Two Ways to Make Apple Butter

Over the years, while apple butter is not among my top favorites, I have tried it out, with some very good results. And of course, if there comes along a newer, better or different way to make something, I have to try that also. So it came about that I tried out an apple butter recipe that would taste (to my sisters-in-law) like her mother's recipe. As my mother-in-law had already passed away, this had to be strictly by taste memory. I believe we must have come quite close in our taste-testing, and this is the recipe I created.

Apple Butter

Apple Butter

Makes approximately 5 pints

4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, sliced
2 cups water
½ cup brown sugar, per cup of resulting apple puree
4 teaspoons cassia cinnamon
1½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon salt

Simmer the apples and water together in a pot until soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 to 25 minutes until most of the liquid is gone from the pan. Puree the apples, then measure the amount; there should be around 6 to 6½ cups of puree. Return the puree to the pot.

Add in ½ cup of brown sugar per cup of apple puree. If you have 6 cups puree, add in 3 cups of brown sugar. Add in the spices and stir well. Cook, stirring the mixture until it is thick and sheets off of a spoon, about 10 or 15 minutes more.

Have your canning jars sterilized and hot. Using a wide mouth funnel, ladle the hot apple butter directly into the jars, leaving ¼-inch of room at the top of the jar. With damp paper toweling, wipe the rim of the jar before placing seal and rim.

Lower the jars into a canning pot, or a large stock pot with a rack in the bottom, with boiling water about half way up the pot. Make sure the water is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars and maintains a boil throughout the timing process. Process the jars as stated below:

Half pint or pint jars: 
0 - 1,000 feet 5 minutes; 
1,001 - 6,000 feet 10 minutes; 
above 6,000 feet 15 minutes.

Quart sized jars: 
0 - 1,000 feet 10 minutes;
1,001 - 6,000 feet 15 minutes;
above 6,000 feet 20 minutes.

Turn off heat and wait for 5 minutes before removing the jars with a jar lifter. Set them on a towel to cool. If you hear a "pop," then congratulations, the jar has sealed properly.

NOTES: If you like a more acidic flavor to your apple butter, add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar when cooking the apples. It will need more time than noted to cook the liquids out.

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This next recipe came about when I heard or read about making apple butter in a slow cooker. I don't use my slow cooker - one of the old varieties with a simple Low or High setting - too very often, so when I see a recipe for slow cooking that tickles my fancy, I must try it out. 

Basically, all the ingredients are tossed into the crock pot and allowed to cook. It doesn't get much easier than that. Vinegar can be added to give that tang, or left out completely; this will affect the amount of time needed to cook down. The amount of spices can vary as desired. I have a larger crock pot that easily held the original 12 cups of apples, although this could be made in a smaller crock pot with part of the apples at first, then adding the rest as they break down slightly. The recipe can be canned and water bath processed or frozen, as desired. This is the recipe I created:

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Makes about 6 cups or 3 pints

12 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
4 teaspoons good-quality cassia cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
½ cup cider vinegar (I used Bragg's)
 
Place apples into the crock pot. In a separate bowl, combine the sugars and spices, then pour them over the apples. Pour in the vinegar if using. Set crock pot to high for about 2 hours, stirring as the apples start to break down. Reduce crock pot to low and allow to cook for anywhere from 14 to 18 hours more, or until well broken down. The apple butter can be left as is at this point, but if you prefer a smoother product, an immersion hand blender works well.

Place the apple butter into freezer containers and freeze for later use or ladle into sterile 1 - cup to 1-pint sized canning jars, place lids and rings and place into a boiling water bath for the time shown in the table for the recipe above.

If any jars do not seal properly after the water bath, store them in the refrigerator. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.