Crockpot Apple Butter {Recipe}

Nothing makes a house smell better than apples and cinnamon. With two trees full of apples ready for picking, I decided to try my go at canning for the first time!

 I started off with this easy recipe, and now I'm hooked. Call me old fashioned or old (it's ok, my husband does!) - but canning is a blast, it's so much fun to see what you've grown in your garden turn into something great to eat.

Plus, with the mason jar craze, these little guys make great gifts!

This recipe is for about 6 pints - plenty of delicious apple butter to go around!

Ingredients:

6 dozen apples, peeled, cored, cubed

(The apples I have are tart little Gravensteins, not super great for anything else - but they tasted great in the apple butter - so don't be afraid to use a not so desirable variation of apple for this recipe)

3 Cups  Bottled Apple Cider

1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

3 teaspoon Cinnamon

Step 1 - the tedious step!

Peel, core, and chop all of your apples. Be patient, this part takes time, but the outcome is SO worth it!

Note: this step is often much more enjoyable with a tall glass of wine....or 3.

Note: this step is EVEN BETTER if you can rope a friend in to endure this step with you!

Step 2 - Mix it, mix it real good!

Mix together your apples with your cinnamon and brown sugar - this isn't a real science, just enough to cover the apples.

Step 3 - Set it, and Forget it!

You're in the home stretch - mix all of your ingredients 

(this is where you pour your apple cider in now)

Set your crock pot on medium, and let it set for 15 hours! 

When you come back to check on your masterpiece, you will have an amazing smelling creamy butter eagerly awaiting to be canned!

**Optional Step: if you prefer your apple butter to be extra smooth (think store bought) - you can use your immersion blender to achieve that texture. I prefer the chunkier, and it was just fine straight out of the crock pot.**

Step 4 - Preservation Mode

You can can your jar of apple butter, and it will last about six months in the refrigerator, but if you plan on preserving your apple butter, follow these next steps!

Water bath your cans for about 15 minutes.

For great tips on canning apples for beginners head here.

Wait for the POP to indicate your lids are sealed.

And now the best part.........enjoy your newest creation!

Linking up - so happy to BEE a part of it ;)

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