Apple Butter

The perfect sweet pick for apple season, my velvety apple butter is brimming with just the right amount of sugar and spice, and everything nice! Prepared with both Gala and Granny Smith apples for sweet-tart flavor, a splash of apple cider, a trio of aromatic spices, plus a touch of brown sugar, this mouthwatering recipe is scrumptious on brioche, croissants, cinnamon raisin bread, or even swirled into oatmeal!

A sweet, velvety spread made from fresh apples

Friends, it's that time of year again, my very favorite time: apple season!

I'm an autumn gal through and through, so when apple season officially rolls around, I get excited about everything “fall.” I absolutely love the cooler evenings, the skies painted in gorgeous golden-orange hues, and getting into my kitchen to prepare aromatic, autumn-spiced treats.

Each year, I enjoy tinkering with one or two recipes centered around apples. They're so wonderfully plentiful this time of year, not only in markets, but also in local u-pick apple orchards.

All the different varieties of apples just make me so happy, each with its own unique level of sweetness and tartness. They bring distinct notes to any recipe they're added to, like my spicy-sweet snickerdoodle cake, my moist apple bread with cinnamon streusel, or my sticky caramel apple pie bars.

This year, I had a craving to prepare my own homemade apple butter recipe, and my, oh my, have we been enjoying it…

Smooth, velvety, and loaded with sweet-spicy notes and apple-y flavor, my easy apple butter requires just a handful of ingredients. And it's the perfect partner for toasted brioche, challah, croissants, or cinnamon raisin bread. We even love it spooned into our oatmeal for a lovely autumn twist!

So if apple season gets you as excited as it does me, and you're craving a sweet and spicy treat brimming with apples to enjoy this fall, then my apple butter recipe is definitely one for the recipe tin.

It's perfect to whip up and stash in the fridge, and makes for a lovely, edible gift, as well!

My recipe for apple butter

This smooth, velvety and “buttery” apple butter is quite fun to make. And let me tell you, it fills the kitchen with all the those sweet, spicy aromas we just love in fall!

Because I appreciate some tartness to go with the sweetness in apple butter, I use a couple of Granny Smith apples to balance out the honey notes of the Galas I use.

To prep the apples, I peel, core, and cut them into small chunks, which helps them break down in the pot as they simmer and soften.

To give lots of flavor to this apple butter, there's some additional ingredients I like to use. I add in brown sugar for some added depth (and for notes of caramel), as well as a touch of granulated sugar, plus cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Just the right amount of spice complements the apples delightful ways.

And for a touch more apple flavor, I use unfiltered apple cider or juice rather than water (though water can be used just as well). It also helps to naturally sweeten the apple butter, allowing for a bit less added sugar to be used.

All of the ingredients are simmered together in a medium-size pot, which allows for all the amazing aromas to waft through the kitchen and house.

When it comes to creating that ultra-smooth texture that apple butter is known for, my go-to tool is my hand-held immersion blender for convenience (one of my favorite kitchen gadgets!). But a traditional blender will work just as well.

Here's a sneak peek at how I make my apple butter recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I add my peeled and cut apple chunks into a medium-size pot, along with the lemon juice, apple cider, and granulated sugar, as well as a portion of the brown sugar, and stir to combine.
2. Next, I bring things up to a vigorous simmer/medium boil, cooking the apples, uncovered, for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until they begin to break down, and become very soft.
3. I use my immersion blender to puree the apple mixture until completely smooth and velvety, with a buttery consistency.
4. Then, I add in the rest of the brown sugar and spices, and cook the apple butter for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, to reduce any liquids a bit more, and create a thicker consistency.
5. Finally, I allow the apple butter to cool for an hour before spooning it into mason jars to cool completely. I then cover with tight-fitting lids (if freezing, I store in freezer bags).
6. I keep the apple butter in the fridge for 2 to 4 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Recipe

Apple Butter

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Sweet and tangy, this velvety apple butter is kissed with a trio of fall spices, perfect to spread over warm croissants, challah, or brioche!

