Last Updated on April 9, 2024
Apple butter is a delicious healthy snack that you can make at home. It’s the perfect fall activity to enjoy with the family after apple picking. There are many varieties of apples available and this article will tell you the best apples for apple butter.
Apple butter won’t only be an amazing-tasting snack, but it will make your whole house smell great. It tastes great on top of bread, muffins, cakes, even sandwiches, or anything you like. Your whole family is guaranteed to love this simple treat.
What is Apple Butter?
Apple butter is a thick and creamy apple spread, that is similar to that jam or jelly. Though it is called apple butter, there is no butter in it.
Apple butter generally contains apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or similar spices. It is thicker than applesauce and has a spreadable consistency like butter.
Apple butter is cooked for a long time, allowing more water to be drawn out and giving the apples a nice caramelized taste. Though apple butter is most commonly used as a spread, it can also be used in recipes and used to marinate meat.
You can even can apple butter. However, it is important to make sure to follow the directions properly. Canned apple butter makes for a great gift to give to your friends and family.
What Are The Best Apples For Apple Butter?
There are over 100 varieties of apples that are sold in America. Different varieties of apples are used for different things, such as pies, applesauce, and apple butter. Certain apples work better for apple butter than others.
When choosing an apple for apple butter, it is best to choose a soft apple. Soft apples are best because they cook down faster, allowing for smoother apple butter. You can use all the same types of apples for your apple butter or use a variety of different apples.
Fuji
Fuji apples were originally grown in Japan in the 1930s, before making their way over to America in the 1980s. They are well-loved for their sweet flavor and smooth taste. These bi-colored apples are generally available all year long.
Braeburn
The Braeburn apple originated in New Zealand in the 1950s. It is well-loved for its sweet flavor along with its crispy and juicy consistency. It is available from October through July and is a popular apple used in many different dishes.
McIntosh
The McIntosh apple has been a popular choice since the 1800s, after being found by John McIntosh. It’s a juicy, tangy apple that is often used in pies, applesauce, and apple butter. It is generally available between September and May.
Golden Delicious
Golden Delicious is a pale green to golden yellow apple with a mild sweet taste. It’s a great apple if don’t like a tart flavor. It is often used in pies, tarts, apple butter, and applesauce.
Cortland
Cortland apples are yellow-green apples, beautiful in both looks and taste. They are tart and tender apples, that taste great made into apple butter or chopped up into salads. These apples are mainly found in the East and Midwest, generally being picked between fall and winter.
Liberty
Liberty apples are dark red apples, with a sweet and juicy consistency, and a slightly tart flavor. Liberty apples got their name after they were developed in New York to be free of diseases that destroy apple crops. They are late-harvested apples, commonly used in dishes such as apple butter, applesauce, tarts, and pies.
How Apple Butter Is Made
Apple butter is an easy dish to make. It has a wonderful smell and taste when made, making it a favorite treat amongst many. It may take a while to make, however, it only requires a few ingredients.
When making apple butter, it is important to have a soft apple to allow for smoother cooking. Many people like to use different types of apples while making apple butter to get a nice balance of sweet and tart. However, you can use your favorite soft apple to make apple butter, along with your favorite warming spices.
Apple butter can be made in a variety of different ways, each involving a slow cooking process with spices. This allows for a rich and smooth taste, that is easily spreadable to top your favorite snacks.
Though it can be made in many ways, a popular way to make apple butter is in a slow cooker or CrockPot. Apples should be peeled and cored before making them into butter.
If you make your apple butter with a crockpot, add your peeled and cored apples to the CrockPot, along with your choice of spices, such as cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Allow apples to simmer on low in a crockpot for ten hours. If you desire, you may also run the apples through a blender on the puree setting to get a smoother consistency.
Apple butter should be stored in airtight containers in the fridge. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to a year. Allow the apple butter to fully cool before storing it in the fridge or freezer.
Are Ginger Gold Apples Good for Apple Butter?
Ginger gold apples can be a great option for making apple butter. They are a versatile type of apple and can be a great option for all of your baking needs. Ginger gold apples are slightly tart but tend to become sweeter as they ripen.
Are Winesap Apples Good for Apple Butter?
Winesap apples can be a great option for adding to your apple butter. They will add a lovely flavor and they are a ‘meaty’ apple which can be beneficial when making apple butter.
Winesap apples are an old type of apple that has a sweet, tangy finish. They date all the way back to American colonial times. In addition to apple butter, it is also popular for cider and apple juice.
How Long Does Apple Butter Take to Thicken?
Making apple butter is a long process that requires you to set several hours of your time aside. They take several hours to cook and then it takes at least one hour to thicken after you are done baking your apples. Cooking apples slowly is key when making apple butter.
As the apple butter cools and thickens, you should stir it occasionally to help the process. It may take more than an hour for the apple butter to cool down, so be sure to give it more time if needed.
Why Does My Apple Butter Taste Bitter?
There are a few reasons that your apple butter may taste bitter. For one, you could have not added enough sugar. Sugar is a key ingredient in apple butter to give it flavor and sweetness.
Most apple butter recipes will call for two or more cups of sugar. Some will call for all granulated sugar or a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. You typically don’t want to cut back on the amount of sugar in the apple butter recipe as it will affect its taste of it.
Another reason your apple butter may be bitter is the apples you used. Some types of apples are more bitter than others.
Varieties of bitter apples include Fuji, Ambrosia, Kiki, Gala, and Pink Lady. While it can be good to use some bitter apples in your apple butter, you do not want to use only bitter apples.
Can You Make Apple Butter Without Cinnamon?
You can make apple butter without cinnamon. However, cinnamon adds a wonderful flavor to your apple butter and it will not be as flavorful if you leave it out. Instead of cinnamon, you can use allspice, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice in your apple butter.
How Many Calories Are in a Tablespoon of Apple Butter?
The number of calories in a tablespoon will vary by the recipe you are using. However, in general, a tablespoon of apple butter will have 29 calories.
To find the exact calories for the recipe of apple butter you are using, you can use a nutrition calculator. By simply enter the measurements, ingredients, and servings of apple butter to learn all of the nutrition facts including calories.
How Much Fiber is in Apple Butter?
Apple butter has only trace amounts of fiber, not enough to be counted. Apple butter is not considered to be a good source of fiber.
A Creamy and Smooth Apple Treat
Apple Butter Uses
Apple butter makes a great spread you can add to your favorite snacks, marinate on meats and bake in delicious recipes. Though it is a long process, apple butter is easy to make, and it can be stored for a long time, so you can make batches ahead of time.
With so many different apples available, it is important to know which apples are the best for apple butter. Fuji, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, McIntosh, Cortland, and Liberty are some of the best apples to use for apple butter, thanks to their delicious taste and softer consistency.
No matter what apples you choose, you’re guaranteed to get delicious apple butter. Please comment and share if you enjoyed this article or have any remarks regarding the best apples for apple butter!
Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.
