Making apple butter is the perfect way to use up extra apples. This condiment is healthy, tasty, and simple to make. With no added fat and tons of apple flavor, it’s a guilt-free treat.
Contents
Apple Butter Recipe
Apple butter is a smooth, concentrated fruit spread. It’s made by slow-cooking apples with spices until they caramelize into a thick, velvety consistency. It has a rich, almost caramel-like taste.
Apple butter can be served and paired with many foods. You can stir it into oatmeal or warm it and dollop on pancakes, waffles, or toast. It also goes great on cheese biscuits or cinnamon raisin bread with cream or goat cheese.
For cheese boards, it complements Camembert, Oma, Mimolette, and Bleu d’Auvergne. You can also swirl it into ice cream or use it as a sundae topping.
The condiment works as a glaze for pork chops and turkey, or as a dip for sausage balls and crostini. It can also be swirled into yogurt, baked into muffins, or mixed into cocktails like apple butter bourbon fizz.
If you’ve never made it before, don’t worry! I’ll show you just how simple it is to make apple butter in a slow cooker or on the stovetop.
Homemade Apple Butter
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 3 lbs apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar adjust to taste
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar optional
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method (Recommended for ease)
- Add all ingredients to your slow cooker. Stir to coat apples evenly.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or until apples are soft and deep brown.
- Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) and puree until smooth.
- Leave the lid ajar and cook for another 30–60 minutes if you want it thicker.
- Let cool, then store in jars in the refrigerator (up to 2 weeks) or freezer (up to 6 months).
Stovetop Method
- Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot over medium heat.
- Cover and cook, stirring often, until apples are soft (about 45 minutes).
- Puree until smooth, return to pot, and simmer uncovered for another 30–45 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Notes
- Use a mix of sweet and tart apples (e.g., Fuji + Granny Smith) for balanced flavor.
- No need for pectin. The natural sugars and long cooking create a perfect spreadable texture.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan.
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Variations
From this recipe, you can create other versions. Here are some ideas to try:
- Apple Maple Butter swaps brown sugar with pure maple syrup (use 1/2 cup) for a rich, caramel-like flavor.
- Fruit Additions include other fruits to create unique blends such as strawberry apple butter, apple-pear butter, spiced peach blackberry, peach blueberry, or maple vanilla apple pear. These combinations add complexity and seasonal variety to the classic butter.
- Spiced Chai Infusion adds 1/2 tsp each of cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg to mimic chai flavors.
- Apple Bourbon Vanilla Butter adds 1–2 tbsp of bourbon and an extra 1 tsp of vanilla at the end for warmth and depth.
- Spicy Version adds a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes for a sweet heat combo.