Description
A rich, velvety spread made from slow-cooked apples and warm spices. This versatile apple butter recipe can be prepared three different ways – stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot – resulting in a deeply flavored condiment with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Perfect for spreading on toast, using as a filling, or gifting in decorative jars.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 pounds fuji apples, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound honeycrisp apples, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound Granny Smith apples, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (89 g) golden brown sugar, packed, or light brown
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups (240 ml) apple cider, (1/4 cup for Instant Pot method)
Instructions
- Stovetop Preparation: In a large dutch oven, add diced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Pour in 1 ½ cups apple cider and stir to combine. Cook the apple mixture over medium-high heat until the liquid begins to boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer and stir occasionally until the apples are tender and thoroughly soft, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Straining Process: Working in batches, place the apples in a strainer or food mill, set over a bowl. Stir and pass the apples through the strainer to remove any lumps, there should only be flesh in the bowl, about 4 cups. The consistency will be like applesauce.
- Reduction and Thickening: Add the apple butter back to the dutch oven. There will be juices in the pan. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat, occasionally stirring until dark brown in color and reduce to about 4 cups, 60 to 75 minutes.
- Final Blending: Use a handheld immersion blender or countertop blender to process the puree until very smooth and thick. Season to taste. The apple butter will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Slow Cooker Method: In a 6-quart slow cooker, add all ingredients with 1 ½ cups apple cider. Cover and heat on high setting for 2-3 hours until apples soften, stirring hourly. Set lid slightly ajar and continue cooking on low until mixture is dark brown and reduced to about 4 cups, 9-10 hours. Follow straining and blending steps as above.
- Instant Pot Method: In a 6-quart Instant Pot, combine all ingredients with ¼ cup apple cider. Seal, set to high pressure for 10 minutes (takes about 25 minutes to pressurize). Natural release for 15 minutes, then vent remaining pressure. Strain and blend as directed. Complete by either sautéing for 30-60 minutes with lid ajar until reduced to 4 cups, or slow cook for 4-6 hours until darkened and thickened.
Notes
- For a finer consistency, strain apple butter one last time after reducing to 4 cups.
- For thicker consistency, skip the straining step and use a potato masher to breakdown the flesh in the pot. The skin will be pureed later.
- To make less sweet, omit the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Note that the color will not be as dark and the caramel notes will be less intense.
- Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks, or up to one month in sterilized jars. Properly canned apple butter can last up to 1 year in the refrigerator.
- This apple butter pairs wonderfully with biscuits, pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal, or as a glaze for meats.
- The combination of different apple varieties provides balanced sweetness and acidity.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 75
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 20mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
