Health Hotline Magazine | September 2026

This beautiful sweet-tart fruit butter is easy to make in the slow cooker and requires only a few ingredients. You’ll love it swirled into yogurt, oatmeal, or chia pudding; slathered on toast; as part of a cheese board; or over pork or chicken. It also makes a great hostess or holiday gift. CRANBERRY APPLE BUTTER Makes: ~3 cups | Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 3 1⁄2–5 hours | Total time: 4–5 hours INGREDIENTS • 2 pounds organic apples • 1 (16-ounce) bag Natural Grocers ® Brand Organic Frozen Cranberries • ¼ - ½ teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Ground Cinnamon (optional) • 2-6 tablespoons Natural Grocers Brand Raw and Unfiltered Clover Honey or Organic Grade A Dark Maple Syrup INSTRUCTIONS 1. Peel and core the apples, then cut them in to 1-inch chunks. Add them to the slow cooker along with the frozen cranberries and ½ cup of water. Cover and cook on high for 1½ to 2 hours, until the apples are tender and the cranberries have started bursting. 2. Transfer the apples and cranberries to a blender. Fill the blender only halfway full and remove the center piece from the lid. Cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel and slowly work your way up to high speed. Process until smooth. Work in batches to blend all the apples and cranberries. Taste the butter and see if the texture is to your liking. If you prefer a smoother texture, press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any bits of cranberry skin that may remain. 3. Return the mixture to the slow cooker, partially cover, and add cinnamon if desired. Cook on high, stirring every 30 minutes to thicken the butter. It is done when it is quite thick and holds its shape when spooned, 1 ½ to 2 hours. 4. Taste the butter and stir in honey or maple syrup to desired sweetness, starting with 2 tablespoons. 5. Allow the butter to cool a little before spooning it into clean glass jars. The butter will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator and up to six months in the freezer. (Be sure to leave about an inch of head room in each jar if you plan to freeze it.)

Natural Grocers ® | 41