You're gonna want to spread Apple Butter on everything this Autumn. This sweet spread of loaded with Fall spices like cinnamon and clove and will make everything it touches more awesome.
I know it's basic to love Autumn, but as a witch, the power of this season is undeniable. With harvest vibes in the air, it feels abundant and joyful and overflowing with gratitude. Plus, it's beautifully balanced energy provides a sweet release from the intense heat of summer.
And for kitchen witches, the possibilities are endless. With so many beautiful, fresh foods in such abundance, we're spoiled for choice. We can weave spells without limitation, and those who are very crafty will be preserving the flavors of the season for the darker days ahead. It's a time to come back to the center and celebrate all that we've gathered in the year so far. Autumn deserves all the love it gets.
What makes Apple Butter so awesome
Making homemade Apple Butter is like concentrating all the flavors of autmn into one jar of deliciousness. Apple Butter is like apple sauce's sexy older sister who knows how to have fun. Cooked down with brown sugar and spices until it's thick and jammy, this spread brings a deliciously autumnal flavor punch that you're going to want to spread everywhere.
Try spreading this on toast, pancakes, scones or biscuits. Make up little jars and share them with friends. Stick a spoon in it every time you go to the fridge for a little treat. I don't really care how you get it in your face, just know that it's irresistible, so be prepared to want it all the time.
Magical Properties of Cloves
Apples and cinnamon appear commonly in witchcraft spells, but cloves also have unique magical properties you can call on. Cloves carry the energy of the Sun and are ruled by the elements of air and fire. Use them to boost confidence and call in abundance. With their spiky shape, they're also effective in protection spells. (Source: The Kitchen Witch's Guide to Healing & Self-Care by Maggie Haseman)
For more on the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.
Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make this spread. The full details are in the recipe card below.
- Apples - Use your favorite variety. This is a great way to make use of apples that are past their prime for snacking.
- White sugar
- Brown sugar - I like to use dark brown sugar here, but use whatever you have on hand.
- Lemon juice - Bottled is fine.
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground clove
- Salt
You'll also need a food processor, high power blender, or food mill for this.
Tips for making Apple Butter
After the apples, the most important ingredient in this recipe is time. Even I sometimes get impatient, but you really want to cook out a lot of the liquid in this recipe to give you that intense, concentrated flavor. So make sure you're not in a rush when you get started on this recipe.
You can also adjust the sweetness and the spice level to your liking. It will depend a bit on how sweet or tart your apples already are. Don't go too drastic with cutting the sugar because it playse other roles besides sweetness, but you can make minor changes to suit your taste.
This recipe is meant to be stored in the fridge and eaten within a couple of weeks. If you want to be able to preserve your apple butter for longer, you'll need to follow a sterile canning process.
Apple butter can be used as a spread anywhere you'd use jam. I think it's great on pancakes or biscuits. It also makes a great spread for an autumnal cheese board, especially with a sharp cheddar.
Take advantage of the Autumn bounty and make Apple Butter for you and all your friends. It's gonna be awesome.
Looking for awesome ways to use your apple butter? Try these Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuits with Apple Butter or an Apple Butter & Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese.
PrintApple Butter
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 jars 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1-½ pounds apples (about 5), cored and coarsely chopped
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (add more or less to taste depending on how sweet your apples are)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground clove
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add your apple pieces, along with the cores, to a medium sauce pan. Add the water, caster sugar, and lemon juice and give it a quick stir. Bring this to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low, clamp on a lid, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until the apples are softened.
- Remove your apples from the heat and discard the cores. Transfer this mixture to a food processor and blitz until smooth. If you don't have a food processor, you can also use a hand mixer or a food mill. If you don't have any of those, you could also try a potato masher or even a fork, but you probably won't get a super smooth result.
- Return your apple puree back to the sauce pan. Add the brown sugar, spices, and salt, and stir this all together over medium heat to bring to a simmer. Simmer this mixture over low heat until slightly reduced and thickened. This could take 5-10 minutes. You'll want to keep an eye on it and stir frequently, but be careful of not to get splattered. Hot sugar burns something fierce. You'll know it's ready when it's a dark caramel color and it holds its shape on the spoon. If it's taking a while, you could bump up the heat a bit to help it thicken a bit faster, but you don't want your sugar to burn.
- Transfer your apple butter to a jar or other sealable container. Store in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Recipe adapted from Love and Olive Oil.
If you make this recipe, be sure to take a photo and tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #awesomeon20.
Vicki Werneke says
This does look easy. I have some apples that are really pass the “good to eat now” stage. Would those work well for this recipe?
Vicki Werneke says
This sounds tasty! I have some apples that are pass the “good to eat” stage. Those should work well for apple butter right?
Renee says
Hi Vicki! Those apples would be perfect for apple butter as you don't need to worry if they're crisp. Give it a taste after you purée your mixture to see if you need to boost the sweetness. Give it an extra spritz of lemon juice if it needs brightness.
Raé Thackray says
This is absolutely divine! Thank you so much for the recipe! Can’t wait to serve it alongside some sweet breads for Yule!
Renee says
I just want to slather it on everything! Glad you liked it.