Fall is on the way, and I just couldn't resist getting a jumpstart by making one of my favorite fruit spreads. This ridiculously easy Spiced Apple Butter recipe is made in an Instant Pot or Crock Pot and – my favorite part – doesn't require peeling the apples before cooking.
This jammy, spoonable no-peel apple butter has a caramel-y, concentrated apple taste from a 12 hour cook in the Instant Pot (on the slow cooker setting) or crockpot. Punctuated by cozy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, this fruit spread tastes like autumn in a jar. It also just so happens to be an excellent way to repurpose any mealy, shriveled, bruised or otherwise subpar apples lurking in your fruit bowl.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Do y'all ever get super excited about buying a bag of sale produce only to later find out that said produce was on sale for being less than great? Or have you grabbed a bag of apples - not knowing what their variety actually tasted like - because they looked good/were affordable and then they were not yummy at all?
Or have you accidentally over-purchased and now have a bowl of shriveled, sad looking apples that you know aren't meant for eating raw anymore? I know I can't possibly be the only one that has made one of these budget-busting blunders. And I know that YOU know what a bummer any of these mistakes can be.
Well, not to fret, my friends. I have found the absolute BEST way to use up the sad fall fruit that would otherwise be doomed for the compost pile. This spiced apple butter recipe is easy to make, super delicious, can be made with any variety of apples you please, can be scaled to however many extra apples you need to use, and is a great way to repurpose the fruit you wouldn't otherwise eat.
And the best part?? You don't even have to peel the apples! Simply chop them up into small pieces, dump them in your slow cooker with the sugar and spices, give em a stir, and then set it and forget it. Half a day later, you'll have a big batch of soft, spreadable, deeply spiced no-peel apple butter that tastes like a concentrated version of applesauce. YUM!
Once made, you can obviously use the fruit spread in place of jam on your morning toast. But that's not all! Use this spiced apple butter to make thumbprint or sandwich cookies; as a glaze on or accompaniment to chicken, pork chops or tenderloins; swirled into oatmeal; as a spread on your charcuterie plate; or as a topping for your pancakes and waffles. Heck, you can even use it to flavor your happy hour cocktails!
So come on and meet me in the kitchen with your tired, your poor, your bruised apples, the wretched refuse of your fruit bowl. We're gonna make something really beautiful happen.
Recipe Highlights
TL;DR? This amazingly tasty, no-peel Instant Pot apple butter recipe is:
- Quick & Easy. Your only prep is to wash, core, and chop the apples — this is a NO PEEL apple butter! Toss everything in the Instant Pot or slow cooker and let the device do all the heavy lifting for you.
- Super Versatile. This homemade apple butter is great on everything from breakfast to cheese plates, dinner to dessert! Read on below for lots of ideas how to use it.
- Made With Only 10 (Mostly Pantry) Ingredients. Apples, an orange, sugar, and spices are all you need to make this silky, spiced apple spread.
- Budget-Friendly. When apples are in season, a big batch of this homemade fruit preserve won't run more than about $5. It's also a great way to use up apples that you wouldn't want to eat out of hand!
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need 10 simple ingredients to make my no-peel apple butter in the crockpot. Here's what to grab:
- Apples - Any variety will do! You can even use ones that are a little wrinkled or bruised so long as you remove any rotten parts.
- Orange - Adding zest and juice brings a welcome bit of brightness.
- Brown Sugar & Sugar - I used a combination, but you could easily use one or the other. You can also swap in unrefined sugar like jaggery or piloncillo for a more pronounced molasses undertone.
- Cinnamon* - If you don't have ground, use cinnamon sticks. Just be sure to remove them before blending. You can also use 2-3 drops of cinnamon essential oil if you prefer.
- Ginger* - Ground ginger is always in my spice cabinet, but you're also welcome to use fresh. Just be sure to peel off the papery skin and give it a few rough cuts before tossing it in the pot.
- Nutmeg* - If you can, spring for whole nutmeg and grate it yourself. The flavor will be much more potent, and as an added bonus, whole spices last indefinitely vs. ground spices that should be tossed after 2-3 years.
- Clove* & Allspice* - Again, if you can get whole spices, you'll be glad for it. Blitz them in a spice grinder or pummel them with a mortar and pestle before adding to the pot.
