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Heather's Dish

Heather's Dish

Simple Homemade Apple Butter

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I remember my first run-in with apple butter. You see, what you need to know first is that I have a problem.  If someone I know talks something up and makes it sound just so cool it’s likely that I’ll go out and try it.  And by someone I know I mean friends, family, bloggers that I “know”, or authors that I respect.  Which means there are a lot of things that I want to try.  Yikes.

That being said, my first encounter with apple butter came after my beautiful friend Sarah mentioned that she’d spent a week with another friend of ours who ate tea and toast with apple butter for breakfast every morning.  “Heather, it changed my life,” she said.  And really, who can argue with that?  Life-changing food is obviously an interest of mine.  I wanted my life to be changed with apple butter:  longer legs, straight blond hair, and a bigger paycheck at my part-time job were surely going to be benefits of this life-changing wonder-spread.  It had to happen.  I was going to eat apple butter for crying out loud!

OK fine.  Sarah didn’t promise me those things.  I jumped to conclusions, per the usual.  But I DID try apple butter and I DID fall in love with it.  It’s one of those things that sounds incredibly weird and then you try it and wonder why it took you so long.  Then you get to the part where you think about making it…and then you find out that it’s super simple and you don’t even have to buy it anymore!

SIMPLE HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

  • 3-4 sweet apples (the sweeter the apple you use the less sugar you have to add)
  • 2-2 1/2 cups of water
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1/8 tsp ginger

Cut the apples into quarters, leaving the seeds and skins.  Add the water (use 2 1/2 cups if using 4 apples, 2 if using 3 apples) and bring to a boil.  Cover and boil on medium low heat for about 25 minutes until the apples are soft.  Set aside to cool slightly.  Using a wire mesh strainer add about 2 apple quarters at a time.  Using a wooden spoon (or your hand if it’s cool enough) press the apple flesh through the wire strainer; you’ll have to likely scrape it off the bottom using a spoon.  Once all of the apples have been pressed through add the water to the mixture and discard the skins/seeds.  Add the sugar and spices to the mixture and stir.  Over medium heat bring the mixture to a simmer and stir constantly.  You want the mixture to thicken and turn a deep brown, but not burn.  As with other preserves if you put a little dollop of the mixture onto a cooled plate it should be thick enough to not run.  That’s when it’s done, so set aside and let it cool.  Serve atop toast or alongside porkchops or just eat it with a spoon!

Genius.  And life-changing indeed.

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Comments

  1. Aimee @ ShugarySweets says

    April 29, 2014 at 8:57 am

    I remember having apple butter on toast and thinking it was the best thing ever! Now I try to only buy it once a year so I don’t eat the whole jar with a spoon. Making it home is an awesome idea!!

    Reply
  2. Pretty. Good. Food. says

    August 4, 2011 at 8:09 pm

    I am CRAZY excited to try this recipe!!! I love apple butter, this sounds so easy! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply
  3. Mads says

    August 3, 2011 at 12:21 pm

    I don’t like jam (blasphemy, I know), but I LOVE apple butter. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  4. Sanjeeta kk says

    August 3, 2011 at 2:58 am

    I am loving this delightful apple butter recipe!

    Reply
  5. Kathleen says

    August 2, 2011 at 6:22 pm

    I can’t wait to make this at home!

    Reply
  6. janetha @ meals & moves says

    August 2, 2011 at 3:56 pm

    Move over trader joe’s, I can make my own!

    Reply
  7. R @ Learning As I Chop says

    August 2, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    I saved this page. It’s on my “to-do” list for August.

    Reply
  8. Charissa says

    August 2, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    Oh my…I haven’t had that in simply ages. Makes me think of cozy fall time breakfasts! Sigh…is it wrong I’m almost ready for summer to be over? lol

    Reply
  9. Meagan says

    August 2, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    I will certainly be making this, looks so good. I bent had homemade applebutter in years.

    Reply
  10. Nicole says

    August 2, 2011 at 10:43 am

    I’m going to have to get adventurous and try this! I love apple butter! Whenever I’m visiting home (Oregon) we always go out to this one particular apple farm so I can buy a jar. Yum! Thanks!

    Reply
  11. Julie @SavvyEats says

    August 2, 2011 at 10:21 am

    Heart apple butter (and all fruit butters in general). I can my own and am all stocked up! 🙂

    Reply
  12. Baking Serendipity says

    August 2, 2011 at 9:31 am

    So simple! Who knew? I love apple butter and fall 🙂

    Reply
  13. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

    August 2, 2011 at 9:23 am

    I can’t wait to try this with all the wonderful fall apples!

    Reply
  14. Erin says

    August 2, 2011 at 9:08 am

    I love apple butter, but my brother is obsessed. I should make him some and send it to him. Too bad his birthday isn’t coming up soon, it’ll have to be a just because present 🙂

    Reply
  15. Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says

    August 2, 2011 at 8:41 am

    I had no idea making apple butter would be that simple… I love it and usually pay way too much for it at farm stands!

    Reply
  16. sam says

    August 2, 2011 at 8:38 am

    my, oh my…

    Reply
  17. Tina @ Faith Fitness Fun says

    August 2, 2011 at 8:36 am

    Apple butter = my favorite spread. I am all over this!

    Reply
  18. Donna @ Life of a Happy Blonde says

    August 2, 2011 at 8:03 am

    I lllooovvveeee apple butter!
    So simple to make – i usually leave the sugar out and make it in the crock pot 🙂
    Are those crumpets? Oh heaven!

    Reply
  19. Angad says

    August 2, 2011 at 7:10 am

    Hello there,

    I must say lovely recipe and i am all up to try this. One thing i would like to know, is it 3- 4 “cups” of sugar or tablespoons. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      August 3, 2011 at 6:01 am

      3/4 cup = three quarters of a cup 🙂

      Reply
  20. Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says

    August 2, 2011 at 6:52 am

    bookmarking this one for fall!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Peach Pumpkin Butter | Heather's Dish says:
    October 11, 2011 at 6:29 am

    […] Nate what I was making it was originally going to be peach butter.  You guys know how I feel about apple butter and I love the taste of fresh peaches with spice.  Stands to reason that peach butter should be […]

    Reply
  2. LAIC at the Lake « Learning As I Chop says:
    August 31, 2011 at 4:29 pm

    […] When H and I first decided to rent this lake house for the latter part of the Summer, I envisioned lots of homemade canning and icecream. While we have been cooking and grilling a lot, my time has also been spent knitting a blanket for the daughter in my belly and reading the new book by Jonathan Franzen. We’ve also been kayaking and spending lots of time outdoors. As much as I love the kitchen, I want to enjoy the beauty of nature before we return to the Concrete Jungle, aka NYC. Yet on Sunday, while Irene brought lots of rain and wind into our enclave, I stood in front of the stove and made Heather’s homemade apple butter. […]

    Reply

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