This crabapple recipe uses small, tart crabapples and turns them into a delicious batch of slow cooker apple butter.
This spring, the crabapple tree near our apartment was loaded with blossoms-- and I got excited.
Last year's harvest was disappointing-- nonexistent-- but I knew that the blossoms were a very good sign.
And sure enough, as spring turned into summer, those blossoms dropped away...
Revealing ever-so-tiny apples beginning to grow.
Finally, as the summer heat beat down on the pretty little tree, the apples were ready.
We grabbed our stepladders and buckets, and started picking!
This crabapple recipe is for slow cooker apple butter, and is a perfect way to turn tart crabapples into a delicious breakfast spread.
Want more PLANT HARVESTING + GARDEN TO TABLE recipe ideas? Try Honeysuckle Vodka, Honeysuckle Simple Syrup, Pine Needle Tea, Catnip Tea, and Citronella Plant Simple Syrup
What is a Crabapple?
The term crabapple refers to a wide variety of small, wild apples that are generally 2 inches in diameter or smaller.
Some crabapple trees are simply ornamental, without fruit or with very tiny fruit, but others grow small, tart apples.
It should be easy to identify a crabapple tree, because you'll see tiny apples hanging from the branches when the fruit is in season.
If you find a tree that you're unsure about, however, try using a tree field guide. I recommend the Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees.
Are Crabapples Edible?
Yes.
But some will taste better than others!
Some crabapple trees produce sweet apples that can be eaten raw straight from the tree.
Others will be bitter, tart, or have dry or unpleasant textures-- eating these raw could lead to a stomach ache.
This recipe is perfect for both delicious and very tart crabapples, and since you're cooking the apples until they break down, the original texture doesn't matter.
Keep in mind that, just as with regular apples, you shouldn't eat the stems, leaves, or mildly poisonous apple seeds.
How to Harvest Crabapples
First, make sure the tree is on your property, or that you have permission to pick the apples.
Avoid trees that are near major roadways or other sources of pollutants.
Skip apples with major blemishes, which may have started to rot or been eaten by worms.
Minor spots on the outside of the apple are fine, as long as the apple looks undamaged when you cut it open.
If you use stepladders to reach the apples-- practice good ladder safety.
Make sure the ladder's feet are on level ground, the locking spreaders are all the way extended, and that you avoid stepping on the top two rungs of the ladder.
I also recommend wearing gloves (I always seem to find a few tiny spiders in my apple bucket after harvesting), and checking for ticks afterwards (especially if the tree branches are overhead).
How Do I Weigh My Harvest for This Crabapple Recipe?
Unless you have a large kitchen scale, you might be inclined to guess at the weight of the apples.
Don't guess.
I recommend being a little more precise, because the ratio of apples to water is important.
If there's not enough water, the high levels of pectin in the crabapples will over-thicken your apple butter, and it will have a gluey consistency.
If there's too much water, your apple butter could be runny.
How can you weigh your apples without a large kitchen scale?
Option 1: You can weigh the apples in batches using a standard kitchen scale.
I use an old-fashioned kitchen scale like this one (because it's pretty), but if you want to be as precise as possible, go with a digital kitchen scale.
Option 2: Use a body weight (bathroom) scale.
Simply add the apples to something that doesn't weigh much (like a plastic bag), and then weigh yourself AND the apples.
Then, weigh yourself without the apples. Subtract, and now you know how much your apples weigh!
No scale of any kind? You could also estimate by volume-- 5 pounds of apples fills approximately ⅔ of my 6 quart slow cooker.
How to Core Crabapples for a Crabapple Recipe
If you want to skip coring the apples, I have alternate directions in the recipe card.
Tedious as it might seem, I prefer to core the apples before cooking them, because it gives me a chance to make sure that I'm only using healthy, unblemished apples.
I use a kitchen utility knife to quarter the apples, and then a paring knife to slice out the core.
This is a great opportunity to convince your significant other to help you in the kitchen-- a second pair of hands is really helpful.
If you want, you can use the cores (and peels, if you decide to peel your crabapples) to make fruit vinegar.
How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Once the tedious process of coring the apples is over, the rest is EASY.
Simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir occasionally, and let the machine do its thing.
