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Small Batch Stovetop Apple Butter
Crisp fall apples cooked down with sugar and spices until lusciously smooth and intensely flavored. This small batch apple butter recipe is perfect when you just have a few apples on hand, no canning required.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Course:
Condiments
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds apple about 5 medium apples, cored and coarsely chopped
- ½ cup water you can also use apple juice or apple cider (NOT vinegar, filtered
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- ¼ cup light brown sugar more or less to taste (I recommend ¼ to ½ cup, packed
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch cloves ground
- pinch salt sea salt
Instructions
- Place apple pieces and cores in a large saucepan along with water, granulated sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook apples for 20 to 25 minutes or until apples begin to soften and fall apart.
- Remove from heat and discard cores. Run softened apples through a food mill, discarding any remaining solids or seeds. (Alternatively, if you don't have a food mill, blend softened apples in a food processor or using a hand blender until smooth.) You should have about 2 cups of apple puree.
- Return puree to saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar to taste, along with spices and salt. Gently simmer, stirring regularly to avoid spattering, until apple butter is deep caramel in color and thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
- Transfer to a jar or airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- * I used a mix of honeycrisp and granny smith apples here, but feel free to use your favorites. If you do not have a food mill, peel and core your apples before cooking..