Caramel Apple Butter – Home Canning

This Caramel Apple Butter is a luscious, slow-simmered spread that captures the essence of fall fall flavors.

Made with tender, spiced apples cooked down to a velvety puree. A blend of cinnamon and nutmeg adds warmth, while the brown sugar lends a caramelly flavor.

Perfect for slathering on toast, pairing with pancakes, or gifting in jars, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into a cozy, indulgent treat that’s both comforting and irresistible.

Caramel apple butter can be used any of number of ways. Whether it is spread on a biscuit, or used between layers of a cake, you will find all sorts of uses for this old-fashioned apple preserve.

I recently ordered a whole bunch of apples from Azure Standard and have been busy working on putting the apples up. This was the very first thing that I made: homemade slow cooked apple butter with a rich, caramelly flavor.

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What Kind of Apples Should You Use for Apple Butter?

The kind of apples you will want to use for apple butter will be based upon how sweet or tart you want you end product to be.

Since you don’t have to worry about apple texture in a butter, like you would for say apple pie filling, there really are no limitations. I personally choose Granny Smith apples most of the time, because I like the tartness of them. The apple butter will be sweet, but I feel that Granny Smiths give it the best balance.

But that said, if you find Galas, or Honeycrisp, or any other apple on sale, stock up and make this delicious Caramel Apple Butter with whatever apples you have!

To Make This Recipe You Will Need:

• apples
• water
• immersion blender or standard blender
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• salt
• sugar
• brown sugar
• a large pot with a lid (non-reactive)
• hot water bath canner or steam canner
• canning tools (jar lifter, funnel, etc.)
• damp cloth
• small dish
• white vinegar
• kitchen towels, canning mat or rack

How to Make Caramel Apple Butter

To begin you’ll peel, core and dice 8 pounds of apples. Place your prepared apples and the water in a large, non-reactive pot. It is best to use one with a nice, heavy bottom so that the apples don’t stick and scorch on the bottom.

Bring the apples up to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the apples are tender, and you can mash them with the back of a large spoon. This will usually take about 10-15 minutes.

Remove the apples from the heat, and use an immersion blender to puree the apples. You can make this a smooth as you like, according to preference. I like to leave random little bits of apples in mine. If you do not have an immersion blender, this can be done with a standard blender. Simply work in batches.

Add in the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Place the lid on the pot, but leave it cracked for the steam to escape. Stir the apple butter often.

Cook until the apple butter is thickened. This can take 3 hours or more, depending upon how much moisture there is in your apples.

Other Apple Butter Cooking Options

Oven Method

Rather than cooking your apple butter down on the stove, you can also do it in the oven.

Spread your apple butter out in a shallow baking pan, and bake at 350°(F). Stir every 20 minutes or so, until the apple butter is thickened. Then continue the recipe as below.

Slow Cooker Method

Pour your apple butter mixture into a slow cooker. Put your slow cooker on low, and set a spoon or other utensil under the lid to keep it cracked for the steam to escape.

If I am going to let the apple butter go overnight, I’ll put the slow cooker on the “warm” setting.

How Do I Know the Apple Butter is Done?

There are a couple ways to check if your Caramel Apple Butter is done. One way is to take a spoon and stand it in the middle of the apple butter. Is the butter thick enough to hold the spoon up in place? If so, it is good to go.

The other way is to use a cold spoon or small plate. I always keep a few spoons in the freezer for just this purpose.

Put a dollop of the apple butter on your cold spoon and swirl it around. Does the apple butter stay in a little pile, or does it begin to ooze juice and spread out? If it stays, it is ready. If it spreads and oozes… let it cook a bit longer.

When your apple butter is done, prepare all of your canning supplies, and heat the jars.

Jars should always be washed and inspected for chips or other faults. You can use pints or half pints for this recipe. I usually do a combination of the two.

Ladle the hot caramel apple butter into hot jars, leaving a 1/2 inch head space.

Remove any bubbles with a bubble wand, then wipe the rim of the jars very well with a damp cloth dipped in white vinegar.

Place a lid and ring on the jar and place the jar in the hot water bath or steam canner. Do this with all of the jars.

Process the jars for 15 minutes.

When canning in a hot water bath canner (or steam canner) always make note of the processing time. If the recipe only has one time shown, that is generally for 1-1,000 feet of elevation. Visit this article to learn how to make adjustments to the recipe for YOUR elevation: How to Adjust Canning Recipes for Elevation

After the jars have processed, turn off the heat.

If you are using a hot water bath canner remove the lid of the canner, and let the jars rest for 5 minutes.

If using a steam canner like I am here, leave the lid/dome on for 5 minutes, then take it off.

Transfer the jars to a lined surface in a draft-free location and let them sit for 12-24 hours. You can cover your counter with folded kitchen towels, or use a cooling rack. I use a canning mat that was made for me by a sweet subscriber.

The next day, remove the rings, test the seals, wash and label the jars. Store the jars in your pantry.

Enjoy your delicious Caramel Apple Butter!

How Long Does Caramel Apple Butter Last?

In general, all home canned goods are best if used within a year of having made them, but I’ll often let it go longer than that. They should be stored in a cool location, and kept out of direct sunlight. No sunlight is ideal.

Once you open a jar, keep the caramel apple butter in the refrigerator. It is recommend that you use it up within three weeks of opening.

Watch Me Make this Recipe in the Video Below

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