Simple Crockpot Bourbon Apple Butter (using honey instead of sugar)

Ingredients:
-6 to 8 apples, I used Fuji you may use your favorite kind, peeled and cubed
-2 tsp honey (darker, locally sourced kind preferably)
-2 tsp cinnamon (more or less to taste)
-3 shakes ginger
-2 shakes nutmeg
-1 tsp lemon juice
-2.5 tsp vanilla bourbon

I made my vanilla bourbon by chopping a vanilla bean and putting it in a jar with about a cup or cup and a half of Woodford Reserve.  You can use more beans as desired for stronger vanilla.  You will want to let it sit about a month at a minimum, shaking daily.

Anyway toss the peeled apples into your crockpot after spraying it with cooking spray.  Drizzle the honey, lemon juice, bourbon, and spices over it and stir to coat.  Cook on low for about 6 hours, stirring every hour or so and mashing the apples at around 4.5 hours.

I will be storing mine in a mason jar in the fridge.  Since I mashed mine (you could also throw it in a blender) I might also eat it as applesauce!

You may prefer a sweeter variety, in which case you could up the amount of honey in it or you could add in 1/4 C brown sugar as well.

So I really enjoyed this because it was simple, it was minimal work, and it just tastes good.  It is a little different spin on the typical apple butter and it tastes a little brighter to me.  Obviously you can tell by the color of mine that I did not heavily load it with spices.  You can absolutely add more to your preferences.

Feel free to increase the recipe and freeze for future use!

Happy crafting!