Homemade Apple Butter
This Homemade Apple Butter is cozy, rich, and bursting with fall flavor. Made by slowly cooking fresh apples with apple cider, cinnamon, and warm spices until thick and caramel-colored, it’s smooth, fragrant, and perfectly sweet. Delicious on toast, pancakes, yogurt, or straight from the spoon — it’s the ultimate easy fall spread.
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Servings: 24 oz
Ingredients
- 3 lbs apples about 5 large apples, diced (skin on is okay!)
- 1/2 c. Dark brown sugar
- 1/4 c. Granulated sugar
- 2/3 c. Apple cider or water if you don’t have it, but apple cider is best
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large pot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on med-low heat for about 1 hour (or until apples are basically like mush).
- Pour into a large bowl and puree using an immersion blender until there are no chunks (you can also use a food processor if you don’t have an immersion blender, but you might have to do it in batches).
- Add the apple puree back to the pot and place on the stove. Turn the stove onto medium heat and bring the apples to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for at least 1 hour (you want the puree to thicken and reduce). Stir occasionally. (Be careful of some splashing that can occur when it is on the stove).
- Remove from heat and put into a storing container. Allow to cool before covering and place in fridge. Will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
I prefer to use apple cider as the liquid, but water if fine as well!
The longer you cook the pureed apples, the thicker it will get.
Don't peel the apples! This will save time and energy, plus you get all those nutrients.
Be careful using the immersion blender in your pot. Depending on the type it can scratch it. If you have a titanium, or stainless steel, pot then you should be okay. But if you have a coated pot, or even cast iron, this could scratch it all up! In this case, you should pour the apples into a large bowl and blend in that before adding it back into the pot to reduce.
Stir occasionally, especially near the end of cooking. This helps prevent sticking or burning as the mixture thickens.