Stovetop Apple Butter Recipe
My simple stovetop apple butter recipe is perfectly spreadable and richly spiced. Made with easy, pantry staple ingredients and on the stovetop (no slow cooker needed!).
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 5 medium apples I used honey crisp (peeled, cored and diced)
- 1 cup apple juice
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- Kosher salt pinch
Instructions
- Prep apples: peel, core and diced apples.
- Add apples, apple juice, and water to a large dutch oven or saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot ¾ of the way and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes or so until the apples have softened. Most of the liquid will have evaporated. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid burning the bottom of the pan and having the apple butter spitter out onto your stovetop.
- Remove from heat and let the apples cool for 10 minutes or so. Blend the apple mixture with a hand immersion blender or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture back into the dutch oven or sauce pan if using a blender. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a pinch of kosher salt.
- Stir mixture together until well combined. Place the dutch oven over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Reduce the mixture to low and cook uncovered, stirring frequently for about an hour or until the apple butter has thickened and developed a deep brown color.
- Allow the apple butter to cool completely before transferring to air tight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.