Category: Condiment
Cuisine: American

Yield: 3 ¼ cups (26 servings)

Nutrition info: 63 calories (per 2-tablespoon serving)

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Gala apples (about 5 smaller apples), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 pound Granny Smith apples (about 2 medium-large apples), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• ¾ cup unfiltered apple cider or juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of ground allspice (half of ⅛ teaspoon)
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of the ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To a heavy-bottomed pot (3 to 4-quart size), add the apples, the cider, the lemon juice, ¼ cup worth of the brown sugar, and all of the granulated sugar, and gently stir to combine. Place the pot over high heat and cover it, and bring the apple mixture to a vigorous simmer/boil.
3. Once the apples are vigorously simmering, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook the apples for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring them every 5 minutes or so, until they begin to break apart and become very soft/easy to smash.
4. Remove the pot from the heat, and using an immersion blender, blend the cooked apple mixture until it is a completely smooth, velvety, and silky puree. (You can also use a regular blender, then pour the apple puree back into the pot.)
5. Next, add the remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar, the cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and vanilla extract into the hot apple butter, and stir to blend these ingredients in until they dissolve.
6. Place the apple butter back over low heat now, uncovered, and cook it for roughly 10 to 15 minutes more, stirring very frequently, until the apple butter reduces and slightly thickens to your desired consistency. (It will continue to thicken a little after it cools, especially by the next day.)
7. Remove the reduced apple butter from the heat and allow it to cool for about an hour. Then, transfer the apple butter to a couple of jars with tight-fitting lids (two 16-ounce jars will work), or even one jar and a large zip-top freezer bag, if freezing a portion of the apple butter. Allow it to cool completely.
8. Store the apple butter in the fridge for 2 to 4 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months.

Tips & Tidbits for my apple butter recipe:

• A combination of apples for flavor and texture: I like to use Gala apples here, as they have a very apple-y flavor and natural sweetness. If desired, you can substitute Jonagold or Golden Delicious for the Galas. As mentioned earlier, I also use a couple of Granny Smith apples, as they are naturally tart, and help offset the sweetness a bit, bringing in some tangy brightness.
• Apple cider, or water for the liquid: Using a nice splash of unfiltered apple cider (or juice) is lovely here, as it brings natural sweetness and even more apple flavor, allowing for a little less sugar to be used in the recipe. However, if you don't have apple cider or juice, you can substitute water, and perhaps add an extra tablespoon or so of brown sugar to the recipe to bring in a touch of the missing sweetness.
• A trio of spices, for a bit of warmth: Adding some spices to apple butter makes me think of autumn, and the bonus is that the house smells amazing while this apple butter cooks! My favorites are cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, using just a touch of the latter two so as not to overwhelm. It's just the right amount of spice for warmth and flavor, without overpowering the delicious flavor of the apples.
• Both granulated and brown sugar, for deeper flavor: While you could simply use all granulated sugar here, I like to use a combo of granulated and brown sugar. I use a slightly greater amount of the brown sugar, to bring in those deeper, more caramel notes. It also gives the apple butter a richer, darker color.
• How to store homemade apple butter: Since this recipe yields a larger amount, I typically make a batch and keep half, and gift the other half to family. You can also freeze a portion for a later time, if desired. Storing apple butter in the fridge in glass jars with tight-fitting lids is terrific, and the apple butter will keep for 2 to 4 weeks this way. If you freeze it (you can use a zip-top freezer bag), the apple butter will keep for 6 months. (Note: If you process (or "can") your apple butter, it has a much longer shelf life, if unopened.)
• How to enjoy apple butter: We love to slather it over croissants, brioche or challah toast, or English muffins. It's also delicious spooned into a warm bowl of oatmeal for apple-y, fall flavor!

Craving more sweet, apple-filled recipes? Check out my recipe for Apple Oatmeal Cookies, Apple Cider Donuts, Apple Pancakes, Apple Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Streusel, Baked Apples with Cranberry Nut Crumble, Caramel Apple Pie Bars, or even my recipe for Honeycrisp Apple Salad!