Recipe for Naturally Sweetened Apple Butter

A 'slow food' approach to homemade apple butter. In this recipe, the apple butter is naturally sweetened with apple cider, is dotted with a little butter for richness, and spends a long (loooong!) time in the oven or in a slow cooker.

Homemade Sugar-Free Apple Butter, made with apples and butter and no added sugar @ Kitchen Parade.

My two burning questions about apple butter.

First, why doesn’t apple butter include -- um, well, you know -- butter? My recipe does, just a touch, which gives this lovely butterscotch-colored apple sauce, an unctuous mouth feel. After several hours in the oven at low temperature, it’s so smooth, so creamy, it’s on the verge of something akin to custard, albeit it egg-free, cream-free and sugar-free.

Second, why do apple butter recipes include, without fail, cups and cups and cups of sugar, which turns already-sweet apples into, well, just a sugar-sweet apple mess?

So get out the butter and put away the sugar. We’re making apple butter, real old-fashioned apple butter, apple butter so delicious you’ll sit up straight to ask, Why is it that there’s no butter in apple butter? And why does apple butter need sugar?

Spread the word. This is apple butter the way it’s meant to be.

UPDATE: APPLE BUTTER in the SLOW COOKER When I first posted this recipe, readers asked whether it could be made in a Crockpot. It can, with some caveats. Start by cooking the apples in the apple cider on high for four hours, then blend til very smooth with an immersion blender or in a blender. After that, cook on high for nine to twelve hours, stirring every hour or so. Yes, even the Crockpot will require hourly attention to make sure that the mixture doesn't darken too much along the edges and not enough in the center. Unfortunately, the 'low' setting just isn't hot enough to create the dark caramelization that makes this Naturally Sweetened Apple Butter special.

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RECIPE for
NATURALLY SWEETENED APPLE BUTTER

Hands-on time: 30 minutes plus occasional attention for 6 – 9 hours
Time to table: 7 - 10 hours
Makes 3-1/2 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 pounds Jonathan apples (or another baking apple), peeled and cored, cut into quarters
3 cups apple cider
Zest and juice of a small lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large oven-proof pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter on medium. Add the apples as they’re prepped, stirring occasionally to coat with fat. Add cider, cover and let gently simmer for 30 minutes or until soft but still intact. Process until smooth with an immersion blender or a food processor. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Set oven to 250F and place the pot, uncovered, inside. Stirring every 30 minutes, let cook for 5 - 6 hours for a butterscotch-smooth apple custard and another 2 - 3 hours for a cinnamon-dark apple butter.

Refrigerate and use within two weeks.

ALANNA's TIPS Be careful to keep stirring the apple butter (try setting a timer as a reminder), especially toward the end of the slow-slow-slow oven time. If it's left unstirred, it will turn, fast, from golden apple butter into a gooey apple gunk, just like that. If that sounds like the voice of experience? It is.

SERVING IDEAS Drizzle with cream or kefir, top with toasted walnuts (pictured).

Stir into Greek yogurt or spoon over vanilla ice cream.

Make an apple butter smoothie, just a few spoonfuls mixed in the blender with milk and an ice cube or two.

Spread on muffins, toast or bagels.

Stir in your morning oatmeal.

Substitute for Crème Anglaise in the lovely Estonian Apple Cake.

Just see if you can keep your spoon out of this apple butter!

What would you do with it?

NUTRITION ESTIMATE (How many calories are in apple butter? How many Weight Watchers points are in apple butter?) Per Tablespoon/Half Cup: 25/204 Calories; 0/3g Tot Fat; 0/2g Sat Fat; 1/8mg Cholesterol; 0/3mg Sodium; 6/46g Carb; 0/4g Fiber; 5/38g Sugar; 0/1g Protein; Weight Watchers 0 points/4 points

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

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I make oven roasted apple butter with a little maple syrup, but now I have to try yours. Making it today. Will let you know how it turns out!

Andrea on 9/30/2009

I was looking for an apple butter recipe just two days ago, and eventually decided to make simple apple jam instead.
Mmm. Need to go and get another batch of apples from my mum :)

Pille on 9/30/2009

Can this be made in the crockpot?

Marie on 9/30/2009

Andrea ~ Your oven-roasted apple butter sounds much similar!

Pille ~ I bought more apples to make another batch just yesterday and yes, must 'fetch' them.

Marie ~ I would think so but didn't actually test the recipe in a slow cooker. In part it depends on the temperature, of "low" and "warm". There's just a lot more control in an oven. If you try it this way, let me know!

Alanna on 9/30/2009

That has always been my problem with apple butter too, it's too sweet. I think the sugar was originally added to increase the shelf life. Your recipe sounds much more appealing without it.

I have made apple butter in my crock pot much as you describe it in the oven. The time may vary but it is a certain color and consistency you are looking for anyway.

Oh, and I love your photo!

Lisa on 9/30/2009

This looks good Alanna! I’ve made the sugary apple butter for years. My grandmother added a touch of anise, so I always do too! Have you ever tried that? And I will do this one with butter!

Carole on 9/30/2009

My sister-in-law in Duluth used to make it in her Crock Pot. In Delaware, Pumpkin Butter is very popular.

moo on 9/30/2009

Can this be modified for crock pot cooking? suggestions?

Pat on 9/30/2009

Lisa ~ Thanks for the crockpot confidence. PS re photo, thanks!

Carole ~ Love your idea of anise, I just bought another big bag of apples, one will be flavored with anise!

moo ~ Thanks to you too for the crockpot confirmation. I've been working on pumpkin butter too, really want something that is less sweet and still really tastes like pumpkin. Tisn't easy!

Pat ~ I haven't tested the recipe in a Crockpot (when I was testing a year ago, mine was on the fritz) but from what others are saying, it would look likely. I would watch the timing / stirring very carefully however.

Alanna on 9/30/2009

Can this recipe be put into jars as preserves if I use a boiling water canner & process? Wondering if it is still safe for canning since there is no sugar. But I love the idea of apple butter that is all about the apples, not the sweetness!

Anonymous on 11/02/2009

You know, I'm just not expert enough in the science of canning to answer your question. But this is definitely a recipe that's about the apples, I've got two bags of apples set aside right now, to try the slow cooker version.

Alanna on 11/02/2009

Hello all ~ Some of you asked whether the Naturally Sweetened Apple Butter could be made in a slow cooker. It can! I've updated the post to show the details.

Alanna on 11/10/2009