Old Fashioned Apple Butter

Old Fashioned Apple Butter

I grew up making apple butter.  Homemade is much better and is so handy to have around.  It’s great to spread on bread, muffins or over pancakes.  I like to use firm apples like Gala, Fuji or Granny Smith.  By the way, there is no butter in Apple Butter!

INGREDIENTS

8 Large Peeled, Cored & Chopped Apples

3 Cups Apple Cider

2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Rind

2 1/2 Cups Light Brown Sugar

4 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 Teaspoons Ground Allspice

1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

In a large size soup pot combine the apples, grated orange rind and apple cider. Cook for 5 hours over a medium-low heat. You will want the apples to be very soft and the mixture to be nice and thick.  Remove from the heat and cool completely.  In a food processor or blender add the mixture.  Process until the mixture is smooth.  Pour the mixture back into the soup pot.  Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, allspice and cloves.  Cook over a medium-high heat for 2 hours with the lid on. Stir often.  Remove the lid and cook for 2 more hours.  Pour into washed pint mason jars.  Don’t fill to the top of the jar. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top. At this point you can put them into a canning water bath or not.  If you choose not to then store the filled jars into either the fridge or freezer.  Cool the jars completely before putting in the fridge or freezer.  Makes approximately 3 Pint Jars – give or take.