Homemade Apple Butter Recipe
Went apple picking? Got lots of apples? Make this easy homemade apple butter recipe! Just a few simple ingredients and so much delicious fall flavor!
When it’s apple season, nothing screams “Fall!” like a big pot of homemade apple butter bubbling away on the stovetop!
Apple butter just bursts with sweet apple and warm spice flavors, and it has so many great uses. It’s one of my favorite things to make during the season!
We love to enjoy it spread on toasted cinnamon bread, English muffins, scones, or biscuits, but the possibilities are limitless!
From savory to sweet, spread on top of pork chops or used a topping for ice cream, anything that wants a little sweet fall flavor will taste delicious with a dollop of smooth apple butter.
And you won’t believe how easy it is to make your apple butter from scratch!
It only takes a few essential ingredients, and most of the time, it’s completely hands-off.
I’ve got instructions for making homemade apple butter on the stovetop or in the crockpot. It’s totally up to you!
Either way, you will love this sweet fall treat.
What is apple butter?
Apple butter is a simple, home-y topping that tastes great spread on biscuits, scones, or toast.
It’s made primarily from apples but doesn’t contain any butter or dairy. In fact, it’s vegan!
Apple butter has hints of warm cinnamon spice, but it mostly just tastes like apples. It has an intensely apple-y flavor because it is apples cooked down and concentrated to their essence.
It’s in a class by itself. It’s not a jam or a jelly, although it can be used similarly.
And it is not quite the same thing as applesauce, either. It’s thicker, smoother, and has a more concentrated apple flavor.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This recipe is easy to make with only a few ingredients and about 20 minutes of hands-on time. And most of that time is spent peeling and cutting the apples!
It has the best flavor! The apples are truly the star, and the other ingredients complement the fresh, sweet taste.
It’s also a great recipe for the holidays! It makes a large batch, so you can can it and give it as a homemade Christmas present or hostess gift for Thanksgiving.
And the texture is just gorgeous. Peeling the apples helps to give this recipe a smooth and velvety finish.
Apple butter ingredients
You can make this recipe from just a handful of basic ingredients.
Apples:
Start with a whole lotta apples! You will want about 4 pounds of apples for this recipe, which is approximately nine medium-sized apples. If you’ve just gone apple picking, this is a great way to use your haul!
Apple Cider:
In addition to fresh apples, you’ll also need apple cider.
Apple cider is the pure, unfiltered juice of fresh apples. It’s similar to apple juice, but apple juice is filtered so it’s lighter in color and clear. Apple juice would make a good substitute if you can’t find the dark brown, cloudy apple cider I’m recommending here.
I’m not talking about the fizzy hard cider that has alcohol. But that would work well in a pinch and the alcohol would likely evaporate during the cooking process.
And whatever you do, don’t use apple cider vinegar! That would be way too tangy.
Brown Sugar:
Light brown sugar is my favorite for this recipe, but dark brown will work too if that’s what you’ve got! The end result will just look a little darker (obvs) and the flavor will be a little more earthy.
White sugar will work too, or any other sweetener that swaps 1:1 for brown sugar.
No need to jam it into the measuring cup. Just a loose pack will do!
Cinnamon and Cloves:
Ground cinnamon and ground cloves will give this apple butter that unmistakable warm, fall flavor.
You can add in other spices too if you’d like. Nutmeg, vanilla bean, or ground allspice would be nice. Use them to your own taste, taking care not to overwhelm the delicate apple flavor.
In a pinch, apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice would also work!
Salt:
Salt carries the flavors and intensifies them. The end result won’t taste salty, but it will make everything so much more flavorful! I like kosher salt best because it doesn’t have any additives (table salt usually contains iodine and that can leave a bitter taste), so the flavor is pure, and it’s very inexpensive and easy to find.
Lemon Juice:
At the end, you’ll squeeze in some lemon juice to give the apple butter a little “lift.” This will brighten and enhance the apple flavor.
What kind of apples should I use?
You can use any apple you like for this recipe.
I chose Honeycrisp apples for the batch you see in these pics and video, because I like their natural sweetness. You could also use Golden Delicious, Gala, or Fuji apples.
Or, if you prefer a more tart apple flavor, Granny Smith apples would be a great choice.
You can even mix things up and try a variety of different apples.
But any apple will work, so use what you have!
How to make apple butter
Start by tossing the apples, cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt into a big pot and bring it all up to a simmer. Allow everything to cook, stirring every so often, until the apples have become soft and are beginning to fall apart.
