Directions:

Using an electric mixer with a bread hook, place the warm water (not too hot so you don't kill the yeast) and sugar in the mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it foam for 10 minutes.

Turn on the mixer and add the apple butter, egg and salt; slowly add the flour. Once ingredients are combined, add the melted butter. Knead the dough with the bread hook for 5-8 minutes (or remove and knead by hand for 6-10 minutes).

The dough will be smooth, but tacky. Dump it out onto a floured work surface. With a floured knife, cut the dough into four quarters; then cut each quarter into 6 equal pieces, making 24 small dough sections.

Shape each dough segment into a little ball. Place a large piece of parchment paper in a 6 quart slow cooker and press down into the container. Arrange 12 of the dough balls in the slow cooker. Then carefully lift the parchment paper out (setting rolls and paper on the counter to be covered later), and repeat with the remaining dough balls and another piece of parchment, creating two separate batches.

With one batch still in the crockpot, place the lid on the crockpot and cover the additional dough balls (set aside separately earlier) on the counter with plastic wrap. Allow rolls to rise for 1 hour at room temperature. (At this point the dough balls could be put in the fridge for up to a week, until ready to bake.)

Sprinkle the rolls in the crockpot with a little brown sugar. Turn the slow cooker on high and "bake" for 60-90 minutes, depending on your crockpot. To test, touch the top of the rolls. If they feel slightly firm and are no longer tacky, the rolls are ready. Remove this batch of rolls and repeat baking process with the second batch of dough balls. Each batch will cook for 60-90 minutes, about 3 hours in total.