This is the slow cooker I use.
You don't need to peel the apples, because you'll be blending everything together partway through the cooking process.
Hours later, you'll end up with a large batch of tasty apple butter that's perfect for spreading on biscuits and toast!
Can I Can or Freeze this Crabapple Recipe?
This is a freezer-friendly apple butter.
I have not tested this recipe for canning.
If you want to can your crabapple butter, I recommend using one of the TWO crabapple butter recipes in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
Want some recipes that USE APPLE BUTTER?
Try this Gluten Free Apple Cider Pancakes (with Apple Butter) from the Fit Cookie and this Baked Brie with Apple Butter, Butternut, and Thyme from Smells Like Home
Crabapple Recipe: Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pounds crabapples Weigh apples before coring
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ cups sugar (white, brown, or turbinado), plus more if desired
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Quarter and core the apples. (Peel if desired, but it's not necessary.)Alternatively: Skip coring, and use a food mill to remove the seeds before blending the apples (in step 3).
- Add the apples, water, sugar, and lemon juice to the basin of a slow cooker.
- Cook on high for about 2 hours, until the apples begin to break down. Use an immersion blender and blend the sauce.Alternatively: Ladle the apples into a regular blender or food processor, and then return it to the slow cooker.
- Continue to cook the sauce for another 5-6 hours on high, until the apple mixture is thickened and golden brown. (Total cook time will be 7-8 hours.)
- Add cinnamon. Taste, and add more sweetener if desired.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze for up to 6 months.
Notes
- I want to make my apple butter sweeter, without adding more white sugar. Try replacing half the water with not-from-concentrate, no-sugar-added apple juice or apple cider to add natural sweetener to the apple butter.
- My apple butter has a "gluey" consistency. This happens when you don't add enough liquid to slow cooker when you start cooking, and the pectin in the crabapples over-thickens the apple butter. Make sure to add the full 3 cups of water for every 5 pounds of apples.
- My apple butter didn't turn brown. This happens when you don't add the sugar to the apple butter when you start cooking. In apple butter made from larger, sweeter apples, the natural sugars in the apple caramelize, and the butter turns brown. Crabapples don't have enough natural sugars, so you have to add the sugar at the beginning. (Also, keep in mind that most of the browning occurs at the very end of the cook time, between hours 6 and 8.)
Rose
I made this and it was so worth the effort! I can’t wait until the tree gets apples again next year. Yum!
April
Fantastic !
I made a batch yesterday (exactly as directed) and it was delicious.
I handed out small jars to family members and they all commented on the terrific taste.
I will be making another batch in a few days. No longer will those Crab apples be wasted . Thanks
Sarah Trenalone
Yay!! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it! 💕
Onay
is there a way to get seeds out without coring them? the apples are as small as cherries so there is no way. also don't know what a food mill is.
Alisha Trenalone
Hi, those are the only two ways we know of. A food mill is used to help mash and sieve food, meaning there's an opportunity in there to get the seeds worked out. Some food mills are fairly inexpensive. For sure, some crabapples are incredibly small and challenging to work with!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Kelly Anthony
That is crazy simple! And it looks SOOOO yummy and perfect for the fall!
Lisa
Sarah, I haven't had apple butter in a coons age... and I've NEVER had crabapple butter. I think it's very cool that you have a crabapple tree so close to you and clearly you're taking advantage of that. Can you can this apple butter so that it remains shelf stable -- I was thinking to give as gifts during the holidays. That's something I want to try and your recipe looks like a great jumping off point!
champagne-tastes
Thanks Lisa! Yes you can store it! Just freeze it ☺️
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
This looks so lush! What a great way to use crabapples! Bet this would be lovely on a crostini with some goat cheese 🙂
Gloria
I remember crab apples in my aunts orchard when I was a child. This would have been a great recipe for my mom to make. I don't have any crabapple trees near by, but apple season is just around the corner. I can make it with orchard fresh apples instead.
