Homemade Apple Butter for Canning
Few things make a kitchen feel more like fall than a pot of homemade apple butter slowly cooking with warm cinnamon and cloves. This homemade apple butter for canning recipe transforms fresh apples into a smooth, richly spiced spread that can be enjoyed throughout the year.
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Canning Safety First
For safe, shelf-stable apple butter, use a laboratory-tested recipe and follow the listed ingredients, jar sizes, headspace, and altitude-adjusted processing times. This recipe follows the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s tested apple butter instructions.
Because half-pint and pint jars are processed for only five minutes at elevations up to 1,000 feet, those jars must be sterilized before filling. Using a processing time of 10 minutes or longer eliminates the need to presterilize empty jars, although the jars must still be clean and hot.
Recipe at a Glance
- Official recipe: NCHFP Apple Butter
- Canning method: Boiling-water canner
- Expected yield: About 9–10 pints
- Headspace: ¼ inch
- Jar sizes: Half-pints, pints, or quarts
- Processing time: Adjust according to jar size and elevation
- Best apples: Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or another flavorful variety
This recipe follows the tested National Center for Home Food Preservation Apple Butter recipe, adapted from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.
Ingredients
- 8 pounds apples
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups vinegar
- 2¼ cups white sugar
- 2¼ cups packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground cloves
Use the tested ingredient amounts exactly. If you want a lower-sugar version, use a separately tested reduced-sugar apple butter recipe rather than changing this one.
How to Make Apple Butter for Canning
- Wash the apples thoroughly and remove the stems.
- Quarter and core the apples. Peeling is unnecessary because the cooked fruit will be pressed through a food mill or strainer.
- Place the prepared apples, apple cider, and vinegar in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
- Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely soft.
- Press the cooked apples and liquid through a colander, food mill, or strainer to create a smooth pulp.
- Return the apple pulp to the pot. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Cook slowly, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or scorching, until the mixture becomes thick and spreadable.
How to Test Apple Butter for Doneness
Spoon a small amount of apple butter onto a clean plate. It is ready when the mixture holds its shape and no rim of liquid separates around the edge.
You can also place a spoonful away from the steam for two minutes. The apple butter is ready when it remains mounded on the spoon.
Do not fill the jars yet—the processing and altitude chart comes next.
Fill and Process the Jars
- Prepare a boiling-water canner and keep clean jars hot until needed.
- Ladle the hot apple butter into hot half-pint, pint, or quart jars.
- Leave ¼ inch of headspace.
- Remove trapped air bubbles and recheck the headspace.
- Wipe each jar rim with a clean, damp paper towel.
- Center the lids and apply the bands according to the lid manufacturer’s directions.
- Place the jars upright in the canner. The water must cover the jar tops by at least 1 inch.
- Cover the canner and bring the water to a vigorous boil.
- Begin timing only after the water reaches a full boil. Keep the canner covered and maintain a complete boil for the entire processing time.
If the water stops boiling during processing, bring it back to a vigorous boil and restart the full processing time from the beginning.
Boiling-Water Processing Chart
| Jar size | 0–1,000 feet | 1,001–6,000 feet | Above 6,000 feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-pints or pints | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Quarts | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
Half-pint and pint jars processed for five minutes must be sterilized before filling. Always confirm your elevation before selecting a processing time.
Cooling and Storing Apple Butter
When the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait five minutes before lifting out the jars.
Remove each jar with a jar lifter while keeping it upright. Place the jars on a towel or cooling rack with at least 1 inch of space between them.
Leave the jars undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Do not retighten the bands or press the centers of the lids while the jars cool.
After cooling:
- Check each lid for a proper seal.
- Refrigerate any unsealed jar and use it promptly.
- Remove the screw bands from sealed jars.
- Wipe the jars clean.
- Label each jar with its contents and date.
- Store sealed jars in a cool, dry, dark place.
Ways to Use Homemade Apple Butter
- Spread it over warm biscuits, toast, or English muffins.
- Spoon it onto pancakes, waffles, or French toast.
- Stir it into oatmeal, yogurt, or cottage cheese.
- Use it as a filling for thumbprint cookies or sandwich cookies.
- Add it to cakes, muffins, quick breads, or cinnamon rolls.
- Serve it with pork chops or roasted pork.
- Pair it with cheese and crackers on a fall snack board.
- Decorate sealed jars for simple homemade holiday gifts.
Recommended Apple Butter Canning Supplies
These helpful tools make preparing, straining, filling, and processing homemade apple butter easier:
- Boiling-water canner with rack
- Half-pint or pint canning jars with new lids
- Canning funnel
- Jar lifter
- Bubble remover and headspace tool
- Food mill or fruit strainer
- Large heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pot
- Long-handled wooden spoon
- Canning labels
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Frequently Asked Questions
What apples are best for apple butter?
Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, and McIntosh are among the varieties recommended by the National Center for Home Food Preservation. A mixture of sweet and tart apples can create a deeper, more balanced flavor.
Do I need to peel the apples?
No. The cooked apples are pressed through a colander, food mill, or strainer, which removes the skins and creates a smooth pulp.
Can I reduce the sugar?
Do not simply reduce the sugar in this recipe. If you want less sugar, use a separately tested reduced-sugar apple butter recipe and follow its ingredients and processing instructions exactly.
Can apple butter be processed in a boiling-water canner?
Yes. This tested recipe is processed in a boiling-water canner. Use the correct time for your jar size and elevation.
Why is my apple butter too thin?
The apple pulp may need additional cooking. Continue cooking slowly and stirring frequently until a spoonful remains mounded and no liquid separates around its edge.
How long should the jars cool?
Leave the jars upright and undisturbed for 12–24 hours before checking the seals or removing the screw bands.
How long does home-canned apple butter keep?
For best quality, use properly processed and sealed jars within one year. Store them in a cool, dry, dark place and refrigerate after opening.
Save this homemade apple butter for canning recipe to your canning, fall recipes, or homesteading Pinterest board for later.
A Cozy Fall Pantry Favorite
Homemade apple butter for canning is a delicious way to preserve a fall apple harvest and add warm seasonal flavor to family meals throughout the year. By following the tested ingredient amounts, leaving the correct headspace, and adjusting the boiling-water processing time for your elevation, you can create a dependable pantry staple for breakfasts, baking, gifts, and cozy fall recipes.
Before beginning, read the complete NCHFP Apple Butter recipe and the instructions for your boiling-water canner.
