Crock Pot Apple Butter

For our small family I make 1/3 of this recipe. You could also start with Bonnie's crock pot applesauce, omitting the cinnamon in her recipe.

15 large cooking apples
1/2 cup apple cider or water
3 cups sugar
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground allspice (optional)

Pare, core, and dice or slice apples. Put apples and cider in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover, cook over medium heat until apples are tender. Mash apples with a potato masher. You should have about 6 cups applesauce.

Put applesauce and sugar in crock pot and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover pot and cook on low 8 hours (or overnight). Stir in spices and turn crock pot to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is desired thickness. I usually take the lid off to let some of the moisture evaporate, and have even wiped the moisture off the inside of the lid to hasten the process.

This makes about 4 pints. It will keep in the refrigerator about a month. For longer storage, the apple butter can be canned (process 10 minutes in boiling water). It probably would freeze, but might separate. I have always made a smaller amount and used it right away!