This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This small batch apple butter cooks fresh apples and warm spices down into a thick, silky spread with deep cinnamon flavor. Made from scratch in a mini slow cooker, it makes just enough for one or two.
Featured Comment
“I made the apple butter over the weekend and it was so delicious! I had no idea it was this easy to make and it’s so much better than store bought.”
– Rose
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 hours on Low, or 5 hours on High
- Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes (on Low)
- Equipment: 1.5-quart slow cooker, immersion blender
- Cook Method: Slow cooker
- Servings: 1 to 2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Sweet and deeply spiced with a bright, tart edge, thick and smooth enough to spread.
This small batch apple butter cooks 3 medium apples down into a single ¾-cup jar, the simple, from-scratch batch for one or two.
Why You’ll Love This Small Batch Apple Butter
Few things make a kitchen smell better in the fall than apples cooking down with brown sugar and spices. Where most apple butter recipes make big batches meant for canning, this one fills a single small jar of homemade apple butter, made in a slow cooker from a few apples and everyday pantry ingredients.
Apple butter is a thick, spiced spread made by cooking apples low and slow until they break down and their flavor deepens, darker and more concentrated than applesauce. A slow cooker does the work for you, with no standing over the stove stirring. In the right balance, the apples, sugar, and spices turn into a full-flavored butter, and no single spice takes over. An immersion blender at the end makes it silky and smooth.
It’s just the right amount for one or two, enough to spread on warm toast and biscuits, stir into oatmeal, or swirl through yogurt.
For more apple recipes for one, make my mini slow cooker applesauce or small batch apple fritters. And for more ways to use a few apples, try my small batch apple cinnamon scones or apple pie oatmeal.
Apple Butter Ingredients
This crock pot apple butter uses 8 simple ingredients, most already in your pantry. If you have anything left over, our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder will help you find ways to use them.
Apples: You need about 1½ pounds, which is 2 large, 3 medium, or 4 small apples, weighed before you peel and core them. A mix of sweet and tart gives the fullest flavor, so I reach for a sweet apple like Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp alongside a tart Granny Smith. Softer apples such as McIntosh break down the fastest as they cook. If you have a couple extra, make small batch fried apples or a single serve apple crisp.
Granulated sugar and brown sugar: Both sweeten the apple butter, and the brown sugar adds a light molasses note that deepens over the long cook. Sweet apples need less sugar and tart apples need more, so taste and adjust as it cooks. If you’re out of brown sugar, make a small batch with our homemade brown sugar recipe.
Lemon juice: Lemon juice adds a little tartness that offsets the sugar and keeps the flavor bright.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice: Cinnamon is the main spice here, with nutmeg and allspice behind it. Together they give the apple butter its warm, autumn flavor. If you keep apple pie spice on hand, use it in place of all three.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the spices and pulls the flavor together.
Recipe Variations
These easy apple butter variations let you change the fruit, the sweetener, or the texture.
Slow Cooker Pear Butter
You can make pure pear butter on its own, but a 50/50 mix of pears and apples comes out better. The apples add pectin that helps the butter thicken faster, and their tartness cuts the sugary sweetness of soft pears. Replace half of the apples (about ¾ pound) with ripe pears, add a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom, and cook it the same way in your 1.5-quart slow cooker.
Maple Apple Butter
Replace the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar with 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup for a deeper, autumn sweetness. Keep the granulated sugar, or cut it back if your apples are sweet.
Chunky Apple Butter
For a rustic, spoonable texture, skip the immersion blender and mash the cooked apples with a potato masher instead.
Change the Spices
Use about ¾ teaspoon of apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, or stir in a pinch of ground ginger for extra warmth.
How To Make Crockpot Apple Butter
These photos show how this small batch apple butter comes together in the slow cooker. See the recipe card below for exact amounts and full instructions.
- Peel, core, and chop the apples, then add them to a 1.5-quart slow cooker. Stir in the sugars, lemon juice, and spices until the apples are evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, stirring once or twice, until the apples are very soft.
- Take off the lid, stir, and cook uncovered on low for 1 more hour, until the apple butter looks thick and darker.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. To use a regular blender, let the mixture cool a bit first, then vent the lid and cover it with a towel so the hot apple butter doesn’t splatter.
- Let the apple butter cool, then spoon it into a clean glass jar and refrigerate. It makes about ¾ cup.
