Several of you commented about growing up making and eating apple butter on last week’s Chicken Sausage, Apple Butter and Fontina Panini post. As I mentioned, I had only just recently tried it for the first time. The idea of having a pile of apples cooking down with sugar and spices on the stovetop on a gorgeous autumn Sunday was too enticing to resist. So yesterday a new Apple Butter-making tradition was begun in my house.
Wow, this homemade apple butter was so much better than the store-bought version I tried last week. First of all, I preferred having the spices in there. Cinnamon, cloves and mace enhance the flavor of the apples so much. I also found the homemade version to have an appealing almost floral-like quality, which I attribute to the honey in the recipe. The house, of course, smelled amazing as it simmered away.
I hear that peanut butter and apple butter sandwiches are pretty divine – my kids will soon be the judges of that (we have a whole lot of apple butter to work through)!
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Apple Butter
Adapted from the Overnight Apple Butter recipe by Domenica Marchetti in Cooking Light
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 4 cups
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground mace
- 10 medium apples (ideally a mixture of varieties), peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks (about 2 1/2 pounds)
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 1 hour or until apples are very tender, stirring occasionally.
- Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a bowl; spoon one-third of apple mixture into the sieve. Press the mixture through the sieve using the back of a spoon or ladle. Discard the pulp. Repeat this procedure with the remaining apple mixture.
- Return the mixture to the pan. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.
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looks fabulous!!
Peanut butter and apple butter sandwiches sound amazing! I have to try that.
Mmmm apple butter on buttermilk pancakes is the best.
Man I haven’t made this in ages–
I love apple butter, its one thing that really takes me home and to my childhood! Thanks for such an easy and delicious recipe!
Never thought to make my own apple butter, but it’s so simple, thanks for sharing this recipe!
I am going to make this, my son LOVES it!
this looks great… will give it a shot
I LOVE apple butter but haven’t made my own before. Yours looks soooo good, I’ll have to try it out! 🙂
I love apple butter and yours looks just wonderful, Kathy! What a delicious fall treat. Thanks for sharing.
I seriously cannot wait to try this!!!! I’m even thinking about packaging some in small jars giving away as teacher appreciation gifts this fall. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I LOVE apple butter! I have got to try your recipe.
I love this. I’m embarrassed to say, I usually buy mine from Trader Joes. But yay, to having this recipe for next time. 🙂