Naturally sweet apples and warm cinnamon make this sugar free apple butter one of the most delicious and easy-to-make spreads for fall! This apple butter is healthy, requiring only three ingredients, and is easily made in the crockpot!
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to cherish each season and what it has to offer. This last spring and summer was our first year gardening, and I really came to understand the work it takes to grown your own food. It also made me look at nature in a whole different way. While going on walks, observing the plants around us throughout the spring and summer seasons just made me appreciate nature so much more. I also appreciate even more where my food comes from and the work that went into growing it.
Now that it is officially fall, I’m fully embracing it. After all, fall is my absolute favorite time here in the Midwest. This year has been warmer than others, and I’m not sad about it, but soon it will cool down and time will start to slow a bit. Although we’ve been embracing the flavors of fall already, it won’t be long before we’re in full on cool weather mode. Hearty dishes that stick to your ribs and warm spices will be a welcomed treat. Soon the trees will be in full color and it really is one of the most spectacular sights.
PIN FOR LATER!
With every fall comes the hype around pumpkins and apples, and for good reason. Both are so delicious and so versatile because they can be made into sweet or savory dishes. If you’re like a lot of people, you may even find yourself at an apple orchard picking apples or a farmer’s market where apples are readily available. So what do you do with all those apples you’ve suddenly found yourself with?
Of course you can eat them fresh, but why not create something even more delicious? You could incorporate them into something like this spiced apple pecan bread or turn them into delicious homemade applesauce. You could also take it a step further and make homemade apple butter! That’s what we’re doing today. My wonderful mother-in-law gifted us about 24 pounds of apples (half a bushel) and I’ve been able to make about 6 quarts of applesauce, well as a little over a pint of this delicious and healthy apple butter. So, without further ado, let’s get into the recipe!
VIDEO
WHAT IS APPLE BUTTER?
Apple butter, technically speaking, is a concentrated, thickened form of applesauce. Apple butter is created by slowly cooking down applesauce and allowing the excess juice and water to evaporate, which leaves a thick and sweet apple spread! You can spread it on anything from toast, to crepes, to pancakes, or even eat it by itself! This recipe only requires two ingredients, with an option of a third, which makes it super easy to make. It can also be made either on the stovetop or in a crockpot with a fairly hands-off approach!
Most apple butter recipes call for a good amount of sugar, but this recipe requires none! The key to getting a delicious sugar-free apple butter is choosing a sweet variety of apple. In this recipe, I’m using Cortland apples, but there are several other varieties that would work well. Check the notes under the recipe for more recommendations! As the apples cook down, they get even sweeter. I like to add a little bit of lemon juice, and it balances the sweetness a bit. The cinnamon in this recipe leaves you with a nice, warm flavor and helps enhance the natural sweetness of the apples. Now, without further ado, let’s get into making some delicious apple butter!
TOOLS YOU MAY NEED
- Cutting board and knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 7-qt crockpot
- High powered blender or food processor
- Airtight container for storage
INGREDIENTS
- 10 cups diced apples (see notes for types of apples to use in this recipe)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER
Wash, peel and dice your apples. You’ll need about 10 cups in total. See the notes below on what types of apples are best to use in this recipe.
Add the diced apples to a 7 qt crockpot, add in lemon juice (optional) and mix. Cover and cook the apples on low for 3-4 hours, or longer, depending on what apples you use, until they have broken down and are soft and easy to break apart.
Remove the apples from the crockpot and blend them in a high powered blender or food processor or use a hand mixer until they are nice and smooth. You can also use a food You have now made applesauce, but we’re going to keep going!
Pour the applesauce back into the crockpot, add cinnamon, cover and cook on low for an additional 2-3 hours or until the mixture has reduced in volume and is thickened.
Allow the apple butter to cool and use right away or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in freezer for up to 4 months!
NOTES
- Lemon juice is totally optional, so if you don’t have any on hand, no worries!
- Try adding in other spices like allspice.
- This recipe works best with a sweeter variety of apple like Cortlands (what I used), Gala, Golden Delicious, et cetera.
- If you don’t have a crockpot, this recipe can easily be made in a stockpot on the stove, although the cooking times may vary.
- This recipe is not approved for canning. If you want an apple butter recipe that you can preserve, check out a recipe like this one.
Healthy Apple Butter
Naturally sweet apples and warm cinnamon make this healthy homemade apple butter one of the most delicious and easy-to-make spreads of fall! This homemade apple butter recipe is sugar free and can be made easily in the crockpot!
Ingredients
- 10 cups diced apples (see notes for types of apples to use in this recipe)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Wash, peel and dice your apples. You'll need about 10 cups in total. See the notes below on what types of apples are best to use in this recipe.
- Add the diced apples to a 7 qt crockpot, add in lemon juice (optional) and mix. Cover and cook the apples on low for 3-4 hours, or longer, depending on what apples you use, until they have broken down and are soft and easy to break apart.
- Remove the apples from the crockpot and blend them in a high powered blender or food processor until they are nice and smooth. You have now made applesauce, but we're going to keep going!
- Pour the applesauce back into the crockpot, add cinnamon, cover and cook on low for an additional 2-3 hours or until the mixture has reduced in volume and is thickened.
- Allow the apple butter to cool and use right away or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in freezer for up to 4 months!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield 48 tablespoons Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 13Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 0g
Nutrition facts can vary based on different brands of ingredients and does not account for substitutions. This nutrition information is only an estimate.
CHECK OUT MORE OF MY EASY LOW SUGAR/SUGAR FREE RECIPES
Looking for healthier low sugar or sugar free recipes? Check these out:
- Healthy Sweet Potato Bread
- Healthy Dairy Free Spiced Walnut Pancakes
- Sugar Free Homemade Applesauce
- Refined Sugar Free Brownies
Did you make this homemade healthy apple butter? If you enjoyed it, I’d really appreciate if you came back and gave it a five star rating! Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation of this recipe!
I am always looking for more ways to use apples during the fall. This is an easy and delicious recipe to follow. I am pinning the recipe to make some homemade apple butter soon.