{Taste of the Coast} Our Easy Apple Butter Recipe

As promised…today’s Taste of the Coast recipe is the Easy Apple Butter recipe!  Liz was recently hanging out on Pinterest (surprise, surprise!) and forwarded me a recipe for Easy Apple Butter.  What’s even better is that you make it in a crock pot (slow cooker) and it is sooooo easy and delicious to prepare.  Apple Butter has been a favorite of mine since I was a child and for some reason it never crossed my mind to make it at home….duh!  It is such a perfect thing to make during Autumn as it fills your beach cottage with delightful aromas for hours and hours.

By being able to prepare this delicious treat in the crock pot it fits perfectly into my easy, beachy style of cooking; inexpensive, filling and delicious.

You can use any variety of apple that you have on hand ~ I actually cheated on my first batch and purchased a 6 lb. can of Fiji Apples from Cash ‘n Carry which were peeled, cored and sliced for a cost of $5.00.  I’m sure that you could find similar deals at Costco or other warehouse stores too.  Remember that the flavor changes based on the type of apple used, so it only makes sense to use your favorite variety.

Marie’s Easy Crock Pot Apple Butter Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds apples {cored, peeled and sliced}
• 2 cups granulated Splenda {or sugar if you prefer}
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions:

Peel and core your apples. Cut into quarters.  The original recipe stated, “You are likely to find many recipes that say that you must chop the apples. I have tried both ways, and have found that this is an unnecessary step. When using a slow cooker, there is no need to exert the extra effort of finely chopping your apples.”

Simply place all ingredients in your crock pot, set it on low, and let it simmer for 9-12 hours without lifting the lid.

Once it reaches the desired consistency I ladled the apples into my blender* and pulsed for a few seconds. I poured the blended butter into a bowl and allowed it to cool in the refrigerator overnight (it will taste different and less sweet when cooled).

Once cooled, I separated the apple butter into a small glass jar with lid which can remain in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.  Ziplock Freezer bags were filled with the remainder and can be stored for 1 year in freezer.

*If you like a chunkier apple butter then don’t put in the blender.

We’ve used our Apple Butter on toast, pancakes, waffles and cottage cheese.  It really is fabulous. Enjoy!

Variation: So-Easy Apple Butter from Midwest Living

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