Quick Stovetop Apple Butter

Name: Quick Stovetop Apple Butter
Yield: 4-5 half-pint jars
Ingredients: 2 kg (about 4 lbs) apples (a mix of sweet and tart — Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp); 240 ml (1 cup) apple cider or apple juice; 200 g (1 cup) sugar (or less — taste as you go); 2 tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp ground cloves; ½ tsp ground allspice; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; Pinch of salt; 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Slow-cooked, deeply spiced, and spreadable like silk. This is autumn in a jar — and you can make it on the stovetop in an afternoon.

4-5 half-pint jars

Yield

3-4 hours (mostly hands-off)

Time

Sealed jars for up to 1 year. Refrigerator for 3-4 weeks after opening. *Want the hands-off slow cooker version? It's in Seasonal Harvest: Fall — 12 to 14 hours of unattended magic with brown sugar and vanilla.*

Keeps

Slow-cooked, deeply spiced, and spreadable like silk. This is autumn in a jar — and you can make it on the stovetop in an afternoon.

Ingredients

2 kg (about 4 lbs) apples (a mix of sweet and tart — Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp)
240 ml (1 cup) apple cider or apple juice
200 g (1 cup) sugar (or less — taste as you go)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method

Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples. Place in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with the apple cider.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely soft and falling apart, about 30-40 minutes.
Blend smooth with an immersion blender (or pass through a food mill).
Stir in the sugar, spices, salt, and lemon juice. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 2-3 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is thick, dark, and holds its shape on a spoon.
Taste and adjust sweetness and spices.
Ladle into hot jars with ¼ inch headspace. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes.
*Storage:** Sealed jars for up to 1 year. Refrigerator for 3-4 weeks after opening.
Want the hands-off slow cooker version? It's in Seasonal Harvest: Fall — 12 to 14 hours of unattended magic with brown sugar and vanilla.*

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