Two words. Apple butter. Just saying them aloud can make you feel cozy. So, what better way to spend a weekend at home, whether you’re going it alone or with family, than to whip up a batch of this easy pantry favorite.
This is the classic recipe we commonly turn to every apple-picking season, rich with sweet apple flavor and warm spices. As the mixture slowly cooks down, the sugar caramelizes and the apple butter turns a deep, golden brown. Four pounds of apples should yield between two and three pints. Spread it on toast, scones, or a thick slab cut from a homemade loaf, and you’ll still have plenty remaining.
Classic Apple Butter
- 4 lb. (2 kg.) sweet apples such as Fuji, Gala, Empire or Pink Lady
- 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml.) sweet apple cider
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups (1 lb./500 g.) sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Have ready hot, sterilized jars and their lids.
Peel, quarter and core the apples. In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the apples, cider and lemon juice. Add 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml.) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft, about 30 minutes.
Working in batches if necessary, transfer the apple mixture to a food processor and puree just until smooth. Return to the saucepan and stir in the sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Place over medium-low heat and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides of the pan, until the butter is thick and mounds on a spoon, about 1 hour.
Ladle the hot butter into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch (6 mm.) of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if necessary. Wipe the rims clean and seal tightly with the lids.
Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. If a seal has failed, store the jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Find more ways to put up the season’s bounty in our book Art of Preserving, by Rick Field, Lisa Atwood and Rebecca Courchesne.
4 comments
I made this and it came out fantastic! I have two jars left to mail to my mom but I’m out and I want to open another jar! LOL. I messed up the original water/apple cider vinegar mixture by doubling it because I thought I had too many apples. So when I poured the ingredients together and put it in my slow cooker, it was way too bitter. I poured in four cups of water and let it cook 24 hours, keeping my fingers crossed. Wow. It’s so delicious and a beautiful dark color. I recommend this recipe!!
I am going to try this recipe; it sounds great & relatively simple. My apple trees are loaded, unfortunately the apples are an Arkansas Black – which is sometimes described as the “wood Apple” not sweet but a good keeper. This recipe may make my apples more palatable !
Would using 1 cup of dates pureed in with the hot apple sause work instead of the sugar batch?
Hi Z, we haven’t tested the recipe that way, but feel free to give it a shot and let us know how it turns out! Dates make great natural sweeteners, but the consistency of the finished product may differ — sugar will help the apple butter thicken.