Indulge in the perfect blend of tart cranberries and sweet apples with this delightful cranberry apple butter.
This cranberry apple butter is slow-simmered to a rich, velvety consistency. This seasonal spread combines the warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect on toast or biscuits for a cozy morning breakfast.
I recently ordered a whole bunch of apples from Azure Standard and made several recipes with them, including Caramel Apple Butter and Apple Pie Filling (with no clear jel.)
What Kind of Apples Should You Use for Cranberry 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 Cranberry Apple Butter with whatever apples you have!
To Make This Recipe You Will Need:
- apples
- dried cranberries
- water
- immersion blender or standard blender
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- salt
- sugar
- a large pot with a lid (non-reactive)
- slow cooker
- hot water bath canner or steam canner
- canning tools (jar lifter, funnel, etc.)
- damp cloth
- knife and cutting board
- small dish
- white vinegar
- kitchen towels, canning mat or rack
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Watch Me Make this Recipe in the Vlog Below
How to Make Cranberry 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.
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, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Roughly chop your dried cranberries and add them to the apple butter. Stir it all together.
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.
Other Apple Butter Cooking Options
Stovetop Method
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 cranberry apple butter is thickened. This can take 3 hours or more, depending upon how much moisture there is in your apples.
Oven Method
Rather than cooking your apple butter down on the stove, you can also do it in the oven.
Spread your cranberry 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.
How Do I Know the Apple Butter is Done?
There are a couple ways to check if your Cranberry 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 cranberry 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 Cranberry Apple Butter!
How Long Does Cranberry 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 cranberry apple butter in the refrigerator. It is recommend that you use it up within three weeks of opening.
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Cranberry Apple Butter
Ingredients
For the Caramel Apple Butter
- 8 lb apples, peeled, cored and cut into pieces (I usually use Granny Smith apples)
- 4 c water, or apple juice
- 3 ½ c granulated sugar, See Notes
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional
- 2 c dried cranberries, roughly chopped
Instructions
- To begin place your prepared apples and the water in a large, non-reactive pot.
- 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.
- Remove the apples from the heat, and use an immersion blender to puree the apples. 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 chopped dried cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir it all together.
- 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. (See the recipe post above for a couple other "cooking down" options.)
- The cranberry apple butter is done when a spoon will stand up in the middle of the apple butter. You can also use the cold spoon method described in the recipe post.
- When your cranberry apple butter is done, transfer it back to the large pot and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Then prepare all of your canning supplies, and heat the jars. Jars should be washed and inspected for chips or other faults. You can use pints or half pints. I usually do a combination of the two.
- Ladle the hot cranberry 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. (See the note about adjusting time for elevation in the article above. Processing times for canning recipes are always give for under 1000 ft elevation. You must make adjustments if you live at a higher environment.)
- After the jars have processed, turn off the heat. If 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, leave the lid on (heat off) 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.
- Remove the rings, test the seals, wash and label the jars. Store them away in the pantry.
- Enjoy your delicious Cranberry Apple Butter!
Equipment Used
- large pot non-reactive
- immersion blender or standard blender
- small dish
- damp cloth or paper towels
- cooling rack(s) or canning mat
Notes
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
Unit Conversions:
Unit Conversion for measurements (if displayed), going from US to Metric is an auto-generated conversion. If you are using the metric measurements, please double-check to confirm that these are accurate with your favorite preferred conversion tool.
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