Homemade Apple Butter

Homemade Apple Butter

from dessertnowdinnerlater.com
Appetizers and Dips
170 min
44 servings
42 kcal / serving

Apple butter is thicker than applesauce with a rich caramelized flavor and warm fragrant spices. It's used as a spread, topping, or snack. This homemade apple butter recipe is easy to make from scratch on the stovetop in as little as two hours.

Ingredients

  • 4 lbsapples ((roughly 10 small-medium apples))
  • ½ cupapple juice (apple cider, or water)
  • 1 tbsplemon juice
  • 1 cuplight brown sugar (gently packed*)
  • 2 tspground cinnamon
  • ¼ tspground cloves
  • ¼ tspsalt

Directions

  1. 1

    Core and chop apples into chunks. Peeling, optional. Place apples into a large stock pot.

  2. 2

    Add apple cider, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Stir together.

  3. 3

    Cover and cook (light simmer) over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until apples have become very soft. Approximately 1-2 hours, depending on the variety of apple.

  4. 4

    Use an immersion blender to puree apples in pot or spoon into a blender and puree in batches. Return pureed apples to the stovetop to cook for an additional 30-60 minutes or until thick, and a deep brown color. Check doneness by placing a spoonful onto a plate and allow to cool. If there is no water separation, the apple butter is ready.

  5. 5

    Spoon mixture into jars. Refrigerate 3 weeks up to 1 month.