Dana
We had a crabapple tree next to my parents house when I was growing up. I remember picking the apples, but was told not to eat them. Lol. I think my parents were unsure on what kind they were, but I'll have to give them heck now. We could have been swimming in apple butter! This looks delicious. I usually half the sugar in a recipe and use honey or maple syrup. Would that work in this?
champagne-tastes
Aw man! Lol that’s funny. And I tried it with less sugar, but since the apples don’t have much sugar in them, there isn’t enough sugar to caramelize and brown the apple butter. I’d stick with the amount listed on this one! 😁
Megan
I want Fall to be here so bad so I can go to the apple orchards. I'm dreaming about how this smells when it cooks!
Wanda
The crabapple that we have are red & my neighbor found the tree up on top of a strip mine sight , she thought they was cherries, clearly they are crabapples, my question is , can you use red , the ones in the picture are green
.
Sarah
Hi Wanda! You can totally use red crabapples! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Jane
Hi Sarah,
I just made a batch of apple butter with your recipe. First time ever making apple butter and it turned out delish! Thanks for the easy recipe.
Just one question though.....
Does the recipe call for 5 lbs of apples before coring them? Or 5 lbs after coring them?
I cored tons of apples until I had 5 lbs, then poured into the slow cooker. It was full to the top!!
It all worked out really well but had some minor cleaning to do from the apple butter spitting out all over the backsplash and counter top.
btw, I didn't have time to prepare and cook during the day, so prepared just before dinner, then cooked on high for 2.5 hours, used the immersion blender, and then cooked 10 hours on low. It was all done when I woke up and the house smelled like apple pie!
Jane
Sarah Trenalone
Hi Jane!
I used 5 lbs of apples BEFORE coring. I'll clarify that in the recipe, sorry to confuse you!
I'm so glad it turned out well though- enjoy!!!
Jody S
what is the consistency of this apple butter supposed to be? move seems rather thin.
Alisha Trenalone
Hi Jody, the apple butter shouldn't be too runny, but the apples-to-water ratio can have quite an impact if it gets out of whack either direction. Getting a precise weight on the apples before cooking is best. If you're wanting it a bit thicker, you could keep cooking it down for a while longer!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Nina
Hi there!
This seems like a silly question, but do you keep the lid of the slow cooker on?
Alisha Trenalone
Hello! Yes, lid on, otherwise I don’t think the slow cooker would get hot enough.
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Elizabeth
I know this is a good recipe but I would like to see a more specific amount for the lemon than just the juice of two lemons. Lemon size can make a big difference as I have just learned. I am one of those sad cooks who tends to follow new recipes pretty religiously and my dear husband brought home two huge lemons. I should have used one. Because of this subjectivity I down graded to 4 stars.
Izzie
I will be trying this recipe next week. I had a ornamental flowering crabapple tree that the rabbits killed about 6 years ago, they chewed the trunk all the way around. I cut it down. The next year it it sent up a shoot from the roots so I nurtured back to a tree again. But what really was growing was root stock from a standard old fashioned crab that probably was a graft onto a less hardy ornamental crab. So I have a "surprise" apple tree. My husband came in from mowing one day and asked when did you plant a apple tree? I hadn't. This year a bumper crop. Some will go to feed some deer, some for me.
My grandmother made apple butter. My mom said that's the only thing she used her two crab apple trees she had on the farm for. They hardly ever had store bought food and canned everything. Mom said the apples were always a little wormy, they didn't spray the trees for worms. FYI, most worms are from larva that are layed when flowers and the worm holes are the worms making their way out of apple and should be gone when apples are ripe. The apples can be used if not otherwise bad. Mom said she helped cut up and prepare apples for cooking and used one with worm trails/marks, they are fine to use, just not any really bad or rotten ones.
Sarah Trenalone
Oh how cool!! Surprise apples are awesome! Enjoy the apple butter 😁
Anthony
Great recipe, easy to follow and a wonderful idea for the trees most people take for granted outside that can be turned into such a delicious treat. Thanks for this!
Sarah Trenalone
You are very welcome Anthony! Thanks so much for letting me know that you liked it! 😀
Kitchen mom
Maybe a silly question but do you put the cover on the slow cooker? I remember as a kid cooking apple butter over an uncovered crock on an open fire.
Sarah Trenalone
Not a silly question! But yes, put the lid on. I don't think the slow cooker would ever get hot enough to cook the apples without the lid.