My Honeycrisp apples took about an hour on medium-low heat to get to this stage.
Once the apples are soft, you can puree mixture. I like to do this with a hand blender/immersion blender, but you could also use a regular blender, food processor, or food mill.
(If you aren’t using a hand blender, you’ll want to do this in batches, so that you don’t overflow your machine.) Be careful- the mixture is hot and steamy!
When the apple mixture is velvety-smooth, return it to the pot and let it cook down some more.
You want to let the liquid evaporate and leave a very concentrated apple puree behind. The longer you cook it, the thicker it will become.
Simmer until it reaches your desired consistency. It will thicken up even more as it cools, so keep that in mind!
Once it’s reached a deep brown color and has the consistency of a thick spread, remove it from the heat and squeeze in a little fresh lemon juice. This will brighten up the flavor!
Expert Tips
- If you make this recipe in the slow cooker, you can prep all ingredients in the evening and allow the slow cooker to do its magic overnight. Be sure to check the safety instructions on your device.
- If you want a smooth consistency to your apple butter, then blend the apples after they have cooked down.
- Prefer a chunky consistency? Simply skip the regular blender and continue to cook the apples down slowly.
- Return the cooked and pureed apples to the pot to allow the puree to cook down further for a really intense apple flavor.
- Stir a few times throughout the cooking process, to keep the apple butter from burning on the bottom of the pot.
- Simmer on low heat with the pot uncovered.
Can this be made in a crockpot?
I like this stovetop recipe because it’s relatively quick to make. But you could also make it in a crockpot or slow cooker!
To make crockpot apple butter cook the apples, cider, brown sugar, and spices on high heat (uncovered) for about 2 hours (or until soft). Puree them just as you would for the stovetop recipe.
Then lower the heat and allow the puree to cook for 8 to 10 hours. Stir it now and then, just to be sure it’s not burning on the bottom of the pot.
It takes a long time, but your house will smell incredible, and it’s mostly hands-off!
Can apple butter be canned?
You can absolutely process and can this; it works great!
Just sterilize your canning jars, boil your lids until the seal is softened and gummy, and fill the jars with apple butter. Wipe the edges of the jars clean, screw on the lids, and submerge them in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
You should hear the lids suction down and “pop” as the jars cool. This is how you know your seals are airtight!
If done correctly, the jars of apple butter can be kept in a cupboard at room temperature.
But if you don’t feel like going to the trouble, keep it in the fridge, and you should be fine!
How long does apple butter last?
Store your apple butter an airtight container and keep it in the fridge if you don’t want to process and can it. It should last in the refrigerator for several weeks to a month.
Canned and unopened jars of apple butter will last up to 2 years at room temperature.
Once a canned jar of apple butter is opened, it will last a few weeks to a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is apple butter used for?
There are SO many great uses for apple butter.
It’s naturally sweet, so it works well as a filling in desserts.
But it’s also lovely on savory dishes like herbed chicken or pork. In the Philadelphia area, where I live, we often enjoy it as a topping on scrapple. The sweet and savory contrast is incredible!
Most commonly, apple butter is enjoyed as a spread on toast, biscuits, or scones, but I’ve also used it to fill cupcakes (like these Apple Cinnamon Pancake Cupcakes) and bread (like this Apple Butter Cinnamon Swirl Bread).
What is the difference between applesauce and apple butter?
Both homemade apple butter and homemade applesauce are made from cooked, pureed apples.
The main difference is that apple butter is thicker than applesauce and has more added sugar. Whereas applesauce has a small amount (or even no sugar added), apple butter typically has more.
Also, apple butter gets cooked longer, to allow the water to evaporate and the apples to boil down to a thicker consistency, so it can be used as a spread.
Why is it called apple butter?
They call it “apple butter” because it has a buttery consistency, even though no butter is actually added.
Next time you find yourself with an abundance of apples, remember this easy homemade apple butter recipe!
And if you have any holiday parties coming up, think about giving jars of apple butter as party favors or a hostess gift! Your friends and family will love the sweet apple and warm cinnamon flavors!
This post contains affiliate sales links.
Homemade Apple Butter
Ingredients
- about 4 pounds apples, (roughly 9 medium-sized apples), peeled and cored
- 1 cup (236 g) apple cider, (NOT apple cider vinegar)
- 3/4 cup (165 g) loosely packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) kosher salt
- juice of half a lemon, (about 1 tablespoon)
Instructions
- Place the apples, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a large pot, and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, (stirring occasionally) until the apples have become very soft (about 1 hour).
