Mix dry rub spices together and rub over both sides of ribs. Spread out onions on a sheet of foil large enough to fit the ribs with a few inches on all sides for sealing. Lay ribs on top of onions and place a piece of foil on top and seal the edges. Place the seal ribs on a pan and refrigerate for no less than 6 hours to overnight.
Preheat oven to 225º. Open foil enough to pour 1 cup of cider in the bottom and reseal. Place ribs (in pan) in the oven for 6 hours. Pull ribs and let rest while making sauce. Even refrigerating them for a couple of hours will help them hold together on the grill.
Combine apple butter, cider, brown sugar, chipotle powder and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced by half and sauce thickens.
Place ribs face down on hot grill and coat with almost half of the sauce. Let sear for a few minutes and then flip over. Slather with the rest of the sauce and close the lid for 3-5 minutes until the sauce on the top gets a glaze-like sheen. Remove and rest the ribs for a few minutes.