Sasha
Hello,
I was wondering if this could be canned after it finishes cooking?
Thank you!
Sarah Trenalone
Hi Sasha! It’s only been tested for refrigeration or freezing. I've linked to a Ball book in the post that has two crabapple butter recipes that are safe for canning.
Jacky
Will the lemon juice flavour be noticeable or is it just to keep the butter from browning?
Sarah Trenalone
In my opinion it's not super lemony at all, but if you're worried about it, you could add half the lemon juice and add the rest later if you think it needs it. It's added to help add a little acidity to the fruit butter.
Valliere
I'm making this for the 1st time & I started making it l8tr in day. Can I cook them for 2 hours & leave them overnight & do 6 hours in the morning? I don't want to be up all night. Rookie mistake.
Alisha Trenalone
Sorry we weren't able to get to your question in time to give any input! We haven't tried this with an interrupted cook time. Did you try leaving the slow cooker on "low" overnight, or did you end up stopping and starting?
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
chantal
Good morning,
I made this over night. When I woke up, the apple butter was still really runny. What can i do to make it less like applesauce? It taste great!
Sarah Trenalone
Hi Chantal!
My guess is that either you didn’t have quite enough apples or your apples were a little juicier than normal. Either way, if you just keep cooking it, it should eventually thicken up ☺️ I’m glad it tastes good!
Brenda
Does this recipe can well?
Sarah Trenalone
Hi Brenda, I haven't tested it for canning safety. There's a link in the post to a Ball canning book that includes 2 crabapple recipes 🙂
Michelle
Has anyone tried this recipe with no sugar or a diabetic friendly sugar substitute? I have 2 large crabapple trees that are fully loaded. I need to do something with them before the local bears discover the trees. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
Sarah Trenalone
Hey Michelle, that's a great question! I have not tried it without sugar, and honestly I'm not sure how well it would work, because crabapples don't have much sugar in the first place. But if you give it a try, let me know! I'm curious too 🙂
Paul R
have found the crabapple butter I make doesn't last more than a few weeks in the refrigerator. Not because it spoils, but because everyone wants some.
Alisha Trenalone
True!! 🙂 It's just irresistible.
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Renee
I made this and it is so delicious! I didn’t have immersion blender, so I ran apples through food mill…I had to finish the sauce on the stove because so much liquid was left after 8 hours in closed crockpot…no evaporation. My batch of 5 lbs. only made 3 cups of apple butter, but perhaps if I had used immersion blender I would have had more? It is the BEST apple butter I have ever had in my life. Thank you for recipe and any thoughts on leaving lid off crockpot for last hour or two?
Sarah Trenalone
Oh I'm so glad you love it!
My best guess is that your crabapples are simply juicier than the ones I've tried this with. (There are so many different kinds of crabapples!)
It's also possible that your slow cooker doesn't get as hot as mine. For instance, I've noticed that my traditional Crock Pot brand slow cooker cooks things more quickly than my Instant Pot slow cooker. If you happen to be using an Instant Pot slow cooker, you could also try switching it to a saute setting towards the end, but keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn.
Removing the lid for the last hour could definitely help evaporate some of those extra juices. I haven't tried that with apple butter, but I do that when my slow cooker oats are too runny, so I think it could help.
Either way, enjoy!!
Victoria
Mine came out SOOOO sour. I tried to add more sweetness (more sugar, honey) to offset it but only got a slight improvement.
My tree produces green crabapples, varying 2-3 inches in diameter. Maybe they weren’t ripe enough? They were pretty hard to cut but broke down easily after the initial cook time. I know nothing about crabapples and this is my first attempt at trying to utilize my big tree!
Also, it doesn’t have the nice buttery texture like your photo - could I have not blended well enough? It’s more the consistency of very thick applesauce.
Any suggestions on how to remedy my situation? I can tell it would have a great flavor, it’s just so so so sour! I thought about trying to add some actual butter to add some savory flavor, but I don’t want to keep trying things that would ruin it!
Sarah Trenalone
Oh nooo I'm so sorry! My best guess would be to add more sugar if the apple butter is still sour. It's possible your crabapples are a little more bitter than average.
