This homemade apple butter is slow-cooked with fresh apples, warm spices, and brown sugar for a rich, velvety spread. Perfect for toast, scones, or as a gift, it’s simple to make and full of cozy fall flavor.
Equipment
- Heavy Bottomed Pot
- Spatula
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Immersion Blender
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs apples mix of sweet and tart (honey crisp + granny smith)
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Core and chop the apples into chunks. I leave the skin on but you can peel if preferred
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine chopped apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice, and water (or apple cider). Stir to mix well.
- Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat. After 15 minutes, place the lid of the pot slightly offset, to allow for some steam to release. Cook down your apples for about 1 hour. Stir every 15-20 minutes (set a timer so you don’t forget!)
- Once the apples are very soft, use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth. You can also use a blender for this step
- Place back on the stove with the lid on, cooking over medium heat, stirring every 30 minutes. Depending on the size of your pot and the juiciness of your apples, this can cook in as quickly as 2 hours. As your apple butter gets closer to done, start stirring every 5-10 minutes, so it doesn’t burn. Be sure to scrape any bits that stick to the bottom and sides of the pan, and stir them into the butter. This is good flavor and adds to the deep color!
- When ready, the apple butter will have thickened and be a deep brown. To test, if you scoop some up with your spoon, it should slowly slide off (not thin, like applesauce, or thick like cement)
- Let cool completely, then transfer to a clean jar or airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months
