Canning Apple Butter: Easy Homemade Apple Butter Recipe
This post is all about canning apple butter for an easy way to preserve fresh apples and stock your pantry for fall and winter.
If you have a lot of apples to use up this fall, homemade apple butter is one of my favorite ways to preserve them.
It’s sweet, warmly spiced, and absolutely delicious spread over a piece of homemade bread or a warm biscuit.
And unlike regular applesauce, apple butter is cooked down until it becomes thick, dark, and concentrated.
The best part?
Apple butter can be preserved using a water bath canner, so you don’t need a pressure canner for this recipe. The tested NCHFP recipe processes apple butter in a boiling-water canner.
Let’s make some!
What Is Apple Butter?
Despite the name, there isn’t actually any butter in apple butter.
Apple butter is made by cooking apples until they’re very soft and then continuing to cook the apple puree with sugar and warm spices.
As it cooks, the excess moisture evaporates and the apples become thick, smooth, and spreadable.
Think of it as an extra-rich, concentrated applesauce.
It is one of those old-fashioned pantry staples that is worth making every apple season.
Best Apples for Making Apple Butter
You can use several different apple varieties to make apple butter.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation specifically lists varieties such as:
- Jonathan
- Winesap
- Stayman
- Golden Delicious
- McIntosh
But other flavorful apple varieties can also produce good results.
I especially like using a mixture of apples when possible.
Combining sweet and tart apples gives homemade apple butter a deeper flavor than using a very sweet apple alone.
Ingredients for Homemade Canned Apple Butter
For this tested apple butter canning recipe, you’ll need:
8 pounds apples
2 cups apple cider
2 cups vinegar
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
This makes approximately 9 to 10 pints of apple butter.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need anything unusual to make canned apple butter.
Gather:
- Water bath canner
- Pint or half-pint canning jars
- New canning lids
- Jar rings
- Jar lifter
- Large stockpot
- Food mill, strainer, or colander
- Ladle
- Canning funnel
- Clean towels
You’ll also want plenty of counter space because this makes a good-sized batch.
How to Make Apple Butter for Canning
Step 1: Prepare the Apples
Wash your apples well.
Remove the stems and cut the apples into quarters.
Remove the cores.
There’s no need to spend forever chopping them into tiny pieces because we’re going to cook them until they’re very soft.
Step 2: Cook the Apples
Place the prepared apples into a large pot.
Add the apple cider and vinegar.
Cook everything slowly until the apples become very soft.
Give them an occasional stir to keep anything from sticking to the bottom of your pot.
Your kitchen is going to smell amazing at this point.
Step 3: Make the Apple Pulp
Once the apples are completely soft, press them through a food mill, strainer, or colander.
This creates the smooth apple pulp that will become our apple butter.
Step 4: Add Sugar and Spices
Return the apple pulp to your pot.
Add the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.
Stir everything together.
Continue cooking the mixture slowly, stirring frequently so the thickening apple butter doesn’t scorch on the bottom.
How Do You Know When Apple Butter Is Done?
This is probably the biggest question when making homemade apple butter.
You want it thick and spreadable, not watery like applesauce.
NCHFP gives two easy ways to test it.
Spoon a little apple butter onto a plate. If liquid doesn’t separate around the outside of the apple butter, it’s ready.
You can also place some on a spoon and hold it away from the steam for about two minutes. If the apple butter stays mounded on the spoon, it is done.
Don’t rush this part.
Cooking it down is what gives apple butter that rich, concentrated flavor and thick texture.
How to Can Apple Butter
Once your apple butter is finished, it’s time to get it into jars.
Keep the apple butter hot.
Ladle the hot apple butter into your prepared canning jars.
Leave 1/4 inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
Wipe the rims of your jars clean.
Place the lids and rings onto the jars according to the lid manufacturer’s instructions.
Then place the jars into your boiling-water canner.
The water should cover the jars by at least one inch during processing.
Apple Butter Water Bath Canning Times
For half-pint or pint jars, process for:
| Elevation | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 feet | 5 minutes |
| 1,001–6,000 feet | 10 minutes |
| Above 6,000 feet | 15 minutes |
These times come directly from the tested NCHFP apple butter recipe.
Important: The NCHFP recipe notes that jars used with a process time under 10 minutes need to be presterilized. So if you’re processing your half-pints or pints for only 5 minutes, sterilize the empty jars first.
After Processing
Once the processing time is finished, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.
Wait 5 minutes before removing the jars.
Lift each jar straight up with a jar lifter and place it on a towel.
Don’t tighten the rings or press down on the lids.
Leave the jars alone for 12 to 24 hours while they cool and seal.
Once they’re completely cool, check every seal.
Remove the rings, label the jars with the contents and date, and move them to your pantry.