- Vanilla - Swirling in a little vanilla at the end will give these apple preserves some serious depth of flavor. Feel free to swap in vanilla paste or powder if that's what you have on hand. You can also get fancy and add the seeds of a vanilla pod. Just save the pod (they're expensive!) to make some vanilla sugar, vanilla extract, or vanilla syrup before you toss it.
*These spices are used to make pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice; feel free to swap in an equal amount of either of these blends to cut down on the number of bottles you get out of the cabinet.
How To Make No-Peel Apple Butter
Making no-peel spiced apple butter in the Instant Pot (or slow cooker) couldn't be easier. Here's how it's done:
Step 1: Prep Ingredients. Wash & chop apples. Add all ingredients (except for vanilla extract) to the Instant Pot or Crock Pot.
Step 2: Cook, Covered. Cook for 10 hours on low heat.
Step 3: Blend the contents of the pot using an immersion blender. Add vanilla extract.
Step 4: Thicken by continuing to cook another 2 hours on low, uncovered.
Pro Tips
- Waste not, want not: Instead of tossing the apple cores, use them to make an infused simple syrup first. Add equal parts sugar and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan (or 2 parts sugar and 1 part water if you like a rich syrup). Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the apple cores, plus a stick or two of cinnamon and a few whole cloves if you like, and let steep for 40 minutes. Strain, pour into a squeeze bottle and store in the fridge for a month or more. Use as a syrup for waffles or pancakes, stir into oatmeal, or use as cocktail flavoring.
- Apple Corers: I'm not usually a proponent of what Alton Brown calls "uni-taskers," but if you like to eat a lot of apples in the fall, an apple corer is well worth the expense and space in your drawers.
Serving Suggestions
This deliciously spiced crockpot apple butter walks the line between sweet and savory, making it ideal for a multitude of applications. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- On toast, pancakes, or waffles
- Swirled into yogurt
- As a topping on oatmeal
- As a flavoring for cocktails
- On a cheese or charcuterie platter
- Served as a side or as a glaze on chicken or pork
- Spread on sandwiches (especially turkey, chicken, or pork)
- As a filling for sandwich or thumbprint cookies
- Swirled into salted caramel ice cream
- As a hostess gift
Frequently Asked Questions
The great thing about slow cooked apple butter is that texture doesn't matter; it's all gonna get blended into smooth, jammy goodness! As such, feel free to use apples that are a little on the mealy side (e.g. Red Delicious) that you wouldn't necessarily want to eat out of hand. That said, this recipe will work using any variety (or mixture) of apples that you like!
Since there is a decent amount of sugar (which acts as a preservative), this crockpot apple butter should be just fine in the fridge for up to 3 months, or in the freezer for up to a year!
You sure don't! Since we're blending it all up anyway (and since there's lots of good flavor and nutrients in the peels), keep it simple and leave the peels on.
If you'd like your apple butter to get thicker, simply simmer it in the slow cooker with the lid off until enough liquid evaporates to reach a consistency that you like.
More Fall Recipe Inspiration
If you tried this recipe and loved it, be sure to rate and review it below! For more inexpensive and delicious recipe inspiration, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, & Facebook. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter!
Easy, No-Peel Apple Butter (Instant Pot or Crockpot)
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Slow Cooker/Crockpot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Apples peel on, cored and diced
- ½ C brown sugar
- ½ C granulated sugar
- 1 Orange juiced
- 2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon*
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger*
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg*
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves*
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice*
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients. Wash & chop apples. Add all ingredients (except for vanilla extract) to the Instant Pot or Crock Pot.
- Cook, Covered. Cook for 10 hours on low heat.
- Blend the contents of the pot using an immersion blender. Add vanilla extract.
- Thicken by continuing to cook another 2 hours on low, uncovered. Spoon into clean jars and refrigerate.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
This deliciously spiced crockpot apple butter walks the line between sweet and savory, making it ideal for a multitude of applications. Here are a few ideas to get you started:- On toast, pancakes, or waffles
- Swirled into yogurt
- As a topping on oatmeal
- As a flavoring for cocktails
- On a cheese or charcuterie platter
- Served as a side or as a glaze on chicken or pork
- Spread on sandwiches (especially turkey, chicken, or pork)
- As a filling for sandwich or thumbprint cookies
- Swirled into salted caramel ice cream
- As a hostess gift
Let's taco 'bout it.