Crockpot Apple Butter

Do you love to make things from scratch? Like in the good old days, when your Granny or your Momma would spend the afternoon in the kitchen and the entire house would smell of cinnamon and sweet, warm goodness? I sure do! I love to make things that I think will set the tone for my family, for my children and grandchildren, to help them make special memories. One of the best ways to help create a memory is with engaging the senses, taste and smell together and you’ve got a fabulous memory developing!

When we make homemade apple butter, it starts with something fun! We make a trip to the local Apple Orchard and get our apples, the grandkids love this part, especially the hayride. Once we have our apples picked, and we’ve had a carmel apple, carmel corn, & an apple cider slushie, we go home to make some apple goodness!

I start with washing my apples. A sink full of cold water and a quick bath then we start peeling. I use a tool that belonged to my Granny which is an apple corer/peeler/slicer all in one. it works fabulous! Once we have all the apples prepared, this takes a while but it’s fun for the kids, we put all the apples in the crockpot, dump in all the yummy spices and sugar and pop the lid on. A few hours later, that apple butter is ready to go!

Now it’s time to can that stuff! Canning is something that a lot of people tend to fear, or think is too hard. Folks, it is really simple! Just take your jars, probably 8 of them for one batch and put them in a pan of hot water, fully submerged and bring to a boil, in a small saucepan put your lids and bring them to a boil along with the jars to sterilize (I do the rings too because i’m anal like that). I let mine boil for 4-5 minutes to make sure they are good and hot and all the bugs are killed. Carefully take the hot jars out of the water and fill each one with apple butter and place a lid and ring on it. Once you have all the jars filled, place them back into the boiling water (setting upright) and allow them to gently boil for 20 minutes. Once the time is up remove them from the water and set on the cabinet to cool. As the jars begin cooling you will hear a little “pop” which is the lid sealing, assuring it is processed properly and ready to store. Do not tilt or move the jars until fully cooled and sealed.

Now that you’ve finished the hard part, it’s time for the fun part! I love to treat my family to apple butter with fried biscuits. Oh what a treat! I have a fry daddy, but it is not necessary. You can use a heavy saucepan to do the same thing. Heat that oil up and drop canned biscuits (I use the little biscuits) one by one into the hot oil. Allow to fry until golden brown and remove from oil roll in white sugar and place on a plate, serve warm with fresh apple butter!

I hope you have the chance to give my apple butter & fried biscuits a try, you won’t be sorry! Have a blessed day friends!

Crockpot Apple Butter

• 5-7 pounds fresh apples (2-3 dozen)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• Core, peel & slice apples. Place in crockpot. Mix cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg and salt and pour over apples. Coat well. Cook on high 5 hours & stir. Add vanilla and cook on high 2 hours longer. Place all contents of crockpot into blender or food processor and puree. Pour into hot jars and fit with lid/ring and process 20 minutes in boiling water bath. Remove and cool.