- Use a hand blender to puree the mixture (or ladle it into a regular blender in batches) until smooth.
- Place the puree back into the pot and continue to cook, uncovered, (stirring occasionally) until thick, velvety, and deep mahogany brown (about 1 hour).
- Stir in the lemon juice, transfer the mixture to jars, and keep refrigerated.*
I did everything except I cut the apples into chunks and it cooked so much faster
Love to follow your receipes
Hey, I followed all directions and my apple butter did not thicken up. It’s the same consistency as apple sauce. Is that normal or should it be thicker? If thicker, how do I get it there?
You just need to let it simmer longer Aaron! The additional liquid that’s in there should evaporate out as steam. Good luck!
This recipe is incredible AND easy, thank you for sharing! I’ve tried it twice now with great results. I didn’t have apple cider on hand either time so I used tap water without any issues. The second time, I adjusted the recipe by using 1.5 tablespoons of cinnamon and adding a little ginger and nutmeg. I really liked this extra-spiced version, too.
I stumbled upon this when I was looking at your apple butter cinnamon bread recipe and I’m def making this! A few questions tho, I made my own apple cider at home and it already has lemon in it since I threw one in when I made the juice, do I still have to add it? Also is there any way to freeze this? I have way too many apple than I know what to do with lol! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Yes I think it would freeze quite well! And if you think it already tastes good with the lemon in the cider then you can leave the additional lemon juice out. It’s really just there for flavor so feel free to make it according to your own personal taste.
I’m going to make this but I’m just wondering by apple cider do you mean the alcohol? I know that there is non alcoholic versions available also but want to make sure I’m getting the correct thing!
No, not hard cider but just regular apple cider. It might be a regional thing. In this part of the US, we get apple cider every year at this time in our supermarkets. It’s just like apple juice, but unfiltered. It’s a darker color and cloudy and the flavor is more robust. If you can’t find it, apple juice will work fine too.
I made this apple butter and wow is all I can say! Tasted just like my Mother and Grandmother used to make. Delicious would be an understatement. Thank you so much!
Do you think this would be ok to use Apple juice instead of Apple Cider? I have a bunch of Golden delicious apples but no apple cider at my local stores!
Yes- I think that would be a great sub! The only difference between apple juice and apple cider is that juice is filtered and often pasteurized, whereas cider is usually raw and unfiltered. I say go for it!
Just made this and it’s super yum! I had originally left the peels on, so about halfway through I strained the whole mixture. It really needs to be blended for quite a while longer than you think in order to achieve that silky smooth texture pictured.
Hi. I made this recipe back in September and made about 4 mason jars worth. I still have some in my fridge (which haven’t been opened since I made them) but I didn’t fully “process” the jars. Do you think it’s still safe to eat? I don’t think there’s anything in the recipe that would go “bad” but I wouldn’t wanna eat/serve it if it wouldn’t be good!
I tend to be a little more on the lax side about this type of thing, lol! You should definitely use your own judgement in this type of situation, I would never want to lead you in a bad direction. But if it were me, I would probably open the jar and make sure it looks ok first. Then I’d give it the sniff test, and if it smells ok, I’d probably give it a little taste. If the taste is all right, I’d most likely serve it. After the long cooking process, the apple butter will most likely be high enough in sugar to inhibit any kind of microbial growth. All this having been said, if the jar lid looks like it’s bulging at all, definitely throw it out. That’s a sign of botulism which is odorless, tasteless, and can be deadly. Good luck!
Hi! Will the lemon make a huge difference in this? I have everything but lemon!
It will help to bring out the flavors & make it taste more apple-y. You can leave it out if you’d like but it definitely tastes better with!
Hello never heard of apple butter since I from France but I will make it because I have to that apple butter bread pudding thank you
I have used my grandmothers recipe on occasion and while everyone loved it, it was a long and time consuming project. I came across your recipe so on this dark gloomy NE day I decided to give it a try.
What a difference!! Still the same great smell throughout the house but in half the time! And it tastes amazing!! Will be making it again for holiday gifts. Thank you SO much for sharing!!
Sorry didn’t type this right. Could this be doubled and done in crock pot and stored in freezer?
Could this be done in larger quanity (doubled) then freezer store?