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Three small glass jars of homemade Cranberry Sauce, one open in front, with fresh cranberries, apples, and a sprig of rosemary.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Butter

A vibrant, tangy-sweet apple butter infused with tart cranberries and warm spices, slowly cooked to a rich, spreadable consistency perfect for toast, yogurt, or as a holiday gift.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 half-pint jars
Course: Breakfast, Condiment, Dessert, Spread
Cuisine: American
Calories: 90
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs Granny Smith or Fuji apples peeled, cored, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup pure
  • 1/2 cup apple cider or water
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp salt fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract pure

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (6-quart or larger)
  • Vegetable Peeler
  • Apple corer
  • Potato Masher
  • Immersion Blender (optional)
  • Sterilized jars (half-pint or pint)
  • Canning funnel (optional)

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Peel, core, and chop the apples into roughly 1-inch pieces. Rinse the cranberries thoroughly.
  2. In a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker, combine the chopped apples, cranberries, brown sugar, maple syrup, apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Stir well to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
Cooking Process
  1. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or until the apples and cranberries are very soft and easily mashable.
  2. Uncover the slow cooker. Using a potato masher, thoroughly mash the fruit mixture directly in the slow cooker until mostly smooth. For an extra smooth consistency, carefully use an immersion blender to process the mixture until desired smoothness is achieved. Be careful of hot splashes.
  3. Leave the slow cooker uncovered and continue to cook on LOW for another 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. This step allows excess moisture to evaporate, thickening the apple butter to a rich, spreadable consistency. The butter should be dark in color and hold its shape on a spoon.
Finishing and Storage
  1. Stir in the vanilla extract. Taste the cranberry apple butter and adjust sweetness or spices if needed.
  2. Carefully ladle the hot cranberry apple butter into clean, sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Seal tightly with lids.

Notes

Storage: Store unopened jars in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks. For longer storage, you can process the jars using a hot water bath canner (follow proper canning guidelines) for up to 1 year, or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions: Enjoy on toast, muffins, pancakes, stirred into oatmeal or yogurt, or as a delicious accompaniment to pork or poultry dishes. It also makes a wonderful homemade gift!
Variations: For a less tart butter, reduce cranberries to 8-10 ounces or increase brown sugar slightly. You can also add a splash of bourbon or brandy in the last hour of cooking for an adult twist.