Expert Tips
Use a small slow cooker. A small amount of apples spread thin in a large cooker heats too fast and can scorch at the edges. A 1.5-quart slow cooker holds this batch at the right depth so it cooks evenly.
Cook it uncovered at the end. Taking the lid off for the last hour lets steam escape so the butter thickens. Some apples are juicier than others, so if yours still looks thin, keep cooking uncovered and check every 20 minutes.
Stop while it still looks spreadable. Apple butter firms up as it cools, so take it off the heat once it mounds softly on a spoon. It sets up more in the fridge.
Start with fresh, firm apples. Soft or overripe apples hold more water and make a thinner butter. Fresh, firm apples cook down to a thicker spread.
If possible, chill it overnight before serving. The flavor deepens and rounds out after a night in the fridge.
Troubleshooting
If your apple butter isn’t turning out quite right, here’s how to fix common issues.
Why is my apple butter too thin?
It needs more time cooking uncovered so the extra moisture can evaporate. Some apples hold more water than others, so if the apple butter looks runny, take the lid off and keep cooking on low, checking every 20 to 30 minutes. It also thickens as it cools, so a slightly loose batch often firms up in the fridge.
Why is my apple butter grainy?
The apples probably weren’t cooked soft enough or blended long enough. Cook them until they fall apart easily, then blend until completely smooth with an immersion blender. If you left the skins on, strain the apple butter after blending, since the peels can leave a grainy texture.
Why did my apple butter scorch or turn too dark?
The heat was too high or it wasn’t stirred enough, so it stuck and burned at the edges. Cook on low rather than high, stir when you can, and use a small 1.5-quart slow cooker so a small batch doesn’t overheat. Cooking low and slow deepens the color without burning it.
Serving Suggestions
Apple butter is best spread on something warm, and here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Spread it thick on hot buttered toast.
- Slather it on warm small batch butter swim biscuits straight from the oven.
- Spread it over a stack of fluffy pancakes for one.
- Add a spoonful to a waffle for one.
- Serve it with a wedge of warm small batch cornbread.
- Spoon it over a baked pork chop for one.
Frequently Asked Questions
A mix of sweet and tart apples makes the best apple butter. Sweet varieties like Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp give body and natural sweetness, while a tart apple like Granny Smith adds acidity that balances all that sugar. Softer apples like McIntosh break down the fastest.
Homemade apple butter keeps for about two weeks in the refrigerator in a clean, airtight jar. It isn’t shelf-stable unless it’s been properly canned, so keep it refrigerated.
Yes. Double all the ingredients and use a larger slow cooker, around 3 to 4 quarts, so the apples have room to cook down evenly. The cook time stays about the same.
Yes. Apple butter freezes well for up to six months in a freezer-safe container with a little room at the top for expansion. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.
You don’t have to, but peeling gives the smoothest apple butter. If you leave the skins on, strain the butter after blending so the peels don’t leave a grainy texture. I peel mine for a smooth, spoonable spread.
Yes. Add the peeled, chopped apples to a 2-quart pot with ¼ cup of water, the sugars, lemon juice, and spices, then cook over low heat until soft, about an hour, stirring every 10 minutes so they don’t scorch. Blend, simmer uncovered until thick, and stir in the vanilla at the end.
RELATED: How To Cook Small Meals In A Large Slow Cooker
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this mini slow cooker apple butter recipe please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Mini Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds apples
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Peel, core, and chop the apples, then add them to a 1.5-quart slow cooker.
- Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, and stir until the apples are evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the apples are very soft.
- Remove the lid and cook uncovered on low for 1 more hour, until the apple butter looks thick and darker.
- Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. To use a regular blender, let it cool slightly first, then vent the lid and cover it with a towel.
- Let the apple butter cool, then transfer it to a clean glass jar and refrigerate. It makes about ¾ cup (96 g, 3.38 oz.).
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
We loved it not only because it tasted great, but the small batch was just enough for the two of us. I used a vegetable chopper on the apples and the only change I made was to use apple pie spice.
So glad you enjoyed it. Apple pie spice is a great swap here since it blends the same warm spices the recipe already uses, so you get that flavor in one easy step. Thank you!
Great recipe! I made as written and would definitely recommend!
Thank you. I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe two years ago using apples from my neighbors tree. No fruit last year but this year the tree if full of fruit so I plan to me apple butter again.
Can I make this without peeling the apples?
Yes, you can make it without peeling the apples, but I prefer to peel them first. Peeling gives the apple butter a smoother texture, while leaving the skins on means you’ll likely need to strain it afterward.
