Apple Butter
Apple Butter is a smooth, spiced fruit spread made by slow-cooking apples with warm spices until thick, caramelized, and deeply flavorful. Perfect for spreading on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or using as a baking ingredient, this homemade treat captures the cozy taste of fall in a jar.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs apples peeled, cored, and chopped – use a mix of sweet and tart
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare apples: Place chopped apples in a slow cooker.
- Add spices & sugar: Stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until apples are coated.
- Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours (or HIGH for 5–6 hours), stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft and dark brown.
- Blend: Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender in batches) to puree until smooth.
- Thicken (optional): If apple butter is too thin, continue cooking uncovered for 30–60 minutes until thickened to desired consistency.
- Finish: Stir in vanilla extract. Let cool before transferring to jars.
- Store: Keep refrigerated up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 6 months.
Notes
- No slow cooker? You can make apple butter on the stovetop—just simmer apples over low heat for 2–3 hours, stirring often to prevent burning.
- Use apple butter in baked goods like muffins, cakes, or as a glaze for pork.
- For canning, process jars in a water bath canner for long-term storage.
- A mix of tart (Granny Smith) and sweet (Fuji, Gala) apples gives the best flavor balance.