HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER ON THE STOVE: Make your own apple butter for toast, desserts, and meats!

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey adds sweetness with fewer calories.

cinnamon

🥗Healthier: cinnamon extract

💰Cheaper: mixed spice

Mixed spice can provide a similar flavor profile.

Peel and core the apples, cutting them into halves or quarters as needed.

Place the prepared apples into a bowl.

In a pot, caramelize the sugar on high heat without adding any water or corn syrup, stirring to ensure even melting.

Once the sugar starts to melt and darken, carefully pour in the apple cider, being cautious of the steam.

Add the apples to the pot along with a cinnamon stick, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and ginger.

Stir the mixture and cook on medium heat for about an hour until the apples soften and break down.

Remove the cinnamon stick and use an immersion blender to puree the apple mixture until it is silky smooth, noting it won't be perfectly smooth.

Pass the mixture through a fine sieve (chinois) to achieve a buttery texture, using a ladle to help it through.

Continue to cook the apple butter on low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens significantly, which may take at least an hour.

Transfer the thickened apple butter to a bowl to cool, being careful as it will be hot.

Optionally, cool the apple butter in an ice bath to speed up the cooling process.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: