Learn how to make rich, smooth homemade apple butter with fresh apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and warm spices. This easy slow-cooked recipe is perfect for toast, pancakes, biscuits, oatmeal, and more.
Ingredients
- 3 kg apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- ½ cup apple juice or water
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Prepare the apples
Wash, peel, core, and chop the apples into small pieces. You can use sweet apples, tart apples, or a mixture of both.
2. Start cooking
Place the chopped apples in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add apple juice or water, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
3. Cook until soft
Cover and cook over low to medium-low heat for about 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally. The apples should become very soft and begin breaking down.
4. Blend until smooth
Use an immersion blender to puree the cooked apples until completely smooth. If you don’t have one, carefully transfer the mixture to a regular blender in batches.
5. Cook it down
Return the smooth apple mixture to the pot. Cook uncovered over low heat for another 1–2 hours, stirring frequently near the end. The apple butter should become thick, dark, glossy, and spreadable.
6. Add the finishing touches
Stir in vanilla extract and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the sweetness or spices if needed.
7. Cool and store
Let the apple butter cool before transferring it to clean jars. Store it in the refrigerator and use within about 2–3 weeks, or freeze it for longer storage.
How to Know It’s Ready
Place a small spoonful on a chilled plate and let it sit for a minute. If it stays thick without releasing watery liquid around the edges, your apple butter is ready.
Ways to Enjoy Apple Butter
- Spread it on toast or biscuits
- Spoon it over pancakes or waffles
- Mix it into oatmeal
- Serve alongside roasted pork
- Stir it into plain yogurt
- Use it as a filling for muffins or pastries
- Spread it on warm cornbread
Tip: The secret to really flavorful apple butter is slow cooking. Don’t rush the final stage—the longer the apples cook down, the deeper and more caramelized the flavor becomes.