This homemade spiced apple butter is so rich and creamy and full of flavour. A great addition to your preserving repertoire. The taste of autumn/fall in a jar!
This is not butter in the dairy sense of the word. Instead, it’s a super-concentrated fruit spread which is more like a very rich fruit puree.
You could say this apple butter is the richest and fruitiest apple jam you can get.
Ingredients for apple butter
What type of apples?
I have used both bitter cooking apples and the sweeter eating apples (use your favourites). Using these vastly different types of apples adds depth to the apple butter.
Other ingredients are dry cider, so you are really packing in a whole lot of appleiness (new word). The addition of cinnamon and mixed spice gives it a nice kick to this rich apple jam.
How to make apple butter
This is almost like making fruit jelly as you are going to cook down the apples first. Then whizz in a food processor and then press through a sieve to get a really smooth puree.
The similarity to jelly making is that you are going to weigh this puree as you would the juice dripped through a jelly bag.
How much sugar to add
Add 275g (10 oz) sugar for every 600ml (1 pint) of puree.
Then add your spices and reheat and boil for about 20 minutes stirring all the time.
You want apple butter to be a thick mixture that will hold it’s shape when you spoon it on to a cold plate.
Spoon into sterilised jars and pop on the lids. Leave it for a week to let the flavours really develop before using.
How much will this make?
This recipe will make about 8 small jars of apple butter.
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in the preserving stakes in no time at all!
Just check out these quick articles to get you started;
How long does it keep?
This will keep for 6 months, store in the fridge once opened and use within a month.
How to serve apple butter
It’s wonderful on scones, pancakes and toast.
Spread this delicious apple butter on sponge cakes as part of a filling combo for a Victoria Sponge. This would be perfect as a filling for my Buerre Noisette/Brown Butter Apple Cake.
You can also serve it with a cheese board to add a bit of sweetness and spice.
Serve alongside roast pork too instead of standard apple sauce.
Recipe taken from my book Simply Scottish Cakes & Bakes.
Looking for more fun and tasty fall recipes? Then check these out before you go;
Buerre Noisette/Brown Butter Apple Cake
Spiced crab apple jelly with Scotch whisky
Blackcurrant and rosemary fruit cheese
Pepper pear and lemon fruit spread
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 475 ml cider dry cider
- 450 g apples cooking apples
- 450 g apples eating apples
- 1 lemon
- 675 g granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
Instructions
- Wash apples, peel, core and slice
- Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice over the apples and set aside
- Pour cider into a pan and boil till it has reduced to about half
- Add fruit to the cider, cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes
- Remove lid and cook for further 20 mins till apples are squishy and tender
- Remove from heat and cool slightly before whizzing in a food processor and then pressing through a sieve
- Measure the amount of puree and add 275g/10 oz sugar for every 600ml/1 pint of puree
- Add cinnamon and mixed spice and stir well
- Gently heat till sugar has dissolved then boil and stir till mixture is thick and holds its shape when a little dropped on to a cold plate
- Spoon into sterilied jars and set aside for 1 week to mature
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