A couple of weeks ago, my mom dropped off 3 half bushels of apples. Incase you are unfamiliar with how many apples that is, I’ve used 20 pounds of peeled and cored apples and haven’t used a whole half bushel yet. These apples were fresh from the trees in their backyard and I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I quickly got to work.
First thing I wanted? Apple butter. I made a lackluster apple butter last year, and yet everyone seemed to love it. I was determined to make an even better version this year and totally blow everyone’s sock off. But if you’re looking for the real reasons I wanted to make apple butter, they’re A. the wonderful smell that fills your house for days B. I love it on a grilled cheese with some sharp cheddar. Expect an apple butter grilled cheese recipe sometime before the end of fall.
Because I had so many apples, I definitely wanted to can some to give as gifts. I realize that most people don’t have 80 pounds of apples taking up precious kitchen floor real estate looming over their heads delightfully waiting to be made into apple butter, so I put a smaller batch in parenthesis. Either way, this recipe is based off of a recipe that can be canned (per Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving), despite the fact that there’s no added lemon or other acid. I amped up the spice levels but kept them within a safe range for canning — if you plan on canning this, do NOT increase the spices any further without doing a little research. Spices actually contain a lot of bacteria and you can produce an unsafe product if you add too much.
As I’m not a canning expert, please utilize outside literature for any questions regarding how to sterilize jars, properly fill the jars, headspace, processing, etc.
Tagged with: Dairy Free • Egg Free • Hidden Fruits • Naturally Sweetened • Nut Free • Soy Free • Vegan • Vegetarian
[…] tasty. I used them in my smores toaster pastries and my smores pancakes, and also ate them with apple butter slathered on […]
6 lbs before or after peeling and chopping? ty!
6 lbs after peeling and chopping! Hope you like the apple butter!
What kind of apples did you use for this recipe?
I think they were Braeburn, but I’m not possitive (they came off my mom’s apple tree) and last year I used a mix of gala and fuji. Literally any kind of apple will work. Softer varieties will cook down faster and you’ll obviously have the taste of the apple. I’d say any apple that has the light red orange coloring like what you see on a fuji produces what I think to be is the best apple butter.
I’m actually giving apple butter as co worker gifts and I’ve been trying to find the perfect recipe. I need to make about 20-8 ounce jars. Any suggestions on how to go about this? Thanks.
Hi Lisa, this recipe will make about half what you need (I find it varies between 8 and 10 half pints, depending on the variety of apple I use). I would recommend you make the large batch twice. I wouldn’t double the recipe because A. it took my absolute largest pot to make 1 batch and B. I’m not sure you could effectively and safely can everything at once. Peeling and chopping do take a good chunk of time, so I’d suggest starting one batch and prepping the other while the first cooks. You could start cooking the second batch while canning the first. Good luck! I always give applebutter to my relatives for Christmas.
Thanks! I’ll definitely give it a try.
[…] a thinner pancake (mostly so I can eat more) was the result, and it’s perfection. If eating apple butter straight from the jar or slathering it on a grilled cheese hasn’t convinced you to make or […]
Apple butter on grilled cheese?!?! Mind = blown. I love apples on pretty much every single thing, so why not?!? Seriously sounds amazing – can’t wait to see that recipe! 🙂
My grandma used to make apple butter, but hasn’t made any for a few years. Now I can! Thank you!!
That’s a lotta apples!! I sure hope you have one of those handy-dandy apple peeler/slicer/corer contraptions!
I don’t! I really should’ve bought one 🙁 I’ve spent a lot of hours peeling and coring over the weeks. Next year 🙂
Apple butter = yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Oh, apple butter is one of my favorite things. I haven’t had it in so long! Thanks for the reminder!!
Apple butter is one of my favorite fall treats!! I’m totally jealous of your apple abundance!
Now I want grilled cheese with apple butter! Oh myyy goodness that sounds fun! 🙂
Is it weird that I have actually never tried apple butter?? I LOVE pumpkin butter, though, so I bet I would enjoy this!
You would LOVE apple butter! It’s even better than pumpkin butter. I could (and do) eat this with a spoon