Maple Apple Butter
on Sep 12, 2024, Updated Sep 24, 2024
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Discover a cozy fall recipe with our Maple Apple Butter! A sweet, spreadable treat perfect for toast, pancakes, and more.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Great
We are on the backside of the year which means we are into fall and crisp weather. The temps are dropping and everyone is turning to pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin muffins and all things warm and cozy. On the other hand I have been pondering my ability to make apple butter at home. Apple butter has been a recipe I just always assumed would be too hard to make as well as time consuming. Well to my complete surprise I have made 3 batches of this stuff, bonus of making this recipe is that your whole entire house will smell amazing.
Ingredient List
- Apples– I used Gala for my recipe
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Bean Paste– this is a stronger version then vanilla extract
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
- Ground Cloves
- Salt
Step By Step
- In a large pot combine apples and maple syrup. Cook on medium, stirring often, until the apples are almost all broken down, about 30 minutes. Turn the heat low and cover.
- Cook covered, for 2 1/2 – 3 hours until the mixture is darker brown. Be sure to stir every 20 minutes or so to promote even browning of the apple butter.
- Once the mixture is deep brown, either blend with an immersion blender until smooth or transfer to a blend and blend on high until smooth, then add back into the pot.
- Continue cooking over medium heat and add in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. If the apple butter seems a little liquid-y, cook about another 10-20 minutes longer with the lid off, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge! Enjoy!
Pro Tip
- Apple Butter can be used in so many ways, spread on toast, dollop mixed with your yogurt, mixed to create a coffee creamer, topping on pork chops or added to your waffles for the perfect morning meal.
Frequently Asked Question
What apples can I use for apple butter?
- Apples for apple butter need to be on the softer side to make sure they break down easily. The softest apples will be Braeburn, Fiji, Macintosh and Gala will all work.
Can I use less spices?
- The spice content in this apple butter is very flexible and can be customized to your taste. I love a very flavorful scoop of apple butter which is why I used a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. You can easily mix and match the spices and amounts to make it just as you like.
Favorite Fall Treats
Maple Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 4 lbs apples*, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste*
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large pot combine apples and maple syrup.
- Cook on medium, stirring often, until the apples are almost all broken down, about 30 minutes.
- Turn heat all the way down to low and cover.
- Cook covered, for 2 1/2 – 3 hours until the mixture is darker brown. Be sure to stir every 20 minutes or so to promote even browning of the apple butter.
- Once the mixture is deep brown, either blend with an immersion blender until smooth or transfer to a blend and blend on high until smooth, then add back into the pot.
- Continue cooking over medium heat and add in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. If the apple butter seems a little liquid-y, cook about another 10-20 minutes longer with the lid off, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge!
Notes
- *vanilla extract works too!
- *softer apples work best like Gala, golden delicious, fuji
This is so yummy!! I made this for a friend who just had a baby and she is loving it! Can’t wait to make more!
Such a wonderful to receive after pushing a baby out!