Description
Transform fresh apples into a silky-smooth, intensely flavorful apple butter infused with aromatic cinnamon and cloves. This rich, spiced spread is perfect for toast, pancakes, or as a glaze for savory dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–5 pounds of apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith or Braeburn)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup apple cider (or unsweetened apple juice or water)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Optional: whole cinnamon sticks and whole cloves
- Optional: a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg or allspice
Instructions
- Wash your apples thoroughly. Then, peel, core, and chop them into roughly 1-inch pieces.
- In a very large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine your chopped apples, both brown and granulated sugars, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, apple cider (or water/juice), and fresh lemon juice. If using whole spices, add them now too. Stir to ensure the apples are coated and the spices are distributed.
- Place the pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until the apples are very soft.
- Remove the lid from the pot. Increase the heat to medium-low, maintaining a gentle simmer. Stir frequently as the mixture thickens, cooking off the excess liquid for 1 to 2 hours until a thick, jam-like consistency is achieved.
- Once thickened, remove any whole spices. Use an immersion blender, potato masher, or food processor to puree the mixture until smooth.
- Return the pureed apple butter to the pot. Continue to cook on very low heat, stirring almost constantly, for another 30 minutes to an hour until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. Test for doneness by spooning a small amount onto a chilled plate.
- Ladle the hot apple butter into sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, apply lids and bands.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 2-3 hours
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Be patient during the reduction phases to prevent scorching. Taste and adjust sweetness and spice levels as desired. For a hands-off approach, consider using a slow cooker or oven method.