Once upon a time, my husband and I took a dozen or so teens to a youth conference in Knoxville. The kids sold this apple butter and paid for almost the whole trip- hotel, tickets, and all! It's that good.
Although we don't do the trip to Knoxville anymore, I still make this sweet, warm, and spicy apple butter every year to share with family and friends. The whole house just fills up with this wonderful spicy apple aroma- better than any candle out there. And the butter is smooth, thick, and oh-so flavorful. And yes, you need to share it. No one likes an apple butter hog.
The ingredients here are simple: apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ground allspice, and ground cloves. The flavors of autumn!
The type of apple you use is really important. You will need 5 pounds total. I like to use 3 pounds of Granny Smith, 1 pound of Gala, and 1 pound of Red Delicious. I find this is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and using more than one variety of apple gives the butter depth. Here's another list of good varieties to use in apple butter.
I start off by mixing 3 cups of white sugar in a medium-sized bowl with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and a quarter teaspoon each of allspice, cloves, and salt. Sometimes I like to sprinkle this mixture on a piece of buttered toast. Is that weird?
Because the apple butter cooks for a really long time in the Crock-Pot, I make it as soon as I wake up. I was just getting ready to start peeling and slicing the apples when TLO woke up and insisted on helping. Good morning, Reed! I guess this is a #ReedCooks recipe, now!
A little update on our growing boy: he is getting so big! Birthday #3 is a little over a month away and he is PUMPED. Right now he is absolutely obsessed with anything construction. He's constantly talking about excavators, dump trucks, bulldozers, graders, front-loaders. backhoes, and cranes. Tracks, hydraulics, exhaust, cabs, booms, arms, and on and on and on and on. I know way more than I ever thought I would about "mighty machines". So yeah, picking a theme for the birthday party was no problem!
A little update on our growing boy: he is getting so big! Birthday #3 is a little over a month away and he is PUMPED. Right now he is absolutely obsessed with anything construction. He's constantly talking about excavators, dump trucks, bulldozers, graders, front-loaders. backhoes, and cranes. Tracks, hydraulics, exhaust, cabs, booms, arms, and on and on and on and on. I know way more than I ever thought I would about "mighty machines". So yeah, picking a theme for the birthday party was no problem!
He's covered in bandaids at the moment because "The Little Outdoorsman" brushed up against some poison ivy at some point in our adventures. I have shamelessly placed huge bandaids over every little patch in an effort to keep him from scratching. It isn't spreading, so hopefully it will be gone soon!
The most time-consuming piece of the preparation is peeling and slicing the apples. We bought this handy-dandy apple peeler at our local grocery store for 12 bucks a few years ago. It does a great job. Obviously, you don't need an apple peeler to make this butter. Just peel the apples and slice or dice them pretty thinly.
Be sure to remove any skin and the core of each apple. You don't want any hard pieces in your smooth apple butter!
Throw the apples into a large crockpot as you slice them. When you are finished, pour the sugar mixture on top.
Yummmmm.
Mix them together, and try not to eat them right out of the Crock-Pot! Or let your two-year-old eat them. I was unsuccessful in that endeavor. Oh my goodness, they already smell amazing.
Mix them together, and try not to eat them right out of the Crock-Pot! Or let your two-year-old eat them. I was unsuccessful in that endeavor. Oh my goodness, they already smell amazing.
After that, your work is done! Put the lid on the Crock-Pot and let the apples cook on high for 1 hour, then on low for 11-12 hours. Whisk the butter every few hours or so. Otherwise, just sit back and let the wonderful spiced-apple smell fill your home. I can't stop thinking about it! Seriously, the smell is almost as good as the apple butter. But only almost.
After 11-12 hours, the apple butter will become very smooth and thick. I usually take the lid off of the Crock-Pot for the last hour or two to make sure the butter is nice and thick (depending on the types of apples I use). Scoop the butter into clean canning jars. I don't can my apple butter- I just ask people to keep it in the refrigerator. It is good for about a month after opening... if it lasts that long. It won't!
I like to make the jars look all purty- especially if I am giving them as gifts or selling them for a fundraiser. I put the lid on the jar, cut colorful squares of fabric, and screw the band on over the fabric. Sometimes I will tie a gift tag under the band as well. They dress up nicely!
I don't make our jar look pretty; we just dive in right away! Warm or cold, this apple butter is wonderful on toast, biscuits, rolls, or just plain-old butter bread before bedtime.
Homemade Apple Butter
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds of apples (Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Gala)
- 3 cups of white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
-1/4 teaspoon allspice
-1/4 teaspoon allspice
Recipe makes about 5 pints of apple butter.
1. Mix together sugar, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Peel and slice all apples and put in the Crock-Pot. Add sugar and mix well. Turn the Crock-Pot to high and cover. Allow to cook for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour, stir the apples again and lower the heat to low. Cover again.
4. Whisk the apple butter every few hours, more often as the butter becomes smooth. Cook on low for 11-12 hours.
5. Remove the lid for the last hour or two of cooking so the butter can get nice and thick.
6. When the apple butter reaches the consistency you desire, turn off the heat and spoon the cooling apple butter into small jars.
7. Store the apple butter in the refrigerator. Once opened, the apple butter is good for about a month or so.
- 5 pounds of apples (Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Gala)
- 3 cups of white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
-1/4 teaspoon allspice
-1/4 teaspoon allspice
Recipe makes about 5 pints of apple butter.
1. Mix together sugar, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Peel and slice all apples and put in the Crock-Pot. Add sugar and mix well. Turn the Crock-Pot to high and cover. Allow to cook for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour, stir the apples again and lower the heat to low. Cover again.
4. Whisk the apple butter every few hours, more often as the butter becomes smooth. Cook on low for 11-12 hours.
5. Remove the lid for the last hour or two of cooking so the butter can get nice and thick.
6. When the apple butter reaches the consistency you desire, turn off the heat and spoon the cooling apple butter into small jars.
7. Store the apple butter in the refrigerator. Once opened, the apple butter is good for about a month or so.