I recently learned how to make small-batch apple butter, and I was a little embarrassed that it took me so long to start making my own since it’s so easy. Apples come in so many varieties with subtle differences in taste that you can combine varieties to create your own perfect signature combo. A personal favorite is the Granny Smith apples.
More yummy amd easy fruit butters include a small batch blackberry sauce, a creamy pear sauce , easy orange curd recipe, or strawberry jam. Try any of these slathered over my small batch homemade breakfast biscuits.
Use leftover apples to make small batch apple strudel or old-fashioned apple cake.
It’s easy to make homemade apple butter on the stovetop! Enjoy the recipe any time of the year. If you have some leftover apples, give my mini apple crisp recipe a try.
Once you taste the homemade small-batch apple butter, store-bought is seriously not worth a trip to the store. Sure, it takes a couple of hours to cook, but the hands-on time is minimal.
Apple Butter Ingredients
Recipe Directions
- Add the apples to a 3-quart Dutch oven and pour the apple cider vinegar, water, and salt over the apples.
- Cook over medium heat for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally to keep apples from burning.
- When the apples are mushy and soft, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and use an immersion blender to smooth the sauce.
- Return to heat and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir to mix well and cook on low-medium heat for about 45 minutes or until the apples have reduced to the desired consistency.
- Pour apple butter into prepared mason jars. Let cool down, place lids on the mason jars, and refrigerate or freeze.
Best Apples for Apple Butter
Peel, core, and cut the apples into quarters. If you can, use organic apples. The apples will cook down considerably, and the aroma of the apple cider vinegar will dissipate during cooking. Bring the apples to a rolling boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir the mixture occasionally to avoid the apples sticking to the bottom and burning.
Easy Way to Peel and Core an Apple from Real Simple
After about an hour and a half, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and cream the apples using an immersion blender, blending until you have a smooth, creamy texture. Return the Dutch oven to the heat and add the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Mix it all together and continue cooking for another hour or so to meld the flavors. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking and burning on the bottom of the pan.
What are the best types of apples to use?
I like to use Gala or McIntosh apples and add one or two Granny Smith apples for a nice sweet-tart flavor combo. As you would guess, the sweeter the apple, the less brown sugar you will need.
A few common apple varieties that make a nice apple butter either by themselves or mixed up include:
- Braeburn – This one is tarter than sweeter and perfectly crisp.
- Fuji – a mostly sweet apple variety.
- Gala – a sweet crisp apple.
- Gravenstein – a classic sweet-tart apple with hints of honey.
- McIntosh – a classic sweet simple apple flavor.
What’s the difference between apple butter and applesauce?
Applesauce is a little thinner in consistency, and although the ingredients are similar, apple butter is cooked for a longer time. The flavor of applesauce is lighter and less intense than that of apple butter.
Storing Tips
The apple butter must be refrigerated and not stored on a shelf since it is not canned. The apple butter will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
Freezing Apple Butter without Canning
Prepare your mason jars by washing and rinsing them, then boiling them for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the jars from the boiling water. When the jars are dry, fill them with the apple butter. Most mason jars have a freeze-fill line that shows you how much food you can safely put into a glass jar without risking breaking when the contents freeze and expand. The line is usually about an inch down from the top of the jar. Only freeze food in straight-sided jars, not jars with shoulders.
When ready to use, thaw the apple butter in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. For safety, if you see any signs of mold or an off smell, toss the jar.
ways to use apple butter
- Mix with a homemade cranberry sauce and use as a topping on pork chops, turkey, or chicken.
- On pancakes or waffles
- On biscuits and toast instead of butter and jam
- Mix into masked sweet potatoes
- As a topping on vanilla ice cream, it tastes like apple pie without the crust.
- A thin layer on top of plain cheesecake
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Small Batch Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 2 fuji apples peeled, cored, and quartered
- 1 gala apples. peeled. cored and quartered
- 1 granny smith apple peeled, cored and quartered
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the apples to a 3-quart dutch oven and pour the apple cider vinegar, water, and salt over the apples.
- Cook over medium heat for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally to keep apples from burning.
- When the apples are getting mushy and soft remove the dutch oven from the heat and use an immersion blender to smooth the sauce.
- Return to heat and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir to mix well and cook on low-medium heat for about 45 minutes or until the apples have reduced to the desired consistency.
- Pour apple butter into prepared mason jars. Let cool down, then place lids on the mason jars and refrigerate or freeze.
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below is an estimate only and provided as a general guide only.
how much brown sugar would you use
The recipe includes 1/3 cup of brown sugar.