Apple butter is a delicious and versatile spread made by slow-cooking apples with sugar and spices until thick and caramelized. Here’s a simple recipe to make your own homemade apple butter:
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds apples (such as Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Place the chopped apples in a large slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Mix well.
- Sprinkle the sugar and spice mixture over the chopped apples in the slow cooker.
- Drizzle the lemon juice and optional vanilla extract over the apples.
- Stir everything together until the apples are evenly coated with the sugar and spice mixture.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft and caramelized.
- Once the apples are cooked down and caramelized, use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the mixture until smooth.
- Continue cooking the pureed mixture in the slow cooker, uncovered, on low heat for an additional 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the apple butter is thickened to your desired consistency.
- Taste the apple butter and adjust the sweetness and spices if needed.
- Once the apple butter has thickened to your liking, transfer it to sterilized jars and allow it to cool completely before sealing.
- Store the apple butter in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or preserve it using proper canning techniques for longer shelf life.
Enjoy your homemade apple butter spread on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or as a flavorful ingredient in various recipes!