Apple Butter at home
- Yield 6
- Prep 20 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes
Apple Butter at home is a dessert recipe on Avoteb. The yield on the card is 6. The amounts and the method are both on this page.
Ingredients
Yield: 6 servings
- 5 pounds apples (mix of sweet + tart, such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Granny Smith)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups cane sugar or brown sugar (adjust to taste — start with less if you prefer it less sweet)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (plus more to taste at the end)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method
Prep the apples. Core and chop the apples (no need to peel).
Mix ingredients. Tip in the apples, water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to your pot of choice. Whisk well to combine.
Instant Pot: Lock the lid and set to Manual / Pressure Cook (high pressure) for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining steam.
Crock-Pot: Cover and cook on Low for 8–10 hours, or High for 4–5 hours, until the apples are completely tender.
Stovetop: Bring the mixture to a let it bubble gently over a medium burner, then reduce to low. Lid partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1½ to 2 hours, until the apples are very soft and fragrant.
Puree until smooth. Take an immersion blender right in the pot (or carefully move to a blender in batches) and purée until smooth.
Thicken.
Instant Pot: Switch to Sauté (low) and cook uncovered for 10–20 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
Crock-Pot or Stovetop: Continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30–60 minutes, until the apple butter darkens and thickens to your desired consistency.
Finish. Stir in vanilla (if using). Check the seasoning and adjust with more lemon juice or sugar if needed. Let cool slightly, then move to jars for storage.
