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Warm apple butter spread in glass jar with fresh apples and cinnamon sticks on rustic table.

Homemade Apple Butter

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  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: About 4 cups 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Smooth, perfectly spiced homemade apple butter is perfect for spreading on toast, stirring into oatmeal or yogurt, or even marinating pork or chicken. This big batch apple butter recipe is freezer friendly, and makes enough that you can package some up for a DIY gift for friends and family!

This recipe makes a large batch (4 cups of apple butter). You can easily divide the quantities in half if you don't think you will use that much.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 lbs (10-12) sweet apples, diced into 1-inch pieces (we use a mixture of fuji, gala, honeycrisp, and/or golden delicious)
  • 2 lbs (~5) tart apples, diced into 1-inch pieces (we use granny smith or cortland)
  • 2/3 cup 100% apple cider or juice
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Add the diced apples to a large, heavy bottomed pot (we used a 7 qt. dutch oven). Add in the apple cider, maple syrup, brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and salt. Stir well until the apples are evenly coated.
  2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook over medium-low for 75 minutes, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until the apples are very soft.
  3. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree until completely smooth (be careful of hot splashes!). If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a regular heat safe blender, but you'll have to do it in two batches.
  4. Once the apples are blended, return to low heat and cover half of the pot with a lid (you'll need to let steam out, but this prevents it from splattering all over your stove). Continue to cook, stirring every 15 minutes or so to prevent burning on the bottom, for 2-3 more hours. The larger the diameter of your pot, the faster it will cook. When the apple butter is done, it should be a deep brown color and should have a thick, spreadable, jammy consistency.
  5. Let it cool completely before transferring to jars or an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, or the freezer for 6 months.

Notes

Canning for long term storage: You can process jars in a water bath canner for room temperature storage in a cool, dark place for 12-18 months. Make sure to use sanitized jars, and closely follow instructions for safe water bath canning.

Slow cooker: Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker, stir well and cook for 5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, then puree using an immersion blender or regular blender. If it's not quite thick enough, you can let it cook for an extra hour or two on low.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 67
  • Sugar: 14 g
  • Sodium: 12 mg
  • Fat: 0.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
  • Fiber: 2.2 g
  • Protein: 0.2 g

Find it online: https://www.crowdedkitchen.com/homemade-apple-butter/