Slow cooked, spicy, chunky apple butter

Technically, I suppose, apple butter is smooth.  I originally made this recipe last winter and pureed it afterward. Since, however, my main use for this particular condiment is in my morning oatmeal, I have found I much prefer it to be left chunky.   Recipe is adapted from one I found at The Art of Homemaking.

SLOW COOKED CHUNKY, SPICY APPLE BUTTER

Apples enough to fill a crock pot–about 10-12 good sized apples.
2 T cinnamon
5-6 whole cloves
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped and broken into pieces
6-8 oz hard apple cider

Wash, core, and peel the apples.  Slice them into good size slices and fill the crock pot. Add the spices, salt and cider, and cook on low for 18-24 hours.   Smell it like every good thing all night long, and stir sometimes to keep the spices moving.  When they’re very dark and soft, use a potato masher or two butter knives to break the apples into small chunks.  Ladle into jars and freeze, or if you eat it as fast as we do, just pile the jars in the back of the fridge.  Also very good on French toast or buckwheat pancakes. 

Do you have an easy winter recipe to share with us?