Homemade apple butter with warm spices and an intense, sweet apple flavor. Spread on a piece of toast or add to your next baking recipe for a delicious fall treat.
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There are a few things that prove that fall is here. The leaves starting to change colors, pumpkins popping up at every corner store, and apple trees full of ripe apples.
We have spent the last few weeks harvesting from the homestead and preserving foods in preparation for winter. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a bit about our food preserving adventures; mostly canning and we added a few things to our deep freezer.
First, it was tomatoes and peppers that we made into a flavor-packed salsa and a tomato sauce. Then it was a big harvest of pears that I made into pear pies to freeze and pear butter to can.
Our pantry is overflowing with preserved foods that we grew in our own backyard. It is one of the most rewarding feelings to have control of where my food is coming from and I can’t help but feel connected to my roots through this experience.
This past weekend we spent some time picking apples from our apple trees and managed to harvest over 15 pounds of apples. It was such a fun day, tromping out to the apple trees and picking apples until our baskets were overflowing, even Jupiter helped – in his own way.
It was clear that we needed another canning sesh and I knew exactly what I wanted to make – apple butter! Today, I want to share this recipe with you because it is so darn good.
This recipe is adapted from my favorite canning book – The Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. If you are just getting into canning, this book is a great resource.
What is apple butter
The short story is that apple butter is concentrated applesauce that is carmelized over a slow cooking process. This process goes back to the middle ages in Belgium and Germany and was a method to preserve the abundance of apples from the fruit yards.
It is usually flavored with the classic fall warming spices and is spreadable, like butter. Don’t be fooled by the name though, it has no dairy in it whatsoever, it’s actually vegan!
It is delicious on a piece of toast, or by the spoonful, ha! It can be used in so many different recipes like baked goods and even savory dishes. Don’t worry, I have a list of my favorites below.
how to make apple butter
In simple terms, apple butter is made by slow cooking. Once the apples are soft the mixture is pureed either with a food mill, blender or food processor.
The mixture is then slow cooked some more which allows the water to evaporate and create a concentrated apple puree.
It can be made on the stovetop which is the method I prefer because it is faster, but it does require a closer eye. It can also be made in the crockpot which is less work, but it takes up to 8 hours to cook.
storing apple butter
Apple butter can simply be stored in jars in the fridge and it will last several weeks to a month. It can also be preserved by canning it which will keep for up to two years unopened. Canning is also a great way to make gifts for family and friends, use 1/2 pint jars for the perfect gift giving size.
apple butter recipes
Apple Butter Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Baking a Moment
Frosted Apple Butter Sugar Cookies
Julie Blanner
Apple Butter Danish Braid
Tutti Dolci
Apple Butter Pork Chops
The Cookie Rookie
Apple Butter Pie
Kitchen Heals Soul
Homemade Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples; peeled, cored, sliced
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring the apples, orange juice, apple cider vinegar to a boil in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the apple slices are disintegrating, stirring occasionally.
- Press the apple mixture though a food mill in batches untill pureed. A food processor, blender or even a potato masher can be used.
- Pour the puree back into the dutch oven, add the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, and salt stirring until the sugar and spices have dissolved.
- Cover and cook over low heat, stirring every 5-10 minutes for 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until mixture has thickened and holds its shape in a spoon. Remove from heat. Pour into jars and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Canning instructions
- Wash jars and keep them hot in a hot bath or in the oven at 200 degrees.
- Pull jars out of the heat and prepare lids by placing the tops in hot water.
- Laddle hot apple butter mixture into hot jar, leaving 1/2 inch room. Remove the bubbles by tapping the jar on the counter top.
- Wipe jar rim with a clean cloth or paper towel, center the lid on the jar and apply band to fingertip tight. Repeat until the jars are filled.
- Place the jars in a boiling water bath and process jars for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the water.
- When the jars have cooled to a point where you can safely touch them, check if the seals took. Push down on the top of the jar if it indents and makes a popping noise the seal didn’t take and means it won’t keep on the shelf. Either put it in the refrigerator to eat later or put another lid on it and water bath it again.
