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Best Apple Butter Recipe
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4.49 stars (27 ratings)

Homemade Apple Butter

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!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Apple Butter, apple butter recipe, crockpot apple butter, how to make apple butter
Servings: 32 servings
Calories: 23kcal

Ingredients

  • about 4 pounds apples (roughly 9 medium-sized apples), peeled and cored
  • 1 cup apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar)
  • 3/4 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 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.*

Video

Notes

*Apple butter can also be canned. Ladle into sterilized jars, wipe the rims clean, screw on fresh lids and submerge in boiling water for 10 minutes. Processed jars of apple butter will keep at room temperature for several months.
Makes about 4 4-ounce jars of apple butter.
A few more great topping recipes:

Nutrition

Serving: 1/32 | Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 15mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg