to a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat to finish the thickening process, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning.)
- Once the apple butter is nice and thick, transfer it to a glass jar and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. (You can also freeze any extra for a longer shelf life!) Serve the apple butter over your favorite toast, pancakes, meats, salads, or simply enjoy it by the spoonful!
Notes
- Keep the slow cooker lid slightly open during the reduction phase to let steam escape without making a mess.
- Place towels around your slow cooker to catch any splatters while the apple butter reduces.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 44 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 44kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Sodium | 1mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 91mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 45IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 3.9mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 6mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.1mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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