Did you try tasting the apples? The crabapples I use have a nice flavor before cooking (just not especially sweet). If yours are super bitter before cooking, you probably need to add more sugar than the recipe calls for.
Mine aren't especially hard to cut through, so I guess it's possible that yours needed to ripen more.
And it almost sounds like your apples need to cook down longer if they're still chunky after blending. (They shouldn't be difficult to blend.)
I hope that helps!
Luna
Made this recipe and used the cores to make juice, which I used instead of water. Cooked it the full 8 hours and it was not thick enough. I let it cool overnight and still not thick. Cooked for 2 more hours with the lid off and still not thick. Cooked it in a pot on the stove on low heat 1 hour stirring often until thick. I think it does not need the extra liquid or the lemon juice. Lemon juice over powered the crab apple flavor too much. Maybe apple butter is just not for me.
Alisha Trenalone
Hi Luna! It's possible that your apples were juicier than the ones we used. There are a lot of different kinds of crabapples! But I'm glad it finally thickened up for you.
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Kelly
My mother in law loves this. (She's 95!). I'm making right now my batch for this year from the crab apple tree in my back yard. I did my first batch last year and it was phenomenal! I do add a bit extra (brown) sugar and lemon juice. I cut down on the cinnamon too-because it seems the flavor of the apples shine through better like that. To me anyway. Apples came early this year--last year I didn't make this until September. Love the way my kitchen smells right now!
Alisha Trenalone
Thanks so much for letting us know! We're thrilled you and your mother-in-law both enjoy it 🙂
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
A.
Thank you for this thoughtful and detailed recipe! Came across a wild/crab pear tree w a tiny, hard green variety that worked well subbed into your fine recipe instead of crab apples. Would love to know if there is a specific sieve that works best for the final strain, as mine is too fine? Also, highly recommend using honey as a sugar sub for this. A move that also cut down on cook time, as it turned out. Thanks again!
Alisha Trenalone
So glad you enjoyed! We haven't actually needed to strain it at the end, as the apples break down so much and then get blended. Thanks for letting us know about the honey, sounds delish!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Alison
Just finished puréed it and now it’s back in the slow cooker.. already taste delicious and I didn’t even get to the cinnamon yet!🙌
Alisha Trenalone
That's what we like to hear!! So glad you're enjoying the recipe 😄
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Chris
The tree you're describing sounds like mine. Some of them give a good push every second year, but the off years have quite minimal fruit - just enough to keep the birds happy. 🙂 Can't wait to try this!
Alisha Trenalone
Hope it works out well for you!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Christy
Just made it with some medium round crabapples. I got excited and added the cinnamon at the beginning though - result was very dark brownish red apple butter lol. Tastes good! You can taste the lemon and sugar and cinnamon and the combo is tangy and sweet.
I can’t tell if it’s thick as it’s supposed to be - I’ve only had it once before.
My kid has been asking for it on his waffles, toast, in oatmeal…you name it. Would also be great subbed into baking! Thanks for the recipe!
Alisha Trenalone
So glad you're enjoying this! Fall flavors are the best 🙌
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Alicia MacMillan
Loved your recipe! Made it as is and it turned out perfect! very easy to follow with delish results. I will definitely make again to use up the apples from my neighbors tree
Alisha Trenalone
So glad it turned out well for you!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Teena
can you water can crabapple apple butter?
Alisha Trenalone
Hi, we haven't tested this recipe for canning. It freezes well if that's an option you're interested in. There's also a link above to a recipe book that does have canning recipes for crabapple butter!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Therese
hi! sorry just a question for clarification: AM I using just the juice of two lemons? may be obvious but I want to be sure it shouldn't include the zest.
Alisha Trenalone
Just the juice is what you need!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Amy
I accidentally added the cinnamon initially 😬 did I ruin my batch??
Alisha Trenalone
Hi Amy! I don't think you've ruined it! One of our other commenters did the exact same thing and was still happy with the end result 😊
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes
Lori
Can I put this in jars, seal them and make them shelf stable?
Sarah Trenalone
Hi Lori, No- this is apple butter is not shelf stable. You'd either need to follow the freezer directions or use a different recipe with canning directions. (We haven't tested this for canning.)