Spirited Apple Butter

  • Prep 20 min
  • Total 3 hr 20 min
  • Servings 5

Ingredients

  • 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

Steps

  • 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.

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

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