Apple Butter

This smooth and fruity apple butter is delicious spread on toasts, mixed in porridge, or eaten with sweet potatoes or in sandwiches.

Homemade Apple Butter: Rich & Velvety

This apple butter complements both sweet and savoury dishes. Deliciously fruity, it works both as a spread and a condiment. This luscious spread boasts a silky-smooth texture and a deep, caramelised apple flavour that’s enhanced with warm spices. It makes a delicious alternative to apple sauce or compote. Unlike apple sauce, apple butter is cooked slowly to reduce moisture and intensify its taste, resulting in a spreadable consistency that makes it perfect for breakfast, snack, in a sandwich or roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash.

Cooked in a slow cooker, this is a tasty autumn recipe that makes great use of homegrown apples and is one of my favourite autumn treats.

This slow cooker method is more hands-off and perfect for overnight cooking. However, you can also make this apple butter on the stove (it should take about 4 hours on low heat).

Choosing the Perfect Apples

I use our garden apples which are just standard variety. This recipe works with any kind of apples but the apple butter will cook faster with softer apples (such as Bramley, Golden Delicious etc..).

A blend of sweet and tart varieties creates a complex, well-balanced flavour. Consider these top choices:

• Granny Smith: Tart and firm, perfect for adding acidity
• Golden Delicious: Sweet and mellow, great for smooth texture
• Fuji: Sweet and crisp, ideal for natural sweetness
• McIntosh: Soft and tangy, breaks down easily for a smooth consistency

TOP TIP: Mix two or more varieties for a more complex flavour in your apple butter.

The quantity of sugar in this recipe is for medium-sweet apples. Do not hesitate to adjust how much sugar you use based on how sweet the apples you are using are.

Here are more apple recipes to try:

• Apple Turnovers
• Apple Crumble Muffins
• The Most Delicious Apple Cake
• French Apple Tart (Tarte Fine aux Pommes)

What is apple butter?

Apple butter is a thick, smooth, and highly concentrated spread made by slow-cooking apples with sugar and spices until the mixture becomes caramelized and flavourful. It has a texture similar to butter but is entirely fruit-based.

The apples are cooked with sugar and spices in a slow cooker for 10 hours or overnight until you have a thick and dark paste.

If you do not have a slow cooker, you can use a heavy bottom pan or a preserving pan.

Seasoned with mixed ground spices or cinnamon, apple butter has a delicious warming flavour.

How to use apple butter?

• Spread it on a sweet or savoury sandwich.
• Stir it into porridge.
• Makes a great addition to cheeseboards and a yummy alternative to quince paste (membrillo).
• Try it as a topping for pancakes or waffles.
• Makes a perfect condiment for roasted vegetables (sweet potatoes, butternut squash or even Brussels sprouts).
• Use it as a filling for pies, cinnamon rolls, scones, doughnuts, muffins etc…
• Makes an awesome low-fat alternative to butter and/or a low-sugar alternative to jam.
• Can be used in baking as a sweetener and flavour enhancer. It works well in recipes for muffins, cakes, cookies, and even bread. It can add moisture and a rich apple flavour to your baked goods.

Spicing Up Your Apple Butter

I like the simple flavour of ground spices (or cinnamon) and vanilla. However, you can play around and create your perfect spice mix.

Spice Suggestions

• Cloves: Adds warmth and depth
• Nutmeg: Brings a subtle, nutty aroma
• Cardamom: Adds a warmth or an exotic twist
• Ginger: Adds a a spicy kick
• Star anise: For a licorice-like depth

Remember, the key is to start with small amounts and adjust to taste. Your perfect blend awaits!

Canning and Preservation

Once made this apple butter will keep in airtight jars in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks. You can also can it in preserving jars for longer-term storage or freeze it.

You can extend the life of your homemade apple butter with proper canning techniques. Follow these steps for safe, shelf-stable preservation:

Equipment Needed

• Water bath canner or large pot
• Clean, sterilised jars with new lids
• Jar lifter and canning funnel

Canning Process

1. Sterilise jars and lids in boiling water
2. Fill jars with hot apple butter, leaving some room at the top
3. Remove air bubbles and wipe jar rims clean
4. Apply lids and bands, tightening to fingertip-tight
5. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes
6. Remove jars and let cool undisturbed for 24 hours
7. Check seals and store in a cool, dark place

I hope you enjoy this apple butter recipe as much as we do. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

This recipe was originally published in November 2021 and updated in October 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Apple Butter

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