Recipes Using Apple Butter (2024)

FAQs

What can I use apple butter for? ›

Apple butter can be a great way to balance sauces, marinades, glazes, sandwich spreads and dressings. It can add depth of flavor and moisture to baked goods like muffins, cakes, waffles, and cookies. And it can be swirled into cheesecake, ice cream, and oatmeal!

Refrigerator Storage – You can store the apple butter in the fridge for up to 1 month. Freezer Storage – You can store the apple butter in the freezer for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using it.

But the apple butter has a more concentrated, rich flavor. It works wonders in a cake, especially compared to applesauce. Sure, applesauce is great and delivers a lot of moisture to baked goods, but it rarely brings tons of fall, apple flavor. That's why apple butter is here to save the day!

Apple butter may be a healthier choice of spread than other breakfast spreads, but would not be considered to be healthy, as it does not give the consumer very many nutrients. Apple butter is more of an accessory food to put on your toast or other foods simply added for its taste.

Average shelf life unopened is 11 months. But after you open a jar, it is very important it is re-capped and refrigerated. It will last about a month in the refrigerator, but we usually finish out a jar in a couple of days. The same goes for any baked goods or cooked items made with apple butter.

Since it's sweet, apple butter can pair with many different kinds of cheeses — try your favorites and see what works best. If you need some suggestions to begin, try a sharp cheddar, an oozy brie, or a tangy chèvre.

Yes! Freeze cooled apple butter in freezer containers for up to three months. Liquids expand as they freeze, so leave extra room at the top of the freezer container. Thaw the apple butter in the refrigerator when you're ready to use.

During the slow cooking, the sugars that are naturally present in the apples caramelize into a deep, molasses-like flavor, and a dark color. This gives the apple butter its rich, sweet flavor and dark brown hue.

Apple butter is a spreadable preserve made by slow-cooking apples with warming spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice. The apples are cooked for a long time over low heat, caramelizing them, concentrating their flavor and turning them into a spreadable consistency.

Applesauce is a fairly quick process, cooked apples run through a food mill. Apple butter is basically concentrated apple sauce, cooked down even more until it's thicker, silkier, and more intensely apple flavored. Like the difference between tomato sauce and tomato paste, essentially.

What does apple butter taste like? ›

But it's actually more comparable to preserves or jam than it is butter; it's really just concentrated fruit, maybe a bit of sugar, with no dairy in sight. And like jam, apple butter is actually pretty damn delicious spread across a buttered piece of bread, with a little flaky sea salt.

Keep cooking applesauce past the stage where it's, well, saucy, and you'll get apple butter. Continue to cook the sauce and it begins to caramelize and thicken, making it almost jam-like.

Apple butter dates back to colonial America, and the word “butter” refers to the soft texture and use as a spread. Great on your morning toast or bagel; but give it a try in one of the many recipes here on the Musselman's website. Apple Butter has no dairy, fat or cholesterol.

While apple butter does contain some sugar, it is a healthier alternative to peanut butter, so long as you stick to the serving size. Apples not only help keep the doctor away, but also provide a lot of fiber that aids in digestion as well as vitamins B and C.

Apple Butter Makin' Days Real Homemade Apple Butter (1 tbsp) contains 9g total carbs, 9g net carbs, 0g fat, 0g protein, and 35 calories.

But when it comes down to it, both applesauce and apple butter can often be exchanged in baking recipes — especially when used as a replacement for some of the butter, oil, or eggs.

Mix it with plain yogurt or cottage cheese like the Pennsylvania Dutch prefer. Spread on graham crackers. Spread on a melted cheese sandwich. Add several tablespoons to a can of baked beans (hot sauce optional).

Interesting Facts About Apple Butter:

Copper pennies were placed in the apple butter kettle to scrape the bottom of the kettle and to prevent the apple butter from burning. Sugar, cinnamon, and spices may be added to the apple butter just at the end of cooking if desired. Apple butter frolics were major social events.

For an appetizer, I use this spread on wheat crackers. You could use any variety of cracker you like. Bagel chips, rye toast and even mini English muffins would be a great base for this easy apple butter spread.