A Weeks Worth of Apples- Part II- Simple & Easy Apple Butter

Do you own a crock pot? Yes...... Well then get ready for the easiest apple butter recipe ever! (Don't own a crock pot.... well, go get one! They are life savers!)

Ingredients/items needed:
-20-30 apples (I used 3 different kinds)
-4 cups brown sugar
-4 tablespoons cinnamon
-1 cup water (I have heard you can use juice, but I haven't ever tried)
-crockpot
-blender/immersion mixer (I used my ninja)

Each year I get apples I dread coming home , because I usually am stuck in the kitchen for days peeling and coring apples. But for this recipe you get to leave the peels on which is fantastic. If possible I always try to not peel my apples. The peels contain most of the great vitamin. Check out this post on apple peels (http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4791328).  

Okay so let's get started...

Step 1: wash apples, if bought from a store try to get the wax off of your apples.

Step 2: cut up apple and remove the core. You can use any method you like for this. I stick to a sharp knife and cutting board. Took me about  45 minutes or one episode of dancing with the stars to finish cutting up all my apple. (This is with me tripling the recipe)

Step 3: add chopped apple to crockpot along with 1 cup of water. Cook on low and leave pot alone for 10-12 hours. I set mine at 9:00pm and they were ready for me the next morning at 9am.

*side note: if you are wondering what type of crockpot to use my answer would be any. I own 3, yes 3.... I have my reasons don't judge me... My 1st was a gift , it is a 4 quart, my 2nd is an 7 quart (I needed the extra room so I could make things like a whole chicken), and my last one is another 4 quart (it is pretty and red and it was singing "buy me, I'm on sale" when I walked past it in the store. What's a girl to do) I figured my 1st would have given out on me already, but it is going on 8 years now. I do suggest that if you know your crockpot runs hot, you may have to get up and stir it a few time, just to make sure you aren't burning the bottom.

Step 4: blend your apples smooth. We are aiming for a "butter" texture so blend out those lumps. I dumped mine into my ninja and let it mix for about 2 minutes on high. I hear an immersion blender words great here, but sadly I don't own one yet. ( wish list) then add 4 cups of brown sugar and 4 Tbsp cinnamon. For my small crockpot I only added 3 cups of sugar (not packed down) and 3 Tbsp of cinnamon, just because I was only able to fit about 15 apple in them, but my larger one I was able to hold roughly 25 apples. Blend till mixed. It will change the color a bit like in the pictures below.

cooked apples ( these have been in the
crockpot for almost 11 hours)

Blended in ninja and the poured back into crockpot

Color after brown sugar and cinnamon were added

Step 5: put the lid back on but leave it off just a bit to allow water to evaporate. I grabbed 2 bamboo sticks and propped my lid on that. The water needs to evaporate in order for your apple butter to thicken. Let cook for another 10 hours.

Bamboo sticks allow water to evaporate and the apple butter to thicken.

Step 6: sanitize your jars and lids according to proper canning directions. I stick my jars in the dishwasher and run a sanitize cycle. Then I submerged my lids in water and place in the microwave until almost boiling.

Step 7: use a canning funnel and pour the butter into your jars leaving 1/4 head space. Remove the bubbles add lids and process in water bath for 5-10 minutes depending on altitude. ( I processed mine for 5 minutes)

Step 8: Eat and enjoy! I sat down and made toast with apple butter and enjoyed eating it along side my herbal tea as a night snack, and it was just perfect. Add it to your oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, or toast. Anyway you have it it will be mouth watering good, or as my husband says this is slap your momma good.

My recipe tripled yielded 24 pints of apple butter.

Yes, this recipe may the a long time overall and on paper, but I think I was only directly involved in less the 2 hours of the total 21 hour prep and cook time. Plus I am cooking while I sleep. There is nothing more satisfying then waking up to the delicious smell of apples first thing in the morning.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as well as I did! What are some of your unique go to crockpot recipes? For the future I would love to find and make a salsa recipe or maybe even a red sauce recipe for the crockpot.

-Stephanie