Our overgrown “Purple Delicious” apple tree at our old house

One of the first things I made in our glorious new kitchen was homemade apple butter.

Before moving we picked apples from our beloved (and seriously overgrown!) tree. In past years, I’ve made apple pies, apple crisps, applesauce, apple juice, apple compote, and just about everything else apple I could imagine.

Since our kitchen wasn’t unpacked yet, I figured that apple butter would be the easiest way to enjoy our beloved apples for a while longer. It also seemed like a nice way to introduce ourselves to our new neighbors, which it was!

I researched several different recipes online and mixed it up a bit based on what ingredients and tools I could find easily in the moving boxes marked ‘KITCHEN.’

So here’s how I made it…

1. Peel, core and cut about 5-6 lbs. of apples into small pieces. I used two varieties of apples to mix it up.
2. Put the apples in a large saucepan pot and cook over low heat. Stir occasionally.
3. Add 1.5-2 cups brown sugar and spices: 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground allspice, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Adjust to taste. You can also add a pinch of ginger and/or a bit of fresh lemon juice to give it more kick.
4. 

   Homemade Apple Butter

   Cook until mixture reaches desired consistency – I prefer that of thick apple sauce. The mixture will reach a dark, rich color. I let my apple butter cook on low all afternoon.

5. Let cool. Then portion into small glass canning jars. Cover tightly, label and refrigerate. (Label before you stick them in the fridge and the label will stick better – learn from my missteps!)
6. Enjoy and share!

Apple butter makes an excellent topping – great over waffles, toast and much more. Any apple butter experiments of your own? Please share in the comments!