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Best Small Batch Peach Butter (No Pectin, Slow Cooker)

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This small-batch peach butter is made in the slow cooker with no pectin, using simple ingredients for a silky, flavorful spread. Perfect for using up ripe peaches, it’s hands-off and versatile.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2–3 pounds fresh peaches (about 6–8 medium peaches, ripe but not mushy; frozen peaches work too, thawed)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste; organic cane sugar recommended)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure vanilla recommended)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of nutmeg, or 1 tablespoon bourbon

Instructions

  1. Prepare your peaches: Wash thoroughly. Optionally peel by blanching in boiling water for 30-45 seconds, then plunging into ice water. Remove pits and chop into 1-inch chunks.
  2. Combine in the slow cooker: Add chopped peaches, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, and salt. Stir to coat.
  3. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, stirring once after 3 hours, until peaches are very soft and mixture has reduced by half.
  4. Blend until smooth: Remove cinnamon stick. Use an immersion blender to puree until desired consistency. For ultra-smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
  5. Thicken to perfection: Turn slow cooker to HIGH, leave lid slightly ajar, and cook for 1-2 more hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened (it will thicken more as it cools).
  6. Cool and store: Let cool completely in the slow cooker (about 1 hour). Transfer to clean glass jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace for refrigeration or more for freezing. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.

Notes

Don’t skip the lid-off step for thickening. Use the freezer test to check thickness: place a spoonful on a plate in the freezer for 2 minutes; if it holds its shape, it’s ready. Flavors develop overnight in the fridge. For underripe peaches, cook time may be longer (up to 10 hours total).

Nutrition

Keywords: peach butter, small batch, slow cooker, no pectin, homemade, fruit butter, peach preserves

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/best-small-batch-peach-butter-no-pectin-slow-cooker/