Hamdi Saidani Pioneer Woman Apple Butter turns a bag of Granny Smith apples into the kind of dark, spiced spread you’d pay way too much for at a farmers market. Brown sugar, apple pie spice, and a splash of cider vinegar do all the heavy lifting on the stove in about an hour.
You don’t even have to peel the apples. A food mill takes care of the skins after cooking, which means less prep and more apple flavor in every batch.
Do You Have To Use a Food Mill
Nope, but it makes life easier. A food mill catches the skins and seeds while giving you a perfectly smooth apple sauce in one pass. You just dump everything in and crank.
If you don’t have one, peel the apples before you start cooking. Once they’re tender, use a blender or immersion blender to puree them smooth. Either way works, the food mill just saves you peeling time.
What Apples Work Best for Apple Butter
Granny Smiths are the go-to here because they’re tart enough to balance all that brown sugar. Their firm texture also breaks down into a thick, smooth sauce without turning watery.
You can mix in Honeycrisp or Fuji if you want a sweeter homemade apple butter. Just cut the brown sugar back by a couple tablespoons so the whole batch doesn’t end up too sweet.
Apple Butter Ingredients
- 3 pounds Granny Smith apples
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How To Make Pioneer Woman Apple Butter
- Cut and Cook the Apples: Core the Granny Smith apples and cut them into wedges. Don’t bother peeling them. Place the pieces in a medium saucepot and add the apple cider vinegar, salt, and water.
- Simmer Until Tender: Set the pot over medium heat and cover it, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are extremely tender and most of the liquid has cooked off.
- Mill the Apples: Transfer the apple mash and any remaining liquid to a food mill set over a large bowl. Grind everything into a smooth sauce and toss the leftover peels. If you don’t have a food mill, peel the apples before cooking and blend them instead.
- Add the Sugar and Spice: Pour the apple sauce back into the original pot and set it over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, apple pie spice, and vanilla extract until everything is combined.
- Reduce to Apple Butter: Keep simmering and stirring every couple of minutes until the sauce thickens and turns a deep dark brown, about 15 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon without sliding off.
- Cool and Store: Let the apple butter cool completely, then spoon it into clean jars. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, or process in a water bath canner for long-term storage.
How To Know When It’s Done
Color is your best clue. The apple butter should go from light tan to a deep, rich brown. If it still looks like regular applesauce, it needs more time on the stove.
The spoon test works too. Drag a spoon through the pot and if the trail holds for a second before filling back in, you’re there. It’ll thicken a bit more as it cools, so pull it off the heat just before it looks perfect.
Can You Can This Apple Butter
Yes, and the cider vinegar in this recipe actually helps with safe canning because it adds acidity. Ladle the hot apple butter into sterilized jars, leave a quarter inch of headspace, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Sealed jars will keep in a cool, dark pantry for up to a year. It makes a great homemade gift during the holidays (a jar with a ribbon and a tag is all you need).
What To Spread It On
Toast and biscuits are the obvious picks, but this apple butter is thick enough to use in baking too. Swirl it into muffin batter, spread it between cake layers, or stir a spoonful into oatmeal.
It’s also great on a cheese board with sharp cheddar and crackers. The sweet-tart flavor plays off salty cheese better than any jam you can buy.
How To Store
Keep apple butter in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. For longer storage, water bath canning extends the shelf life to about a year. You can also freeze it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Just leave a little room at the top of the container because it expands as it freezes.
Nutrition
- Calories: 106 kcal
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 79 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 22 g
- Protein: 0 g
Try More Recipes
Pioneer Woman Apple Butter
Description
Pioneer Woman Apple Butter turns a bag of Granny Smith apples into the kind of dark, spiced spread you’d pay way too much for at a farmers market. Brown sugar, apple pie spice, and a splash of cider vinegar do all the heavy lifting on the stove in about an hour.
You don’t even have to peel the apples. A food mill takes care of the skins after cooking, which means less prep and more apple flavor in every batch.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut and Cook the Apples: Core the Granny Smith apples and cut them into wedges. Don’t bother peeling them. Place the pieces in a medium saucepot and add the apple cider vinegar, salt, and water.
- Simmer Until Tender: Set the pot over medium heat and cover it, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are extremely tender and most of the liquid has cooked off.
- Mill the Apples: Transfer the apple mash and any remaining liquid to a food mill set over a large bowl. Grind everything into a smooth sauce and toss the leftover peels. If you don’t have a food mill, peel the apples before cooking and blend them instead.
- Add the Sugar and Spice: Pour the apple sauce back into the original pot and set it over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, apple pie spice, and vanilla extract until everything is combined.
- Reduce to Apple Butter: Keep simmering and stirring every couple of minutes until the sauce thickens and turns a deep dark brown, about 15 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon without sliding off.
- Cool and Store: Let the apple butter cool completely, then spoon it into clean jars. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, or process in a water bath canner for long-term storage.
