Salted Caramel Honeycrisp Apple Butter tastes like caramel sauce drizzled over apple pie. It's totally plant-based, dairy-free, and entirely fruit-sweetened with zero added sugar!
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Hiiii and get ready for some yummmm!
Let me introduce you to Salted Caramel Honeycrisp Apple Butter: aka the apple butter my family is obsessed with. Why so obsessed?
- It's made in a slow cooker - easy peasy!
- There is no added sugar! The apple butter is sweetened entirely by apples and nature's candy: medjool dates!
- It's lightly spiced with a touch of cinnamon for a classic apple butter flavor.
- It's got a natural caramel flavor from the caramel notes of the dates, the complexity of flavor that develops from cooking low and slow in the slow cooker, and being blended with coconut milk and salt at the end to really capitalize on the caramel notes.
Basically, it's yum. In fact, my husband dubbed this the "apple butter that tastes like caramel drizzled over apple pie". Well, then. SOLD! 😉
How to Make Healthy Caramel Apple Butter
This healthy apple butter just needs a few ingredients:
- honeycrisp apples (although you can use other varieties)
- medjool dates
- water
- vanilla
- cinnamon
- salt
- coconut milk
To make, just remove the cores and pits from the apples and dates, roughly chop, and add them to your slow cooker with the water, vanilla, and cinnamon. Let it do its thing while you do yours. When it's done, blend the slow cooker contents into a smooth, thick puree, then stir in the salt and coconut milk. And that's it!
Healthy Apple Butter FAQs:
- Can I use other apples besides honeycrisp?
- Yes, but taste may vary (i.e. all green apples will be more tart).
- Should I blend it with an immersion blender or use a real blender?
- An immersion blender will work, but even though it's a little extra work I really prefer using a blender. I have a Vitamix and find the blender just gets a much smoother, creamier consistency.
- What type of coconut milk should I use?
- You can use lite or full fat canned coconut milk, but make sure it's the canned, thicker coconut milk (not the refrigerated thin coconut milk beverage in the cartons, like by the refrigerated almond and soy milk).
- I'm allergic or don't like coconut milk, what can I use instead?
- One reader messaged me that they used heavy cream and it tasted great, so you could try that (although that makes it no longer dairy free). But as a general head's up, you can't taste the coconut in this apple butter.
- Can I make this on the stove?
- Sure thing - I would just simmer the apple, dates, water, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large covered pot for at least an hour, or until really tender.
- Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
- Yes - check out the recipe notes for one reader's adaptation in the Instant Pot!
- Can this apple butter be canned?
- I wouldn't can this healthy apple butter. Canning requires precise recipes with specific pH of final canned recipes to maintain food safety and I don't know if this recipe will work. Try freezing!
- Can I freeze leftover apple butter?
- Yes! I like to freeze either in small jars or in small 1-2 tablespoons portions in an ice cube tray. Leave an inch of headspace at the top of the jar, because the contents will expand as they freeze. Once apple butter ice cubes are frozen, you can transfer the to a freezer-safe, airtight bag or container. They can be frozen 3-6 months, or longer in a deep freezer.
Ways to Enjoy
It's delicious no matter how you take it. We've tried this Salted Caramel Honeycrisp Apple Butter a few different ways:
- mixed in oatmeal
- drizzled over Greek yogurt (or ice cream!)
- drizzled over dried apple slices for "apple nachos"
- with fresh honeycrisp apple slices dipped into it
- on toast
You can freeze it to enjoy year round, or gift it to friends and family during this most wonderful time of the year. 🙂
Looking for More Healthy Fall Recipes?
Try these!
- Slow Cooker Applesauce
- Healthy, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
- Cranberry Apple Harvest Salad
- Maple Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
- Hearty Vegetable Chili
When you make this healthy apple butter or any other recipe, let us know what you think. Leave a comment and take a pic and share your thoughts with us on the Nutrition to Fit Facebook page, or over on Instagram (be sure to tag me - @nutritiontofit - and use the hashtag #nutritiontofit). Let me know what creative uses you find for this delicious Salted Caramel Honeycrisp Apple Butter. Live well!
Salted Caramel Honeycrisp Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 3 lbs honeycrisp apples stem & core removed and roughly chopped
- 1 cup medjool dates pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup canned coconut milk lite or full fat
Instructions
- Combine apples, dates, water, vanilla, and cinnamon in a slow cooker. Cook 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat.
- Carefully transfer slow cooker contents to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree apple mixture until completely smooth.
- Stir in salt and coconut milk.
Notes
Nutrition
Jaime Fox says
I converted this recipe to the Instant Pot! 20 Minutes High pressure with a quick release. It was PERFECT! I took some to a couple neighbors and they went nuts over it. I posted your recipe in the Instant Pot Community and hope it drives lots of people to your site!
Lindsey Janeiro says
Jaime, that is the best comment ever!! You totally made my day! Thank you SO MUCH - I'm going to update the recipe with a note sharing your Instant Pot method! THANK YOU!!!
Candice says
Can't wait to try this. Thanks for the recipe!
Lindsey Janeiro says
thank you so much, Candice, I hope you enjoy it!
Kristan says
I can't wait to make this!
Lindsey Janeiro says
let me know how you like it, Kristan! 🙂
Tawnie Kroll says
I loved the flavor the Medjool dates added to this recipe! Yum, so good on my morning toast! Thank you!
Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, CLT says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Meme says
I basically was in apple heaven after making this! I dipped my apples into the apple butter and it was the most delicious moment of the day!
Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, CLT says
mmm apple heaven!! So glad you enjoyed!
Emily Kyle says
I followed the girls instant pot recipe instructions above and this turned out amazing!!!
Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, CLT says
So good to hear!
Lorie says
It's sad to say I am almost 37 and just had apple butter for the first time--now I need to make up for lost time!!!!
Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, CLT says
Yeah you do! There are many ways you can enjoy it!
Liz Shaw says
Two words: Game. Changer. I can't believe how easy it is to eat healthy and not feel like you're missing out. Such good work on this one!
Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, CLT says
Thank you! Such a delicious recipe, hard to believe there's no added sugar, right?
Scott says
Can you can this recipe? I would like to enjoy it as long as possible from the fruits of my honey crisp trees!
Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says
I'm envious of your honeycrisp trees! Honestly, I wouldn't can this recipe unless you know of some way to check the pH of the finished product to see if it's safe for canning. Canning recipes are really particular because the final product has to be a certain pH for food safety and to keep bacteria away! If you have space in your freezer, you can freeze it, though!
Phil Bremer says
If you use a pressure cooker, the pH doesn't matter . Acidic foods like fruit and pickles can be canned with a water bath. Low acid foods like vegetables and meats need a pressure cooker to be safe.
Carol says
Haven't tried it yet, but do you know how long this would last without freezing? A week or two, in the refrigerator? So if I gifted some in small glass jars I know what to tell them if they don't eat it right away. 🙂
Thanks!
Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN says
It can be frozen up to one year!