Start with fresh, ripe apples and follow these steps to make the best apple butter recipe right in your own kitchen. This small batch apple butter recipe is perfect for enjoying on toast, biscuits or rolls!

Making your own apple butter is the perfect way to enjoy the taste of fall all year long. And what could be more delicious than homemade apple butter, made with fresh apples.

While it might sound like a complicated process, this homemade apple butter recipe is actually quite easy to make. The key is to start with fresh, ripe apples. I like to use a mix of sweet and tart apples for my apple butter, but you can use whatever type of apple you prefer.

Making delicious apple butter is my favorite way to use apples after our trip to the apple orchard. If you find yourself with leftover apples this apple season, you can try to make apple recipes like a homemade apple pie filling, apple sauce or apple cobbler.

This recipe for creamy apple butter is made the old fashioned way and makes a small amount, so there is no need for canning jars.

Whether you enjoy it on toast or simply straight from the jar, this homemade apple butter is sure to be a hit!

Make This Old Fashioned Apple Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, about 3 pounds of apples
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Peel and core the apples with an apple peeler.

Place them in a large thick-bottomed pot such as a dutch oven.

Pour in the water and apple cider vinegar.

Sprinkle in the salt, pumpkin spice and ginger and mix.

Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally while the apple butter cooks until the apples are very soft, about 25 minutes.

Using a whisk or an immersion blender, stir the cooked apples around until the apples become a sauce. 

Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract to the pot, stir, and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened to and becomes dark brown, about 15 minutes.

Let the hot apple butter cool before storing in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Ways to Use Apple Butter 

A batch of apple butter can be used in all sorts of recipes, from sweet to savory. Some ways to use it are:

• As a spread on biscuits, toast, english muffins or muffins
• In place of jam or marmalade in recipes
• With pork chops or roast pork
• In pies, crisps, crumbles or on top of ice cream
• In cake batters, such as carrot cake or apple cake
• stirred into oatmeal for a delicious breakfast treat
• drizzle over pancakes or waffles
• mix with yogurt to make a dip

Continue to Content

Homemade Apple Butter Recipe

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Start with fresh, ripe apples and follow these steps to make the best apple butter recipe right in your own kitchen. This small batch apple butter recipe is perfect for enjoying on toast, biscuits or rolls!

Print

Ingredients

• 6 fresh, tart apples, about 3lbs
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Peel and core the granny smith apples and place them in a large pot or dutch oven
2. Pour in the water and apple cider vinegar.
3. Sprinkle in the salt, pumpkin spice and ginger and mix.
4. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the apples are very soft, about 25 minutes.
5. Using a whisk, stir the cooked apples around until the apples become a sauce. 
6. Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract to the pot, stir, and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened to and becomes dark brown, about 15 minutes.

Let cool before storing.

Notes

Best Apples for Apple Butter

The best apples for apple butter making are the tart, crisp apples, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Rome. Tart apples have more sugar and less water than sweet apples, so they're ideal for making apple butter.

Can I freeze homemade apple butter?

Yes, you can freeze homemade apple butter. In fact, freezing is one of the best ways to preserve the freshness and flavor of your apple butter. Simply place it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to six months. 

Make sure to leave at least a half inch headspace at the top of the jar to allow the apple butter to expand as it freezes and prevent any spillage or messes. When thawing frozen apple butter, the best method is to place it in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow it to slowly thaw and maintain its texture

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