Spirited Apple Butter

Brown sugar, spices and sweet red wine give this apple spread lots of spirit.

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 3 hours 20 min
Makes: 5 cups butter

(8 ratings)

Not what you're looking for? Try another search:

1	can (12 ounces) frozen (thawed) apple juice concentrate
1/2	cup sweet red wine or apple cider
4	pounds cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into fourths
3/4	cup packed brown sugar
1	cup apple brandy or apple cider
1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1	teaspoon ground ginger
1/4	teaspoon ground cloves

1.	Heat juice concentrate, wine and apples to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft. Mash with potato masher if necessary, to remove all lumps.
2.	Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until no liquid separates from pulp.
3.	Immediately pour into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars; seal. Cool on wire rack 1 hour. Store in refrigerator up to 2 months.

Did You Know...

Even though this thick mixture contains no butter, its name comes from the fact that it spreads like butter.

Time Saver

Use a crank-type apple peeler to quickly peel the apples. Or cook them unpeeled, quartered and cored; put them through a mesh strainer or food mill to quickly remove the peelings.

Variation

Spirited Pumpkin Butter is another yummy spread. Omit the wine. Substitute 3 cans (15 ounces each) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) for the apples. Increase brown sugar to 1 cup and cinnamon to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Heat all ingredients to boiling in Dutch oven, stirring frequently; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 1 hour, stirring frequently. Continue as directed in step 3. Makes about 6 cups butter.

Nutrition Information:

1 Tablespoon: Calories 30 (Calories from Fat 0); Total Fat 0g (Saturated Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 8 g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 0g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 0% Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Not what you're looking for? Try another search: