Prepare the Ingredients: Peel, de-seed, and cut the butternut squash into cubes. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and peel and slice the fresh ginger. Core and quarter the medium apple, and set these ingredients aside.

Combine in the Crock-Pot: Place the cubed butternut squash, diced onion, minced garlic, quartered apple, and sliced ginger into the slow cooker. Add the vegetable stock, bay leaf, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and pepper. Toss all ingredients together until well combined.

Set the Cooking Time: Cover the crock-pot and set it to cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours until vegetables are soft and tender.

Remove the Bay Leaf: After cooking, take out the bay leaf and discard it to ensure a smooth texture.

Add Coconut Milk: Stir in the coconut milk until fully blended into a creamy consistency.

Blend Until Smooth: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the crock-pot until smooth. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a regular blender, being cautious of the hot liquid.

Garnish and Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve warm.