1-Pot Apple Butter (Date-Sweetened!)

Name: 1-Pot Apple Butter (Date-Sweetened!)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 8 (1/4-cup servings)
Ingredients: 6 medium honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into bite-size pieces; 2-3 pitted Medjool dates; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 cup water; 1 Tbsp lemon juice or Apple Cider Vinegar

User Reviews

4.9

57 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 40 mins
Servings
8 (1/4-cup servings)
Calories
83 kcal
Course
Condiments
Cuisine
Vegan

1-Pot Apple Butter (Date-Sweetened!)

Valerie Marks

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Incredibly delicious apple butter made in 1 pot with 5 wholesome ingredients! Apples turn to sauce then caramelize and thicken into a spread that’s perfect for toast, oats, baked goods, and more!

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Ingredients

Servings

6 medium honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into bite-size pieces (sweet apples are best // for tart apple butter, use Granny Smith // organic when possible // for more texture and fiber, leave the skin on — we peeled half)
2-3 pitted Medjool dates
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger (or sub 1 tsp fresh ginger)
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp lemon juice or Apple Cider Vinegar (for preserving / keeping fresh longer / tartness)

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Instructions

To a large pot or Dutch oven, add chopped apples (peeling optional), pitted dates, cinnamon, ginger, water, and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Stir.
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes, or until the apples and dates become so tender that they’re easy to mash. Once the mixture reaches this point, turn off the heat so you can mash or blend.
If you peeled your apples, you should be able to use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to mash into a loose sauce. If your apples were unpeeled, you’ll need to use an immersion blender, food processor, or high-speed blender to pulverize the skins and turn the mixture into applesauce.
Once you have applesauce, it’s time to turn it into apple butter by cooking in the same pot over medium-low heat for ~1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, stirring every 8-10 minutes, until it thickens and caramelizes. NOTE: At the beginning of simmering, you’ll need to cover your pot partially with a tilted lid to avoid splattering while still allowing moisture to escape. As the liquid evaporates, you can uncover to allow steam to fully escape, which helps the mixture caramelize and thicken.
You’ll know your apple butter is done when it’s rich and golden brown in color, is sweet to the taste, and is reduced by ~1/3 to 1/2 of its original volume. It will also start sticking to the bottom of the pan near the end, which is a good sign. The longer it cooks, the more intensely caramelized and concentrated it will become (a.k.a., thicker and more flavorful).
Enjoy fresh, or store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator up to 1-2 months, or in the freezer up to 6 months. Can be enjoyed cold or reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat until hot (add more water as needed if dry). Apple butter is delicious on toast, pumpkin bread, oatmeal, pancakes, and waffles and in baked goods, smoothies, and more.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition Information

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Serving 1one-quarter-cup serving Calories 83 (4%) Carbohydrates 22.1g (7%) Protein 0.5g (1%) Fat 0.2g (0%) Saturated Fat 0g (0%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 1mg (0%) Potassium 174mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 17.2g (34%) Vitamin A 69.84IU (1%) Vitamin C 6.31mg (7%) Calcium 14.45mg (1%) Iron 0.23mg (1%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8(1/4-cup servings)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 83 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1one-quarter-cup serving
Calories	83	4%
Carbohydrates	22.1g	7%
Protein	0.5g	1%
Fat	0.2g	0%
Saturated Fat	0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat	0g	0%
Monounsaturated Fat	0g	0%
Trans Fat	0g	0%
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	1mg	0%
Potassium	174mg	4%
Fiber	3g	12%
Sugar	17.2g	34%
Vitamin A	69.84IU	1%
Vitamin C	6.31mg	7%
Calcium	14.45mg	1%
Iron	0.23mg	1%