Allspiced Apple Butter Recipes

SPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the apples, apple cider, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until mixture reaches a thick, spreadable consistency, stirring often., Remove from the heat. Stir in raisins and lemon zest. Cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

OATMEAL WAFFLES WITH ALLSPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• The night before you plan to serve the waffles, in a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, orange juice, and oats. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the sugar and mix. Add the flours, baking soda, salt, and the oat mixture and mix well. Stir in the melted butter. The batter may be slightly lumpy.
• Preheat and lightly butter a waffle iron. Spoon a generous 1/2 cup of batter onto the hot iron and close the lid. Cook until no more steam escapes from the iron and the waffle is golden on both sides, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the apple butter and whipped cream and garnished with fresh berries.
• Equipment: Waffle iron.
• Put the apples in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice and continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 30 minutes more.
• To test for doneness, place a spoonful of the mixture on a white plate and let sit 20 seconds. If a ring of liquid forms around the apples, there is still too much liquid in the mixture. Continue cooking and testing until no ring forms.
• Yield: about 5 cups

REDUCED SUGAR SPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir chopped apples, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a slow cooker.
• Cook on Low until the apples are soft enough to mash easily with a fork, 8 to 10 hours.
• Puree apple mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Cook uncovered until some of the liquid reduces and the color is dark brown, about 1 hour.

APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine apples, vinegar, allspice berries (if using), cinnamon sticks (if using), ginger (if using), star anise pod (if using) and 4 cups water in a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely softened and the liquid has reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes. (Some pieces of apple might float at first; they will sink and become submerged as they soften.) Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Leaving behind allspice berries, cinnamon sticks and star anise pod, pass the apples through a food mill. (Alternatively, working in batches, ladle apples into a strainer or colander, and using a ladle, wooden spoon or spatula, press apples to pass pulp through, leaving behind seeds and skin.)
• To finish on the stovetop: Place apple pulp in the same large, heavy-bottomed pot, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep golden brown (somewhere between honey and molasses), 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Around the 1 1/2-hour mark, things will start to bubble rather violently. Stirring constantly will help, but expect, and be careful of, a few splatters.) To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 8 to 10 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.
• To finish in the oven: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place apple pulp in a 9-inch by 13-inch (3-quart) baking dish, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Place in oven and let cook, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep, golden brown color (somewhere between honey and molasses), 3 to 3 1/2 hours. To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 20 to 30 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.

AMAZING APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine apples and apple juice in a stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a simmer until apples are soft and mushy, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Spoon apples into a food mill and process into puree while discarding the cores and peels remaining in the mill. Transfer process apples to a slow cooker.
• Cook on High with the lid off until the moisture evaporates and the volume reduces by about half, overnight to 24 hours.
• Stir sugar, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice through the apple puree.
• Continue cooking on High until mixture mounds on a chilled plate without any water separating from the edges, another 2 to 6 hours.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the apple butter into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

SUPREME APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring apple juice concentrate, apple cider, and Macintosh apples to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Stirring occasionally, simmer uncovered about 1 hour, until apples are easily mashed.
• Mix dark brown sugar, apple brandy, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into the apple mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Transfer to sealed sterile containers, and cool at least 1 hour before serving.

ALL-DAY APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place apples in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. , Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). , Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. If desired, stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

CHEF JOHN'S APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place apple pieces into a large slow cooker. Add white sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vinegar. Add a splash of water and mix well.
• Cover and cook on High until apples are starting to soften and release liquid, 1 to 2 hours. Reduce heat to Low and cook, uncovered, until all the apple flesh is dissolved, 5 to 6 hours. Stir occasionally.
• Puree using an immersion blender until smooth. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until darkened and thick, about 4 hours more. Pass apple butter through a strainer if desired. Seal in a glass container and refrigerate until cool.

ALL-DAY APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
• Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
• Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
• Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
• Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter and add apples. Cook apples until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add cider, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until soft, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mash softened apples with a potato masher. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Using an immersion blender, puree mixture until smooth.
• Pour apple mixture evenly into a baking dish. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Let cool before serving. Apple butter may be kept, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 5 days.