Caramel Apple Butter
Prep Time
15 minutes
Prep Notes
Gluten-free (wheat-free) dairy-free, refined sugar-free, corn-free, soy-free
Can be enjoyed as a delicous snack or dessert in place of apple sauce.
Use as buttery spread on sweet potatoes, in oatmeal, mixed into a smoothie, etc. ... the sky is the limit!
Cooking Time
7 hours 5 minutes (crockpot cooking time)
Yields
3-4 cups
Ingredients
This recipe is made in two parts.
Apple Butter:
5 lbs. apples (about 7 medium apples)
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice (adjust for taste)
1/4 cup water
Date Caramel Sauce:
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
½ cup coconut nectar
½ cup 100% coconut milk
½ vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
For the apple butter:
Core and roughly chop the apples. (You can leave the peel on.)
Place apples in slow cooker and add pumpkin spice and water.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Use an immersion blender — or transfer apple mixture to a blender - and blend until smooth.
Let cool.
For the caramel date sauce:
Combine all of the ingredients in a high speed blender.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency by adding more coconut milk if too thick.
After apple butter is blended and cooled, pour in half of the caramel date sauce (about ¾ cup) into the apple butter, and whisk together. Taste, and add more caramel sauce to the apple butter, if desired.
Caramel apple butter can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a month. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.