Slow-Cooker Applesauce/Apple Butter
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October 9, 2025. — Susan Greene
This week’s CSA apples and cider from the farmstand inspired my most requested recipe: homemade applesauce/apple butter. I use McIntosh apples because they’re soft and practically melt when cooked, with Cortlands as a flavorful second apple that hold up beautifully in the slow cooker. Simple, cozy, and full of seasonal flavor, it’s a treat everyone will love straight from the jar.
Ingredients:
1/2 peck McIntosh apples, 8-10 large apples
1/2 peck Cortland apples, 8-10 large apples
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
How to Make:
- Peel and chop your apples into small chunks—about 1-inch pieces works well, but slices or spirals are fine too. They’ll cook down no matter the shape.
- Layer half of the apples in the slow cooker, then add the apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Top with the remaining apple chunks.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Stir the apples—it should already be more sauce than chunks. If you still have larger pieces, smooth them out with an immersion blender. No immersion blender? A potato masher or regular blender works just as well.
- At this point, your applesauce is ready to enjoy! For a thicker, richer apple butter, leave the slow cooker lid off and continue cooking on low for 2–3 more hours or high for 1–2 hours, depending on your preferred consistency.
Store in the refrigerator for 1–2 weeks, or preserve by canning for shelf-stable storage up to 12–18 months. Homemade applesauce or apple butter makes a lovely holiday gift alongside baked goods or tea.
Items I recommend from this recipe:
