Homemade Apple Butter
This easy apple butter recipe is thick, delicious, and perfectly spiced! Apples, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves are simmered into the perfect fall spread for biscuits, pancakes, toast and more!
We've included stovetop, slow cooker instructions, and canning instructions!
When it comes to apple butter, nothing compares to homemade. This recipe is hands down the best apple butter you'll ever make!
Serve it on toasted sourdough English muffins, sourdough waffles, or ice cream. Or stir a spoonful or two into your morning yogurt and granola bowls for a special treat in the fall.
What is apple butter?
Apple butter is essentially pureed apples mixed with sugar, ground cinnamon, and cloves, then simmered until it thickens.
Despite its name, apple butter contains no actual butter. It’s called “butter” because of its smooth, spreadable texture.
Ingredients needed
- apples: The best apples to use are Granny Smith because they are very flavorful apples. Their tartness balances the sweetness of the sugar perfectly. You will read so many blogs that say not to use Granny Smith apples, but I promise you, they make the most flavorful apple butter with a taste that can't be beat!
- sugar: This recipe calls for granulated sugar and light brown sugar. The addition of light brown sugar gives more depth of flavor and a darker color to the butter. However, you can also make it using only white granulated sugar.
- spices: Ground cinnamon and ground cloves.
Equipment needed
- immersion blender or stand blender
- half-pint ball jars
- canning kit includes a funnel, ladle, jar lifter, de-bubbler, and headspace tool.
- water bath canner (optional)
How to cook apple butter on the stovetop
The quickest way to make apple butter is on the stovetop. You can have the apple butter made and in jars in just under 2 hours.
Step 1: Prepare the apples
Peel and core the apples. Cut apples into 1-inch pieces and put them in a large stockpot with 2 cups water. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Puree the apples
Use an immersion blender to puree the apples until completely smooth.
Measure 8 cups of apple puree and return it to the stockpot. (If you have more than 8 cups, measure the remaining puree and add ½ cup of sugar for every 1 cup of puree.)
Don't have an immersion blender?
If don't have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender.
Carefully ladle the hot, softened apples into the blender, puree, and then measure out the fruit.
Step 3: Cook
Add the sugar and spices to the apple puree and simmer on low to medium-low heat until it reaches the desired consistency, 45-60 minutes.
Stir frequently to avoid sticking or burning.
Step 4: Check for doneness
To check for doneness, dip a spoon into the apple butter and hold it away from the pot for 2 minutes.
The apple butter is done if it holds its shape on the spoon.
How to tell if apple butter is done
Another way to check for doneness is to place a small amount of the apple butter on a plate that has been chilled in the freezer.
Run your finger through the apple butter.
If the liquid does not separate around the edge of the apple butter and the mixture holds its shape, it is ready to be ladled into jars.
Step 5: Store
Ladle the hot apple butter into clean, sterilized jars, leaving a ¼ inch headspace at the top. Remove air bubbles and wipe the rim of the jar to remove any residue.
Center the canning lid on the jar and adjust the band to finger-tight. Let the jars cool, tighten the bands, and store them in the refrigerator for up to a month or in the freezer for up to a year.
How to make crockpot apple butter
The slow cooker is another option for cooking down the apples if you want a "set it and forget it" method. It will take roughly 10-12 hours to cook in a crock-pot.
There's no need to peel the apples with this method because of the long cooking time. The peels will become very soft and blend into a smooth apple butter.
- Place chopped apples, water, sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves into a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on LOW heat for 10 hours.
- Remove the cover and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. Leave the lid off.
- Turn the slow cooker to the HIGH setting and continue to cook until the desired thickness is reached. Stir every 20 minutes to prevent scorching on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Allow the mixture to cool, then spoon into jars and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or freeze for up to 1 year. Process in a water bath canner for shelf-stable apple butter.
How to can apple butter
Canning apple butter is a wonderful way to preserve apples. Once the apple butter is ladled into jars, they are submerged in boiling water for 10 minutes. This processing time varies according to your altitude.
Once the jars are processed and the lids have sealed properly, the apple butter can be stored in your pantry for 12-18 months without refrigeration. (The shelf life information of the lids you are using can be found on the outside of the box they came in.)
- Prepare the water-bath canner by filling it with water and bringing it to a boil while you make the apple butter.
- Ladle the hot apple butter into clean, sterilized jars, leaving a ¼ inch headspace at the top. Remove air bubbles and wipe the rim of the jar to remove any residue. Center the canning lid on the jar and adjust the band to finger-tight.
- Once you've filled all of your jars, place them on the canning rack and lower them into the boiling water. Make sure there is 1 inch of water covering the tops of the jars.
- Process for 10 minutes for pint-size jars or smaller. (If you are over 1000 feet above sea level in elevation, see Altitude Adjustment Chart)
- Turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the canner using a jar remover and place them on a kitchen cloth on the counter to cool for 12 hours.
- Check seals and refrigerate any jars that did not seal properly.
Check out our water bath canning tutorial for more details.
Free printable label
I've created a FREE apple butter label printable for regular-mouth or wide-mouth lids. They are perfect for gift-giving during the holidays. Use Avery template 22807 round stickers.
FAQs
The best way is to smell and look at the apple butter: if the butter develops an off odor, flavor, or appearance, or if mold appears, it should be discarded.
While the ingredients are generally the same, apple sauce is cooked for less time, resulting in a thinner consistency like a sauce. Apple butter is cooked longer until the puree is reduced and thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon.
Apple butter lasts for up to one month in the fridge, one year in the freezer or up to 18 months if processed in a water bath canner.
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Homemade Apple Butter Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 5 lbs. granny smith apples
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
INSTRUCTIONS
Stovetop Instructions
- Peel and core the apples. Cut apples into 1-inch pieces and put them in a large stockpot with 2 cups water. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the fruit or puree in a blender until completely smooth. Measure 8 cups of apple puree and return it to the stockpot. If there is any remaining puree, add ½ cup of sugar for every 1 cup of apple puree.
- Add the sugars and spices to the apple puree and simmer on low to medium-low heat until the desired consistency, 45-60 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid sticking or burning. The apple butter is done when thick enough to hold its shape on the back of a spoon.
- Ladle the hot apple butter into clean, sterilized jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace at the top. Remove air bubbles and wipe the rim of the jar to remove any residue. Center the canning lid on the jar and adjust the band to finger-tight. Let the jars cool, tighten the bands, and store them them refrigerator for up to one month.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Place chopped apples, water, sugar, and spices into a slow cooker. Cook on LOW heat for 10 hours. Remove the cover and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. Turn the slow cooker to the HIGH setting and continue to cook, uncovered, or until the desired consistency is reached. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom of the slow cooker.
How to Can Apple Butter
- If canning, prepare the water-bath canner by filling it with water and bring it to a boil while you are making the apple butter. Once you've filled all of your jars, place them on the rack and lower them into the boiling water. Make sure there is 1 inch of water covering the tops of the jars. Process for 10 minutes for pint-size jars or smaller. (If you are over 1000 feet above sea level in elevation, see Altitude Adjustment Chart)Turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner, using a jar remover. Place them on a kitchen cloth to cool for 12 hours. Check seals and refrigerate any jars that did not seal properly.
NOTES
- Peeling the apples is not necessary when using the crockpot. The apple skins cook down to a really soft texture which makes them easy to blend.
- Another way to check for doneness is to place a small amount of the cooked apple butter a chilled plate. When the liquid does not separate around the edge of the butter and the mixture holds its shape, it is ready to be ladled into jars.
- If water bath canning, check that the lids have sealed and leave the rings off when storing to prevent a false seal.
- Homemade apple butter will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- Click here for the FREE apple butter printable labels.