I also grated whole nutmeg instead of ground nutmeg (it was what I had to hand).
I used this recipie yesterday, cut the sugar down to 1 tablespoon each of the brown and granulated, used maple extract instead of the vanilla as I am allergic to vanilla, and I used braeburn apples, this was absolutely fantastic. I did as you suggested and allowed the flavors to meld overnight, it was perfect with waffles and bacon for breakfast. Will definitely keep a batch of this on hand, thank you for a taste of “Fall in a jar”
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you so much for your feedback!
Absolutely delicious – like so many of your recipes, Joanie! I used it on pumpkin muffins. (Your recipe) Yum!! Next up, going to try on baked oatmeal. Thanks!
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it on the pumpkin muffins — it’s such a great pairing.
Could I freeze this in jars after cooling? I would assume so?
Absolutely, you can freeze apple butter! Just be sure to leave a little room in the jar since it will expand as it freezes. It can be frozen for up to 3 months—just thaw it in the fridge when you’re ready to enjoy it again!
Hi Joanie. Made this last night. It was good, but this morning after a night in the fridge, it was FABULOUS! My slow cooker runs hot so cooked 3 hours on high, 1 hour low, and 1 hour low without lid. Too lazy to get out blender. Don’t have immersion one. I like apple butter not perfectly smooth, so I used my heavy duty potato masher and was perfect texture.
Personal Preference:
I like a full apple taste. Started with only 2 tablespoons white sugar. I used Gala apples which turned out a little sweeter than I like. Next time, tart apples and probably just the brown sugar. I really like mine spicy so doubled nutmeg and added 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Another winner Joanie. ❤️ Especially since I had apples to use up. I also liked it this morning as a stir-in to my oatmeal. Appreciate you and your recipes Joanie. 🤗
I’m so happy you enjoyed the apple butter and thank you so much for your feedback.
My small crockpot only has 1 setting. I assume it is SLOW… would you by any chance know??
Also, is the 1 1/2# after coring and dicing?
Hi there! I can’t say for sure about your crockpot setting, but most single setting crockpots usually operate at a “low” setting. As for the apples, the 1 1/2 pounds is before coring and dicing.
Hope this helps! Enjoy making the apple butter!
In your opinion, is cooking it in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours better? Want this to be as good as possible 🙂
You can really use either the high or low setting on your slow cooker. I personally like using the low setting because it gives the apples plenty of time to soften along with the spices.
I was wondering. Can l use pears instead?
Love your recipes.
Thank you, Sher! Yes, you can make pear butter with this recipe. I love adding a pinch of ground ginger and sometimes a pinch of ground cardamom to my pear butter, it’s absolutely delicious!
The banana muffins were excellent! I did as you suggested. I allowed the bananas to get really ripeI! It made all the difference. I’m liking breakfast again thanks to your egg recipes.
This is so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written. It was so good with homemade hot Buttermilk Biscuits! Thank you for this wonderful recipe❤
Made this recipe yesterday and it’s delicious. Spread it on a waffle for breakfast and enjoyed every bite! Thank you for this great recipe.
Hi Joanie,
I made the apple butter over the weekend and it was so delicious! I had no idea it was this easy to make and it’s so much better than store bought. I’ll definitely be making this again. 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Rose. Thank you.
Just finished making the apple butter. The kitchen smells delicious and the apple butter is wonderful!
Thank you for a great recipe!
MJ 🍎
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you!
I made your quich for my lunch. It was delicious and turned out so light and fluffy! Thx!
how long will this last
Apple butter will last in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. In the freezer, it will last about 6 months.
This is delicious! I used one large-ish pink lady and four little granny smith apples (before peeling and coring, it all came to about 1.7 pounds), and doubled the cinnamon (I almost always double cinnamon in recipes). I have a feeling this will become a fall favorite!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your feedback.
Apples – is that 1 1/2 lbs of apples before or after peeling and coring? Thank you.
The apple butter sounds delicious. Can I make it on the stove
Yes, you can make apple butter on the stove too. Add all of the ingredients to a medium-sized pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the apples are soft and are beginning to fall apart. This usually takes me around an hour. Once the apples are soft, you can puree them.
do you have any idea of approximately how much this makes.
Hi Marda,
This small batch apple butter recipe will yield about 3/4 of a cup (96 grams, 3.38 oz.)
Ì love your recipe for a single serving PANCAKE.