Apple butter is a delicious, rich, and smooth spread made from apple, sugar, and aromatic spices—one of the best ways to enjoy fall flavors.
Check out our popular apple cheese danish, and apple cinnamon rolls.
Easy Apple Butter (Homemade)
Traditional apple butter is a smooth spread with a texture similar to jam or jelly but with a more concentrated flavor. This butter is made using apples, sugar, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom. It's a perfect fall treat.
Slow cooking the apples for a longer time releases the sugar in the apples, making the butter rich with the signature dark color. No peeling is required. You can make this recipe on a stovetop, crockpot, or instant pot. I love the stovetop method.
What's the difference between applesauce and apple butter?
Apple butter and applesauce use similar spices and follow the same cooking method. The difference lies in taste and texture. While making applesauce, apples are cooked until tender and blended. Apple butter is a richer version cooked until dark brown, thick, and glossy caramelization occurs from a longer cooking time.
Best apples for apple butter
Any kind of apple can be used. For best results, try combining apples of different varieties. I have even tried Granny Smith, which has a tart flavor, and we love it.
To reduce the amount of sugar, use sweet apples like red delicious, golden delicious, fuji, gala, Braeburn, McIntosh, corland, etc.
Best ways to use apple butter
- This apple spread can be used instead of butter on bread toast, waffles, apple pancakes, rolls, and warm biscuits.
- Use it as a key ingredient in many dessert recipes i, i.e., to make apple fritters, cakes, cupcakes, apple bites, pies, and crisps.
- As a dip with fruit platters
- As a glaze while barbecuing meats,
- Use it to prepare mean salad dressings and many more.
- We also like to use it in Indian chaat recipes instead of sweet date tamarind chutney during the Fall season.
How long will homemade apple butter last?
How long it will last depends on how you are storing it. If you are canning in sterilized jars, then you can keep this homemade butter for a couple of years. Store in an air-tight conatiner in the refrigerator for a few weeks and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Ingredients
Apples: Use a combination of apples for sweet and tart flavor.
Sugar: Combine brown and granulated sugar for color and flavor.
Spices: Use fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and cardamom.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How do you make apple butter?
- Cut the apples into quarters. You do not have to peel. Remove only the seeds and stem and not the core, as it contains a high amount of pectin that gives butter its characteristic texture.
- Add the chopped apples in a pot with boiling water, boil for 15 to 20 minutes, and then drain.
- Transfer the cooked apples to a blender and blend them to smooth puree in batches.
- Transfer apple puree to a non-stick pan or back to the same pot on medium heat. Add sugar, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, lemon juice, and cardamom powder.
- Cook for 45 minutes to 1 ½ hour, stirring occasionally or until the butter thickens. The final consistency should be thick and smooth.
- When it turns dark golden brown, switch off the flame and allow it to cool completely.
- Store it in sterilized glass jars using the canning method for long-term use. If you plan to use it within a couple of weeks, you can skip the canning process, transfer the butter to well-sterilized jars, and store it in your refrigerator. You can also freeze this for up to six months.
Tips
- Any variety of apples can be used. The time it takes to reach the final stage depends on the water content and the type of apple you will be using.
- The amount of sugar required varies depending on the desired sweetness of the final product as well as the natural sweetness of the apples.
- During the cooking process, taste check and adjust the spices as desired.
Recipe FAQs
Apple butter is a delicious spread prepared using apples and warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. It is one of the best recipes to try during fall when apples are in their peak.
It is smooth and sweet with a hint of tang flavor. You must experience rich, intense apple flavor when you eat it.
Apple butter may be considered a healthier choice of spread, but since you are adding sugar, it is always good to eat it in moderation.
There is no butter in apple butter, but it has a butter-like consistency. It has an intense apple flavor mixed with warm fall spices and is also vegan and gluten-free.
It is high in calories and sugar but is low in fat compared to dairy butter, which is full of fat.
More apple recipes
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Recipe card
Best Apple Butter Recipe (Homemade, Easy)
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Apples around 12 apples - fuji, braeburn, granny smith, red or golden delicious
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon powder
- Nutmeg ground pinch
- ½ teaspoon Allspice optional
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder optional
Instructions
How to make apple butter?
- Cut the apples into quarters. You do not have to peel. Remove only the seeds and stem and not the core, as it contains a high amount of pectin that gives apple butter its characteristic texture.3 pounds Apples
- Add the chopped apples in a pot with boiling water, boil for 15 to 20 minutes, and then drain.
- Transfer the cooked apples to a blender and blend them to smooth puree in batches.
- Transfer apple puree to a non-stick pan or back to the same pot on medium heat. Add sugar, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, lemon juice, and cardamom powder.1 cup Brown sugar, ½ cup Granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon powder, Nutmeg, ½ teaspoon Allspice, ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves, 1 tablespoon Lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- Cook for 45 minutes to 1 ½ hour, stirring occasionally or until the apple butter thickens. The final consistency should be thick and smooth.
- When the apple butter turns dark golden brown, switch off the flame and allow it to cool completely.
- Store it in sterilized glass jars using the canning method for long-term use. If you plan to use apple butter within a couple of weeks, you can skip the canning process; simply transfer the butter to well-sterilized jars and store it in your refrigerator. You can also freeze this for up to six months.
Notes
- Any variety of apples can be used. The time it takes to reach the final stage depends on the water content and the type of apple you will be using.
- The amount of sugar required varies depending on the desired sweetness of the final product as well as the natural sweetness of the apples.
- During the cooking process, taste check and adjust the spices as desired.
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this recipe in Sept 2016. It has now been modified in Sept 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Tonya Conteh
I love apple butter; my grandmother would make this for my lunch every week. Thanks for the memories!
Kushi
Thank you Tonya 🙂
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen
I know what you mean by loving jams and jellies! 🙂 This apple butter sounds and looks fantastic. Love the fact this is Vegan and gluten-free.
Kushi
Thank you Anu 🙂
David @ Spiced
Oh, I love me some apple butter...but I've never made a homemade version. It sounds easy enough...except I'd probably eat the whole batch in one sitting. Haha! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Kushi
Thank you David 🙂
Priya Santhamohan
Priya @asmallbite
Sounds interesting and thanks for sharing...
Kushi
Thank you Priya 🙂
Sharmila -The Happiefriends Potpourri Corner
Such a healthy spread..
Kushi
Thank you Sharmila 🙂