As a kid I would sneak into the refrigerator and scoop out a spoon of apple butter like it was ice cream. I loved this concocted blend of apples and spices and still do. Here’s how to make homemade Amish apple butter.

Amish Apple Butter

Steve Barasch

Amish Apple Butter is a delicious, spiced fruit preserve made by slowly cooking apples with sugar and spices. Here's a traditional Amish apple butter recipe that you can make at home. Use a combination Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples to offset each other. This will create a balance between sweetness vs tartness.

Using 16 oz mason jars, this recipe should yield 3 to 3.5 jars depending on the thickness of the final product.

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Course Snack, Topping

Cuisine Amish

Equipment

1 Large Pot
1 Crock Pot optional
Immersion Blender or Regular blender
Mason Jars

Ingredients

5-6 Whole Apples A mix of Golden Delicious and Granny
2 Cups Granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground clover
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup Apple Cider or Apple Juice

Instructions

Wash, peel, core, and slice the apples into small pieces.
In a large pot or slow cooker, combine the apple slices, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and apple cider or apple juice. Mix well to ensure that the apples are evenly coated with the sugar and spices.
If using a pot on the stovetop, cook the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 6-8 hours. If using a slow cooker, cook the mixture on low heat for 10-12 hours or on high heat for 5-6 hours. The apples should become very soft and dark brown in color.
Once the apples are cooked and have reached the desired consistency, use an immersion blender or a regular blender to puree the mixture until smooth. Be cautious when blending hot liquids and allow the mixture to cool slightly if needed.
If the apple butter is too thin, return it to the pot or slow cooker and cook for an additional 1-2 hours, or until it reaches your preferred thickness.
Allow the apple butter to cool, then transfer it to sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4-inch of headspace. Seal the jars tightly with lids.
Store the apple butter in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze it for longer storage. You can also process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes to make them shelf stable.