Apple Butter Recipe

Cinnamon apple butter in a glass jar sitting on a wooden cutting board with a silver spoon stuck in the top.

4.75 from 4 votes

Rustic fall notes of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and clove make this butter the perfect autumn spread. Enjoy this jam-like spread on steaming biscuits or rolls at any meal.

Prep Time1 20

Cook Time55

Resting Time12

Total Time1 13 15

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Servings: half-pint jars

Calories: 572kcal

Author: Aimee Mars

Equipment

Water Bath Canner
Canning Kit
8 half-pint jars with lids and rings

Ingredients

6 lbs Apples cored, not peeled
4 cups Sugar divided
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
1/4 teaspoon Cloves

Instructions

Prepping

Core the apples and slice them so 6lbs is remaining after. Place them in a large pot and pour 2 cups of the sugar on top. Toss slightly to move the sugar around. Cover with a towel or lid and let sit overnight or up to 24 hours.

Cooking

To cook, add the remaining 2 cups of sugar to the pot of apples as well as the lemon juice. Cook, over medium-high heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring frequently. Stir in all the spices and ladle into the cans, making sure to leave a 1/2-inch headspace on each jar.

Canning

Wash the canning jars and lids in warm soapy water and rinse well (cleaning them in the dishwasher will also work). Place the jars into the water bath canner on the rach, and cover completely with water. Cover the pot with the lid and bring to a boil for at least 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the jars when ready to begin filling them and set on a towel instead of directly on top of the counter (otherwise they could crack or break once they touch a cook countertop).
Return the water in the canning bath to a boil. Prepare the lids, not the rings, by placing them in a separate pot of warm heated water. Do not boil the lids because they can get damaged.
Fill the jars using the funnel, leaving 1/2-inch of headspace.
After filling the jars run a small flat spatula around the inside of the jar to remove any air bubbles. Most canning kits come with a tool for doing this. If the headspace of the ingredients changes add a little more in order to bring it up to the proper level.
Clean the rims of the jar with a damp towel and center the lid on top of the jar. Screw the rings to fingertip tight but don't overtighten them.
Place the jars into the canner making sure the water covers the tops of the jars by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil and set the timer for 10 minutes (for jams and jellies).
Turn off heat and remove the jars from the canner (each lid will make a 'ping' sound once it seals). Let the jars sit for up to 12 hours before removing the outer ring. If any of the lids feel loose move the jar to the fridge and enjoy in the next 5 to 7 days. Otherwise, place in your pantry to enjoy later.

Nutrition