Yesterday, Shawn and I met up with some of our local blogger friends for brunch and apple picking at Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont. It was a beautiful day and we had a ton of fun, but I didn’t really like the way the farm was set up. Unlike other pick-your-own places I’ve been to where you weigh your apples and pay as you exit, Indian Ladder charges you for a bag as you go in — you can fill it as much or as little as you want, but either way it costs $14. I had only planned on buying 4-5 pounds of apples, but since I had to pay for them anyway I filled my bag almost to the top (I was really more interested in taking pictures than picking apples).
Despite leaving some room in my bag, I ended up bringing home 17 pounds of apples! Since I knew I would never be able to eat that many apples before they went bad, I immediately made a big batch of apple butter, which is one of my favorite fall foods. If you’ve never had it, apple butter is a thick spread that’s made almost entirely of apples — it’s essentially applesauce that’s reduced down until it becomes spreadable (there’s no actual butter involved). The sugars in the apples caramelize and, when it’s seasoned with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, it’s one of the most delicious things ever! Enjoy it on toast or biscuits, mixed into yogurt or oatmeal, or over vanilla ice cream. It also makes a great compliment to a cheese plate (it pairs especially well with sharp cheddar).
I use a lot less sugar in my recipe than others that I’ve seen because I don’t like it to be super sweet (some recipes use more than double the sugar I do!). Because of the reduced sugar, the apple butter shouldn’t be canned — it will keep for a while in the fridge though and it also freezes very well.
- 4 pounds (about 10) cooking apples, quartered
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tbs cinnamon
- 1 Tsp cardamom
- 1 Tbs freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Combine the apples, vinegar, cider, and water in a large stock pot (I use a 5 quart dutch oven). Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, or until the apples are very soft.
Place a mesh sieve over a large bowl. Ladle the cooked apples into the sieve. Press down on them with a spoon to force the apple through to the bowl below, leaving the seeds and peel behind (you’ll end up with around 4.5 cups of apple puree and a half cup of seeds/peel). Discard the seeds and peel, and return the apple puree to the pot. Stir in the sugar and the remaining spics.
“Fast” Method: Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly (to prevent burning), until the apple butter is reduced to about 3 cups and is very thick — a line drawn across the bottom of the pot with the spoon should take a few seconds to go away.
Slow Method: Cook over low heat for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally,
until the apple butter is reduced to about 3 cups and is very thick — a line drawn across the bottom of the pot with the spoon should take a few seconds to go away.
Yields about 3.5 cups of apple butter.
Each 2 Tablespoon serving contains approximately 60 calories, 0 grams fat, 1.5 grams fiber, and 0 grams protein
Alison Dibrino says
I get recipes online all the time but I’ve never commented about something until now.
This apple butter recipe is in the words of my BF righteous!
It’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all wrapped into one. I almost always add seasonings or adjust amounts when I cook with recipes but this one is perfect just as it is. (as I wrote that I thought of adding a bit of orange zest, that might be a tasty variation) Thank you so much for posting a not so sugared up and still super yummy apple butter recipe. I plan to make several batches, freeze and give it away to my clients around the holidays:)
Doug says
Lauren,
I’m curious, did you reserve the liquid (water,vinegar,cider) when you ladled out the apples or pour it in with the sieved apples?
I also want to know if you boiled the full jars during the canning process or just sealed the sterile jars and let them seal by natural cooling? Thanks so much! This recipe sounds yummy!
Lauren says
By the time you’re ready to ladle the apples out, they’re already basically mush/applesauce so there isn’t really any cooking liquid left. It all gets strained and then reduced (so no, I did not reserve it).
I also didn’t can the butter, so no boiling of the jars (I froze it instead). If you want tips on canning, I recommend http://www.savvyeat.com/smart-food-3/food-preservation or http://foodinjars.com
MidnyghtChilde says
We picked 17 lbs last weekend too, but at Altamont Orchards, where it’s only 55 cents a lb! We paid about9$ for the whole bag. And I made apple butter with the same half pint jars because they’re so adorable!
The best method I found is the slow cooker – toss apples, liquid, minimal sugar, and spice into a slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 hour, then low for 10 hours (I did it over night, reduce heat before bed and let it go all night), then take the lid off and leave on low an additional hour or two while it reduces. Stirring optional! Easiest thing ever and the apartment smelled like apples and cinnamon alllll day!
zerrin says
Never heard such an event before. Pick your own sounds great!Wish we had it here too. And this apple butter sounds so yummy, nothing sweet can be better than such a fruit butter for breakfast.
newlywed says
I grew up in Delmar, and we went to Indian Ladders very often. I have so many wonderful memories of that place, and have yet to taste a better cider doughnut! Just a question…when you made the apple butter, did it splatter much? I made a batch years ago and it wreaked havoc on my kitchen! Was I doing something wrong?
Lauren says
It bubbled a little but didn’t splatter at all. It sounds like you might have head the heat on too high… you can keep it super low (I had mine set to level 2)
And ILF totally has the best cider donuts! Nowhere else compares!
natalie (the sweets life) says
17 lbs of apples? Wow! I wouldn’t mind that! Can’t wait to see what else you do with them! 🙂
Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite says
Nothing says fall like spiced fruit butter – I love the sound of this one. Mmmm!
Carly says
I am going to make this! I just went apple picking too so I have a lot of apples – I am so intrigued! Thanks for sharing!!