This easy apple butter sauce will have your mouth water and wanting more!
Although September is still very much hot, it always gets me excited for fall! When I think about fall, I think about the warm, spicy, earthy aromas of nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin spice, chai, and apple cinnamon!
And when making my favorite Ball® apple butter recipe, these fall smells are exactly what floats through our home!
Our apple trees are finally ready to be harvested, and this year, we have an excellent yield! Jared helps me make our recipe this time! Him and Ava had the best time. I love these moments where we get to make memories as a family in the kitchen.
Keep reading for one of my favorite apple butter recipes perfect for this transition from summer to fall
This post is sponsored by the makers of Ball® home canning products*
Funny story, way back when we planted our apple trees, I wasn't so interested in tracking and noting everything we grew. Jared went ahead and planted the trees, and to this day, I am not 100% sure what varieties we have! By the looks of it, I am pretty sure we have some Fuji, Jonagold, and Granny Smith apples.
Apple trees take 4 - 5 years to produce their first fruit. But you can always buy 2 - 3-year-old plants at a nursery, then you only have to wait around 2 years! We planted our tree’s in a specific method that allows them to grow faster and stronger. Want to know more about planting apple and other trees? Then have a look HERE.
In the Northern Hemisphere, apple season can last from July to November, depending on the variety and the region's climate. Obviously, apples are available to purchase throughout the year so you can make this delicious apple butter any time! Yeah!
What I love about apples is that they are so healthy! They are fat-free, low in sodium, cholesterol-free, and have lots of fiber. And when you eat apple butter is counts as fruit, right?!
Another great thing about apples is unlike other fruit such as peaches, they don't bruise easily, are tough, store well, and can be eaten and used in many ways. Such as this yummy apple butter recipe!
EASY APPLE BUTTER RECIPE
Apple butter is made by slowly cooking pureed apples for a long time. Often as long as 12 hours. The sugars caramelize as the puree cooks, giving it its rich sweet flavor and dark color. There is actually no butter used, the name comes from the smooth butter-like texture!
Softer variety apples such as Fuji, Golden and Red Delicious, McIntosh, or Jonagold are best for apple butter as they cook faster.
I like to mix a few varieties, including Granny Smith, to get the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors.
This easy apple butter recipe is mouthwatering and goes perfectly on toast, bagels, muffins, and cakes. Go ahead, you won’t regret making this!
RECIPE
You will need
4 pounds apples (about 12 to 16 medium)
2 cups water
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
Directions
Core and peel apples, if desired. Cut apples into quarters. ( I peeled ours because they came from our trees. We do organic gardening so there were lots of spots etc. I just went ahead and removed the peels but you don’t have to as you will puree the mixture later)
Combine apples and water in a large saucepan. Cook apples at a simmer until soft. ( for me this took about 25 minutes)
Puree mixture using an electric food strainer or food mill. Measure 2 quarts of apple pulp; return apple pulp to saucepan. Add sugar and spices, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook at a gentle boil over medium heat until apple mixture is thick enough to mound on a spoon, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. If mixture becomes too thick, add a small amount of water or apple juice for desired consistency. Remove from heat. ( I cooked mine for about an hour)
Ladle hot apple butter into a hot jar leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight.
Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
Process jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
For this I used the Ball® 8 oz Quilted Crystal Mason Jars
Recipe makes about 6 (8 oz) half-pint or 3 (16 oz) pint
I love decorating our home with fresh florals and things I’ve gathered from around our homestead. With fall approaching I felt adding some apple branches as kitchen decor would be the perfect touch!
PIN FOR LATER
SHOP THIS POST
If you’re looking for other delicious recipes I would recommend getting the Ball® Blue Book Guide to Preserving! It has SO many amazing and tested recipes that are delicious and perfect to eat year round.
If you love cooking with apples as much as I do, you may want to try some of these apple recipes I made too!
CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL APPLES
I hope this recipe is one you will try and make year round as a tradition before each fall!
*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.