Apple Butter Recipe
The Best Fall Condiment is Apple Butter
The falling leaves and golden grasses may be more from the dry heat of summer than a signifier of chilly autumn temperatures, but as the first cool mornings arrive, I am ready to celebrate fall. The first local crops of apples will be showing up in produce soon, and apples are one of the most versatile and delicious of fall fruits. Apples are satisfyingly crunchy eaten out of hand, or soft and gooey sweet baked into a pastry. There is so much potential in an apple and one of my favorite autumn recipes is apple butter!
Apple butter is a humble but delicious condiment. A richer spicier version of the more ubiquitous apple sauce; it relies on heat and time to develop its signature smooth velvety texture. I like to make mine from a variety of apples but I usually skew towards the tarter varieties like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Cortland. One perk of apple butter is that it does not require perfect apples. If you have a few apples that returned in lunch bags or backpacks a bit jostled and bruised. They are perfect candidates for cooking down into apple butter.
Peel and core the apples, then slice them into rough chunks about ½ inch in size. You can compost the scraps. My chickens enjoy the peels as a treat. Combine the chopped apples and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and cover. Occasionally stir and mash until the apples are soft and broken down. They will reach an apple sauce consistency. You could stop here and have unsweetened apple sauce, but I strongly recommend adding sugar and continuing to cook the apples further.
Add about 1/2 cup of brown sugar. The exact amount will vary based on the sugar level in the apples and your personal preference. I usually end up with between ½ to one cup of brown sugar to three pounds of apples. Further seasoning is up to you. I like to add one tablespoon of molasses, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Any warm spice will do in this recipe. Use what you like and have on hand. Continue cooking on low for several hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes to keep the bottom from browning too quickly. Your kitchen will be filled with the most delightful spicy sweet fall aroma. It will put you in the mood for a hot beverage and cozy scarf, even if it is still 90 degrees outside!
Eventually the apple butter will turn a uniform deep shade of brown and take on a glossy sheen. At this point it is ready. Turn off the heat and do a taste test for sweetness and seasoning. Resist the urge to eat it all straight from the pot! Once you have your preferred sweetness and spice allow the apple butter to cool slightly. The sauce will thicken up as it cools from the pectin in the apples.
I store my apple butter in a large ball jar in my fridge. Apple butter can be spread on toast, or dolloped on yogurt, or ice cream. It also adds a punchy, flavorful filling for homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee cake. It needn’t all be used on sweets; apple butter makes a fabulous partner as a glaze on pork or chicken. I usually find myself scraping the bottom of the jar within a month of making a batch. Happy Fall Cooking!
Apple Butter
INGREDIENTS
• 3lbs apples - peeled, cored,
& roughly chopped
• 2 cups water
• ½ - 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp molasses
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
(any warm spice is fine)
• ¼ tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Simmer the apple chunks and water in a covered pot, stirring occasionally until the apples turn into apple sauce.
2. Add ½ cup sugar and the molasses, spices, vanilla, and salt. Mix well and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens and turns dark brown. It should take about an hour and a half.
3. Adjust seasonings to taste and allow to cool.
4. Store in a container in the fridge.