How To Make Apple Butter

Learn how to make apple butter and you'll never want to purchase the store brands again. Homemade apple butter tastes great and is well worth the effort. Make apple butter when apples in season and at their freshest. Serve with warm, homemade rolls, or as a tasty topping for waffles or pancakes. Choose apples that work well in baking recipes, such as Jonathan, Idared, Cortland and Golden Delicious. This recipe yields eight cups of apple butter.

To make apple butter, you need:

• 6 pounds apples
• 1 cup water or apple cider
• 4 cups sugar    
• 1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon    
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice        
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Steps to make apple butter:

1. Peel, core, and coarsely chop the apples. Use a hand-crank apple peeler if you have one.
2. Combine the apples and water or apple cider in a large dutch oven on the stovetop. Bring the apples to a boil.
3. Cover the apples and reduce the heat. Simmer the mixture slowly for twenty to 25 minutes or until apples are tender.
4. Mash the apple butter mixture when the apples are tender. Stir in the sugar and the vinegar. An immersion blender (stick blender) is a handy tool for this task.
5. Bring the apple butter to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer slowly for two and one half hours, uncovered, or until the mixture is very thick.
6. Stir in the cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Store the apple butter in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one month.