Homemade Apple Butter
Fall has arrived, bringing with it visions of apple cider, apple butter, and apple pie! The sweet smells of cinnamon and apples tickles our senses and our mouths water. I’ve experimented with several ways to make homemade apple butter, but this one is my favorite.
Fill a 6 quart kettle:
6 quarts sliced apples (peel and core them before slicing)
1/4 c. frozen apple juice concentrate
1 t. cinnamon, optional
1/2 t. cardamom, optional
1 t. coriander, optional
Pinch salt
BOIL on stove for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until apples are starting to get soft.
POUR this “applesauce” into crockpot (or glass casserole dish if baking in oven).
ADD 1/4 c. sorghum molasses if you’d like some extra sweetness.
Crockpot Slow Method:
COOK on low for about 12-15 hours. It may be more than 15 or less than 12, depending on how hot your crockpot is, and how thick you like your apple butter. Stir every few hours, but if your crockpot is low enough, you can do it overnight without stirring.
Crockpot Faster Method:
COOK on high for 8-10 hours, stirring every hour.
Oven Fastest Method:
BAKE at 350F for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
Adjust seasonings to your taste. Spoon into jars. You can waterbath them to can them, or you can refrigerate it and eat right away, or you can freeze it for later use. It thickens as it cools.
For more recipes like this, come join us for our free monthly cooking classes on the third Tuesday of each month at Kristina’s Kitchen! Our next class is October 20, at 6:00pm.
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