Looking for a simple side dish that has the added bonus of an amazing-smelling kitchen? Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apples are for you!
Fresh apples cook with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until perfectly tender and delicious! The end result is a warm, sweet dish that has the taste of fall in every bite.
This simple side is a go-to for busy holiday cooking. It is an easy, hands-off recipe that is the perfect sweet balance to all the traditional savory dishes. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anything you need something sweet and cozy!
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Recipe at a glance (TL;DR)
- Prep time: 15 min
- Cook time: 3 hours on low or 1.5 hours on high
- Main Ingredients: apples, cinnamon, sweetener, lemon, and vanilla
- Servings: 8
- Best for: easy side dish, holiday prep, anytime you want to skip the oven
- Why it's lazy: no stovetop involved, no peeling, hands-off cooking
Why you'll love cinnamon apples in your crockpot
- Hands-free cooking. Just pop everything in your greased slow cooker and walk away.
- Saves oven space. More room for a big entree, roasted veggies, and desserts.
- Family-friendly. These cinnamon apples are sweet and delicious. They can be made with sugar or with a sugar substitute to keep them refined sugar-free.
- BONUS: The smell is better than a potpourri! Your whole house will smell festive and amazing with these simmering away.
📝Ingredient shopping list
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make these slow cooker cinnamon apples. Full quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
Produce
- Apples: a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp is my favorite.
- Lemon juice: fresh or bottled
Pantry Items
Dairy
- Butter: or vegan equivalent
Optional thickenter
- Potato Starch
- Cold water
Preparing your slow cooker
- Lightly coat your slow cooker with a non-stick spray, oil, or butter before cooking
- Avocado oil is my choice for this recipe
- Use a slow cooker liner for the easiest cleanup (always an optional step)
Step-by-step Instructions (with Photos)
Clean, core, and slice apples (no need to peel). Place them into a well-greased slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients (other than optional potato starch).
Stir until all apples are fully coated with cinnamon mixture.
Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or high for 1.5 hours. Apples should be soft and easily pierced with a fork.
Expert Tip
I love the extra vanilla flavor of cooking with vanilla bean paste. It is rich and delicious. However, an equal amount of vanilla extract can be substituted.
Serving suggestions
These warm cinnamon apples are great with almost anything. We especially love them:
- As a side dish for holiday meals such as Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
- For breakfast - spooned over oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, or French toast.
- For dessert - Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a heavenly end to your meal.
- As a snack mixed with cottage cheese or plain yogurt.
They are great served warm right out of the slow cooker, but leftovers are also delicious served cold.
If you love this recipe...
Please let me know in the comment section below!
Storing and serving leftovers
- Cooled leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Or, store cooled apples in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Please note that thawed apples may have a softer consistency.
- Warm individual portions gently in the microwave until heated through.
Make ahead convenience
This is a great dish to prep and cook a day or so in advance. Store in the refrigerator and return to the slow cooker on the WARM setting to allow them to heat up. Be careful not to fully recook them, or they will get mushy (but still delicious!)
Tips from my kitchen
- If you live near an apple orchard - go apple picking! It is a fun and educational way to spend some quality time outdoors. And, this recipe is even better (somehow) when you pick the apples yourself!
- If you have an abundance of fresh apples, slow cooker apple butter and apple and honey pull-aparts are also great apple recipes.
- Serving a large group? This recipe can be easily doubled. Cooking time may increase by about half an hour or so. Just keep an eye on it.
- I am generally a big fan of slow cooker liners. They make this dish even easier by eliminating much of the cleanup. However, if you plan to serve this to guests you may want to skip the liners as they aren't as pretty.
- In the market for a new slow cooker? I love mine!
- Always check to confirm that your slow cooker has been plugged in and properly turned on!
Good to know
Do the apples need to be peeled before cooking?
No! I leave the skins on for these crockpot cinnamon apples. The skins soften perfectly while the apples cook. However, if you prefer the apples peeled, that works too!
Firm apples with lots of flavor work best for this recipe. Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are my top two favorites. Braeburn, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Fuji are also great options.
Yes, use a brown sugar substitute that is designed for baking with a 1:1 replacement. I prefer this dish without refined sugar.
To thicken the buttery cinnamon sauce, use a small bowl to stir together 1 tablespoon potato starch with 2 tbsps cold water. When fully dissolved, this slurry can be stirred into the sauce right in your slow cooker.
It will start to thicken immediately as you stir.
No. These cinnamon apples have fewer ingredients, are less sweet, and have a lighter sauce than traditional pie filling.
For richer dessert apples, check out my Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pie Filling.
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apples
(Click on the stars to leave a rating)
Print Pin Rate SaveAll nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
Equipment
- 4 quart slow cooker or larger
- wooden or silicone spoon
Ingredients
- 6 large apples or about 3 lbs - crisp sweet/tart apples work best, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup brown sugar or sugar free alternative
- 2 tablespoon butter
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon potato starch (optional) mixed with 2 tablespoon water to make a slurry to thicken
Instructions
- Core and slice 6 large apples into even-sized pieces. You can peel if you prefer; I don't.
- Place apple slices into a well greased slow cooker.
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoon butter, pinch salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Gently stir to coat the apples.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or on high for 1.5 hours, until the apples reach your preferred tenderness.
- OPTIONAL: If the sauce needs thickening, mix 1 tablespoon Potato starch with 2 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Stir into the hot apples and cook until thickened. Potato starch thickens quickly so this should happen within 4 minutes or so.
- Gently stir and serve warm.
Final Step
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Notes
- Crisp, sweet, and tart apples work best for this recipe and will hold their shape well
- If you wish to cook a bit faster, use thinner apple slices. The slices that come from my apple cutter were a bit thick.
- See above serving suggestions and storage ideas.
Nutrition
All nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
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