There’s an old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But in my home, we have a fun twist: “An apple butter a day keeps the blues away.” I remember the chilly fall mornings of my childhood, where the smell of warm spices would waft from the kitchen, signaling that my mom was at it again with her famous apple butter. The warm aroma would wrap around me like a comforting blanket, and the only thing that matched this feeling was the taste of the freshly made spread on a crisp toast.

“A Toast to Time-Travel”: The first time I made this apple butter on my own, I was instantly teleported back to those magical mornings of my youth. The rich taste of apples, mingled with the symphony of spices, all spread generously on a piece of toast, was sheer nostalgia in a bite. I once tried making it for a potluck, and boy, was it a hit! My friend jokingly commented, “This is like autumn jammed into a jar!” I couldn’t help but laugh at the accuracy of that statement. And as for my mom? Let’s just say she tried my version and with a smirk said, “Almost as good as mine!” Now, who’s up for a toast with this apple-icious spread?

This homemade apple butter is a delightful spread with warm spices, perfect for morning toasts or as a topping for desserts. This recipe yields approximately 3 pints.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 96 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds good cooking apples (e.g. Granny Smith or Gravenstein)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• Sugar (approximately 4 cups, adjust based on apple pulp measurement)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare Apples: Cut the apples into quarters without removing the peels or cores. Discard any damaged parts.
2. Cook Apples: In a large pot, combine apples, vinegar, and water. Cover and boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until apples soften (roughly 20 minutes).
3. Process Apples: Use a chinois sieve or food mill to process the cooked apples and liquid. Push the mixture through to extract the pulp into a bowl below.
4. Seasoning: Measure the apple pulp. Add sugar (1/3 to 1/2 cup per cup of apple pulp). Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust if needed.
5. Reduce Mixture: In a wide-bottomed pot, cook the apple mixture on medium-low, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning. Cook until the mixture turns thick, smooth, and dark brown (about 1-2 hours).
6. Canning:
   • Prepare Jars: Halfway through the apple butter cooking, set a steamer rack in a large stockpot. Place 6 to 8 (8-ounce) canning jars on the rack. Fill the jars and pot with water up to the jar rims. Boil and then simmer. Wash the lids in soapy water.
   • Fill and Seal: Using jar lifters, remove the jars from the water bath. Pour the hot apple butter into the jars, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Tighten the lids until fingertip tight.
   • Water Bath: Lower the jars into the boiling water bath, ensuring they’re covered with at least 1 inch of water. Once the water returns to a boil, process for 10 minutes.
   • Cooling: Remove jars from the bath and place on a dishtowel. As the jars cool, the lids should “pop” indicating a secure seal.

Enjoy your homemade apple butter on toast, pastries, or even as a topping on oatmeal!