Ohhh, slow-cooker apple slices 🍎😌 — cozy, cinnamon-y, and ridiculously easy. Think apple pie filling without the crust.
Slow Cooker Apple Slices
🕒 Time
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 3–4 hours on LOW or 2 hours on HIGH
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 5–6 apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji), peeled & sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup water or apple juice
Optional add-ins:
- A pinch of cloves or allspice
- Raisins or cranberries
- Maple syrup instead of sugar
Instructions
1️⃣ Prep the Apples
- Peel (optional), core, and slice apples evenly.
- Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
2️⃣ Load the Slow Cooker
Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and water/juice.
Dot with butter.
3️⃣ Cook
- LOW: 3–4 hours (tender but holding shape)
- HIGH: 2 hours (softer, more sauce)
Stir once halfway if you can.
4️⃣ Serve
Serve warm as:
- A side dish
- Pancake or waffle topping
- Ice-cream topping 🍨
- Oatmeal or yogurt mix-in
Tips for Perfect Texture
- Thicker slices = less mushy
- Don’t overcook if you want slices, not applesauce
- For thicker sauce, remove lid for last 20 minutes
Variations
- 🍯 Honey-cinnamon apples
- 🍏 No-sugar version (just cinnamon & vanilla)
- 🥧 Apple pie filling (add 1 tbsp cornstarch + water slurry)
- 🌾 Vegan & dairy-free (skip butter)
If you want, I can turn this into a slow-cooker apple crisp, stuffed baked apples, or a freezer-friendly version.