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Easy Apple Butter Recipe

apple butter
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Smooth and spicy, this apple butter recipe is wonderful as a topping, or for eating straight out of the jar.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 12 medium-sized apples (about 4 pounds)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Juice of one lemon

Instructions

  1. Wash, peel, and core the apples. Cut them into quarters. There’s no need for peeling or finer chopping, as they break down nicely during cooking.
  2. Prep your slow cooker, Instant Pot, or heavy bottomed stock pot on the stove top.
  3. Add the apple chunks, sugars, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Stir well to ensure the apples are evenly coated.
  4. SLOW COOKER – Cover the slow cooker and set it to low heat. Let the mixture cook for 6-8 hours, or until the apples are soft. STOVE TOP – Add about a half cup of water to the apples mixture before you start cooking. Cook on low heat, stirring regularly, until apples are soft, about 1-2 hours.
  5. Once your apples are soft, use an immersion blender, blender or food processor to puree the apples until smooth. If you don’t have a powered blender, mash with a potato masher.
  6. Continue cooking on low, uncovered, for an additional 1-2 hours to thicken the apple butter.
  7. Once the apple butter reaches the desired thickness, let it cool. Transfer it to clean, airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. The apple butter thickens as it cools.

Notes

Freeze for longer storage, or process in a boiling water bath canner. Process pint or half pint jars for 10 minutes with 1/4 inch headspace.

If you don’t have a range of spices, substitute 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for the cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg.

Find it online: https://commonsensehome.com/apple-butter/