Canning Apple Butter Recipe
This homemade canned apple butter is rich, smooth, and full of cozy apple and cinnamon flavor. It’s an easy way to preserve fresh apples using a water bath canner and stock your pantry with a delicious homemade spread for fall and winter.
Ingredients
- 8 pounds apples
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups vinegar
- 2 ¼ cups white sugar
- 2 ¼ cups packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Wash the apples thoroughly, remove the stems and cores, and cut the apples into quarters.
- Place the prepared apples in a large pot with the apple cider and vinegar.
- Cook slowly until the apples are very soft, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Press the cooked apples through a food mill, strainer, or colander to create a smooth apple pulp.
- Return the apple pulp to a large pot.
- Add the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir well to combine.
- Cook the apple butter slowly, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until it becomes thick and spreadable.
- Check for doneness by placing a spoonful on a plate. The apple butter is ready when liquid does not separate around the edges.
- Prepare your water bath canner and canning jars.
- Ladle the hot apple butter into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.
- Remove any air bubbles if necessary and adjust the headspace.
- Wipe the jar rims clean.
- Place the lids and rings on the jars according to the lid manufacturer's directions.
- Place the filled jars into the boiling water canner, making sure the jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
- Process half-pint or pint jars for 5 minutes at 0–1,000 feet elevation, 10 minutes at 1,001–6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet. If using the 5-minute processing time, the empty jars must be sterilized before filling.
- When processing is complete, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and wait 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the jars and place them upright on a towel.
- Allow the jars to cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
- Check the seals, remove the rings, label the jars, and store in a cool, dark place.
Ways to Use Homemade Apple Butter
Once you start keeping apple butter in the pantry, you’ll find all kinds of ways to use it.
Spread it on:
- Homemade sourdough bread
- Biscuits
- Toast
- English muffins
- Pancakes
- Waffles
You can also stir a spoonful into oatmeal or yogurt.
And don’t overlook apple butter for Christmas gifts.
A half-pint jar of homemade apple butter tied with twine and a cute gift tag makes such a simple homemade gift.
Canned Apple Butter Makes a Great Homemade Gift
This is one reason I love making extra jars.
Apple butter feels like fall in a jar.
Add a piece of fabric over the lid, some baker’s twine, and a little homemade gift tag and it’s ready to give away.
It would be especially cute tucked into a basket with homemade sourdough bread, pancake mix, or other homemade pantry goodies.
Canning Apple Butter Is a Great Way to Preserve Apples
If you have an abundance of apples this year, don’t let them go to waste.
Making and canning homemade apple butter turns a big basket of fresh apples into jars you can enjoy long after apple season is over.
It’s exactly the kind of food I love having on the pantry shelf.
And if you’re working your way through a big apple harvest, apple butter is just the beginning.
More Ways to Preserve Fresh Apples
If you still have plenty of apples left after making apple butter, there are so many other easy ways to preserve them for later.
For a quick snack, try my dehydrated apple chips recipe. Apple chips are one of my favorite ways to use up extra apples, and they’re perfect for keeping in the pantry for an easy snack.
You can also make my canned apple pie filling. It’s a great way to preserve a big apple harvest and have jars of homemade pie filling ready whenever you want an easy apple pie, cobbler, or fall dessert.
Canning Apple Butter FAQ
Can you water bath can apple butter?
Yes. Apple butter can be processed in a boiling-water canner when you follow a tested recipe and its specified processing time. This tested recipe uses a water bath canner.
Does apple butter need to be pressure canned?
Not for this tested recipe. NCHFP provides boiling-water processing instructions for apple butter.
How much headspace do you leave when canning apple butter?
Leave 1/4 inch of headspace when filling the jars.
Why is my homemade apple butter runny?
It probably needs to cook longer.
Apple butter needs time for excess moisture to evaporate. Continue cooking it slowly and stirring frequently until it stays mounded on a spoon or doesn’t develop a ring of separated liquid when placed on a plate.
Can I reduce the sugar in this apple butter recipe?
I wouldn’t simply reduce the sugar in this specific canning recipe and assume the same directions apply.
NCHFP has a separately tested reduced-sugar apple butter recipe using different quantities and ingredients. When you’re canning, it’s better to use that tested version rather than altering this one.
Can I change the spices?
For a shelf-stable canned product, I recommend sticking to the tested recipe as written rather than making substantial changes. NCHFP advises home canners to use current research-tested recipes from reliable sources.
What are the best jars for canned apple butter?
Half-pint jars are my favorite because they’re a convenient size for spreading and gifting.
The tested NCHFP processing schedule covers both half-pint and pint jars.
What should I do if a jar doesn’t seal?
If you discover an unsealed jar after cooling, NCHFP says it may be refrigerated and consumed within one week. Safe reprocessing is possible within 24 hours under specific conditions, but quality may decline.
