If you’ve never tasted homemade apple butter, you’re missing out because it tastes like fall in a jar! This No-Added-Sugar Apple Butter recipe is practically foolproof thanks to just four ingredients. It’s also versatile; you can cook the apples down to be as thick or thin as you like. The longer it cooks, the more the natural sugars caramelize, creating a beautiful dark brown color and an amazing depth of flavor. I prefer gala apples, but you can use any sweet apples. The best part? You don’t have to peel them—a win for time saving, nutrition, and food waste!

The apple butter can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can freeze extra or do formal canning for a longer shelf life. Serve the butter on fruit, toast or simply enjoy by the spoonful.

No-Added-Sugar Apple Butter Recipe

6 lbs. apples

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Core and rough chop apples. Place into a slow cooker and add cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours, until apples are tender and fall apart when mashed with a fork. Blend until smooth using an immersion or high-powered blender. Transfer to glass jars.

Leigh-Anne Wooten, MS, RDN/LDN, FAND, is the founder and chief nutrition officer of Behind the Label, LLC (www.behindthelabel.biz). She has a master’s degree in nutrition science and is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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