Our Apple Butter Recipes

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.

OUR APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Blend apples in batches in a blender until no large chunks remain.
• Combine blended apples, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger in a slow cooker.
• Cook uncovered on High for 1 hour. Place cover on slow cooker and continue cooking, stirring about twice per hour, until smooth, 6 to 8 hours. Remove the cover and continue cooking and stirring until thick and spreadable, 2 to 4 hours.
• Spoon into jars leaving about an inch of space at the top; seal and freeze.

HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Combine the apples, apple cider, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves. Puree the mixture in a blender in batches until smooth (or use an immersion blender).
• Return the mixture to the pot and bake, uncovered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened and deep amber, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours (the timing will depend on the kind of apples you use). Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
• Try it on: Pancakes, waffles, yogurt, oatmeal, grilled cheese, PB&J, biscuits, cornbread or pork chops

HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Combine the apples, cider, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves and salt in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until the apples are very tender, about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and puree using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender (be careful when blending hot liquids).
• Transfer the pot to the oven. Bake, uncovered, stirring every 20 minutes so that the bottom does not burn, until the mixture is very thick and a rich brown caramel color, about 3 hours. Cool completely.

APPLE BUTTER FOR HAND PIES

Steps:

• Combine apples, apple cider, Calvados, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, mace, cloves, sugar, and lemon juice in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place mixture over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring often with a large wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until apples are broken down and saucy, about 1 hour. Mash any large pieces of apple with large wooden spoon to help them break down.
• Reduce heat to medium. Using a rubber spatula, scrape out apple mixture from pan, and transfer to a small saucepan. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until apples are completely broken down and butter is very thick and dark, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove from the heat, and let stand to cool.

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.

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.

OUR FAMOUS APPLE BUTTER - SUGAR FREE

Steps:

• If you are using fresh apples, cook the apples with the apple juice concentrate and enough water to just cover the apples. Cook until the apples are tender. Puree the mixture in a blender and strain out all the seeds and skin. Stir in the spices.
• If you are using unsweetened applesauce, stir the apple concentrate and spices into the unsweetened applesauce.
• Preheat the oven to 375. Pour the apple mixture into a heavy baking pan and place it in the preheated oven. After the first hour of baking, stir the apple butter every 30 minutes, continuing for 5-6 hours, until the apple butter is done. It should be a rich, dark brown, and when a drop is placed on a cold plate, no water should separate out.
• To can the apple butter for long term storage, spoon it into hot, sterilized half pint jars. Seal the jars and process them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until apples are very tender.
• Mash apples with potato masher or large fork.
• Cook uncovered on low heat setting 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is very thick. Cool about 2 hours.
• Spoon apple butter into container. Cover and store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.