The month of October in the Pacific Northwest is all about the apple harvest. We have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to quality apples from wonderful local orchards that provide all sorts of apples: sweet, tart and crisp. When the apples are ready to harvest, it always brings me back to my mom’s house and the smell of apples cooking on the stove.
Walking through the back door after school and breathing in the scent of cinnamon and allspice mixed with apples always meant she was making a batch of her Apple Butter. A fruit spread that is not really a butter at all and has little sugar added. Ruby’s Apple Butter is a perfect spread for a piece of whole grain toast for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Kids will love it and moms can be assured it is has real fruit in it. Most recipes you find will say to add 4-5 cups of sugar. On mom’s recipe is just says ‘sugar’, with a note that says taste the sauce first and only add sugar as needed. The apples I used here were fairly tart so I added about ¼ cup of sugar, tasted again and found that it was just the right amount of sweetness.
Your house will be filled with those scents that are reminiscent of fall, the holidays and childhood memories. I love to can them in small jars and give them to family and friends as gifts. Share the harvest!
Gather
Step by Step
- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the apples and apple cider and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20-25 minutes until the apples are soft.
- Stir occasionally to prevent scorching the apples.
- Add the spices, stir and taste.
- If the mix is too tart, add the sugar and stir. If you like the flavor without the sugar, leave it out!
- Keep the apple butter mixture on a low heat for 4 hours, stirring often until thickened.
- It should have a rich, dark color.
- Use an immersion blender or hand mixer to remove any lumps and remove from the heat.
- Ladle the apple butter into sterilized half-pint or pint jars, leaving ½ inch of space at the top.
- Seal the jars with canning lids.
- Put the jars into a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
- Jars will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (that is if they don’t get eaten before then!).
- This is a great recipe to try in the Crock Pot! Simply add all the ingredients together in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. I still use the immersion blender to puree the apple butter to create a smooth consistency.
Nutrition
WW PP 2; Calories 70; Total Fat 0.1g; Trans Fat 0.0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 2mg; Total Carbohydrates 18.2g; Dietary Fiber 2.4g; Sugars 14.6g; Protein 0.0g
