With notes of caramelized brown sugar, warm spices, and an intense apple flavor, this delicious apple butter is the perfect way to preserve that lovely produce from apple picking.
Similar to homemade pumpkin butter, it makes a great addition to baked goods such as apple crumb cake or as a breakfast spread with toast, pancakes, or muffins.
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🧾 Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make a batch of homemade apple butter:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Apple Cider: This is unfiltered apple juice, but you can also use apple juice. I have also tested it with carbonated alcoholic apple cider which worked well. Make sure you don't use apple cider vinegar though!
- Fresh Apples: I like to use sweet apples such as Honey Crisp, Gala, or Fuji apples. But if you have freshly picked orchard apples feel free to use those. I don't recommend Golden Delicious or Red Delicious as these tend to taste a little bland and watery so they won't give you the best apple butter!
- Light Brown Sugar: This caramelizes with the apples giving it a gorgeous flavor and a beautiful deep brown color.
- Ground Spices: I use a combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. You could also use apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds a gorgeous creamy apple pie flavor to the spread. Feel free to swap in vanilla bean paste or a scraped out vanilla pod if you like.
- Sea Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness of the apples and enhances the flavor.
🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images showing how to make this easy apple butter recipe. Please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions:
Step 1: Remove the cores from the apples and cut them into cubes (1-2 inches in size). Add the cubed apples to a medium saucepan with all the other ingredients.
Step 2: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula.
Step 3: The liquids will reduce and the apples will soften and cook down. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender or food processor and blitz for a few minutes until completely smooth and creamy. You can also use an immersion blender.
Step 5: Add the blended apple mixture back to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Place the top on the saucepan (important as it will spit!). Cook for 30 minutes, carefully stirring every 5-10 minutes, reducing it until it has the perfect consistency.
Step 6: Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature for around 30 minutes. Transfer to clean canning jars or a sealed container and refrigerate.
💭 Recipe Tips
Sweeter apples work best. While it's perfectly fine to use slightly tart apples like Pink Lady, or McIntosh, I don't Granny Smith apples as they are too sour for this recipe.
Keep the apple peels on. These add flavor, fiber, and color to the apple spread and since we're blending you won't notice the texture.
Be careful when you take the lid off the saucepan as the mixture will spit.
🍽 How To Use Apple Butter
There are so many different ways that you can enjoy this flavorful spread. Here are some ideas:
- Breakfast: Spread on toast, vegan scones, English muffins, oatmeal, or waffles.
- Baking: Add to apple spice cake, or as a frosting or filling for cupcakes and cakes.
- Topping: Swirl into vegan ice cream or yogurt.
- Vegan Cheese Board: Alongside your favorite vegan cheeses, fruits, and crackers.
💬 FAQs
Yes, you can increase the recipe just make sure you use a large saucepan and allow more cooking time for the apples to soften and reduce down.
It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month in a glass jar or sealed container.
You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also transfer it to ice cube trays so that can grab a portion anytime you fancy!
🍎 More Vegan Apple Recipes
📖 Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 7-8 red apples, 1kg when cored *see note 1
- 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar
- 240 ml (1 cup) apple cider or apple juice, not apple cider vinegar! *see note 2
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare: Remove the cores from the apples and cut them into cubes (1-2 inches in size). Add the cubed apples to a medium saucepan with all the other ingredients.
- Cook: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. The liquids will reduce and the apples will soften and cook down. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly for 10 minutes.
- Blend: Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender or food processor and blitz for a few minutes until completely smooth and creamy.
- Reduce: Transfer the blended apple mixture back to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Place the top on the saucepan (important as it will spit!). Cook for 30 minutes, carefully stirring every 5-10 minutes or so. Be careful when you take the lid off the saucepan as the mixture will spit.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature for around 30 minutes. Transfer to clean airtight jars or a sealed container and refrigerate.
Notes
- Apples: You need 1kg of apples after removing the cores - allow an extra 100g/3.5oz or so if measuring apples before preparing them. I use Honeycrisp.
- Apple Cider: This is unfiltered apple juice, not the alcoholic beverage. However, I have also tested it with carbonated alcoholic apple cider which worked well!
Nutrition
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