Description
A delicious and sweet homemade apple butter made from a blend of sweet and tart apples.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
- 1 cup light brown sugar (or to taste)
- Granulated sugar (optional, to taste)
- 2–3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of ground nutmeg, allspice, or ginger (optional)
- ½ to 1 cup unsweetened apple cider (or water)
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash, peel, core, and chop your chosen apples into roughly 1-inch pieces.
- In a very large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine your chopped apples, brown sugar, any other sweeteners, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, any other spices, apple cider (or water), and fresh lemon juice. Stir to coat the apples well.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until the apples are very soft.
- Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to blend directly in the pot until smooth, or transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the clean pot.
- Return the pot with the pureed apple mixture to the stovetop. Leave it uncovered and set the heat to low. Cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring frequently, until the apple butter thickens and darkens in color.
- To check if your apple butter is ready, spoon a small amount onto a chilled plate. If there’s no watery ring around the edge when you tilt the plate, it’s done.
- Taste your apple butter and adjust sweetness or spice as needed.
Notes
- Choose a mix of sweet and tart apples for best flavor.
- Adjust sugar and spices to taste.
- Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 1mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg