Slow Cooker Stewed Apples (Print out)

Apples gently simmered with honey and cinnamon, creating a sweet and comforting compote for various dishes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 6 large apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks

→ Sweeteners & Flavors

02 - 1/4 cup honey
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Liquids

05 - 1/4 cup water

→ Optional Additions

06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the peeled, cored, and chopped apples into the slow cooker.
02 - Drizzle honey and lemon juice over the apples, then sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg if using.
03 - Pour in water and add a pinch of salt if desired, then stir gently to combine all ingredients.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 3 hours until the apples are tender and juicy, stirring once or twice during cooking.
05 - Stir in vanilla extract if using at the end of the cooking process.
06 - Serve warm as is, or as a topping for oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, or a dessert accompaniment.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a set-it-and-forget-it solution that turns simple apples into something that tastes like you spent hours stirring a pot.
  • One batch becomes breakfast, dessert, and everything in between—spoon it over oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, or eat it straight from a bowl.
  • The kitchen smells incredible the whole time it cooks, and your hands stay clean because there's no stovetop splashing.
02 -
  • Don't skip the lemon juice thinking it'll make things too tangy—it actually vanishes into the apples and makes the apple flavor taste more apple-like, not citrusy.
  • The apples will look almost too soft at 3 hours, but that's exactly right; they're supposed to be tender enough to fall apart with a spoon, not hold their shape.
  • If you want chunky compote, you can stop here; if you want something smoother, a gentle mash with a fork is all it takes.
03 -
  • Mix your apple varieties—a combination of tart Granny Smiths and sweeter Honeycrisps creates complexity that a single type never quite achieves.
  • Stir the compote gently during cooking rather than aggressively, which keeps the pieces intact longer and gives you more control over texture.
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