Homemade apple butter

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The best way to preserve the apple harvest is to make creamy homemade apple butter to add a note of crispy fresh autumn flavor to your plate.

Prep Time40

Cook Time3 30

Total Time4 10

Servings 10 x 290ml jars

Calories: 200.5 kcal

Wash 10 290ml canning jars and their lids.
Place them upside down on a cooling rack in the oven. Turn the heat on 100°C (212°F) and let them dry completely (Note 1)
Wash the apples, core and slice them into bite-size pieces.
Add them to a large pot along with the brown sugar and lemon juice.
Cook on low to medium heat with occasional stirring for 2 hours or until the apples are tender and are falling apart (Note 2)
Using the blender puree the apples until creamy and smooth. You might have to this in batches depending on the size of your blender (Note 3)
Return the pureed apples to the pot and add cinnamon, cardamom, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
Return to stove on low heat and cook for 1.5 hours or until the mixture is thicker and not runny.
Ladle the hot butter into the jars leaving 6mm (¼ inch) of headspace. Make sure to remove any air bubbles and wipe the rims clean.
Place the lid on, check that the seal is correctly placed and close tightly.
To keep the apple butter for longer periods of time process the jars for 10 minutes in a slowly boiling water-bath (Note 4)
Using the lifter carefully remove the jars from the water and place them on the kitchen towel to cool completely. Leave enough room between the jars for the air to circulate.
Check the seal for each jar. The seal should be slightly indented and firm (Note 5)
Once cooled down, wipe the jars with a cloth to remove the watermarks.
Store the apple butter in a cool dark place.

The jars have to be hot while being filled. If they have cooled off in the oven, just turn the oven on at 100C (212F) after you puree the apples.
Cooking time and the need for stirring depends on the type of apples and the heat of the stove. If the apples are very juicy then you can cook on medium heat since there will be enough juice to cover the bottom and will prevent the need for frequent stirring and the possibility of burning. However, if the apples are not so juicy then it would be better to cook on lower heat to prevent burning and the need for constant stirring. Check how your apples behave in the first 30 minutes and adjust the process accordingly.
In case you don't have a blender you can use a food mill, or press the apples through a fine-mesh sieve. Note that this will take more time than using the blender and might not be as smooth and creamy.
In a large pot place a clean, twice folded, kitchen cloth or canning rack. Carefully place the jars into the pot. Add hot water to the pot so that the jars are covered by 2/3. Turn the stove on medium to high heat so that the water starts to boil.
If the seal pops when you press on it, it is not properly placed and it will not keep the butter from going bad for a longer period of time. Place such jars in the fridge and consume them first.

* Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.