EASY RECIPE FOR APPLE BUTTER

I discovered this easy recipe for apple butter a while ago when I was making my traditional apple butter. This recipe calls for just one ingredient: apples! This easy recipe also calls for time (passive time). When you make this, I can guarantee the coziest aroma in the kitchen and a jar full of golden sweet fruity butter.

My Original Recipe for Apple Butter

The method of making this easy apple butter is identical to my original recipe, but the  caramelization process is given more time so the sweet flavor of the caramelized apples is enough to sweeten the butter.

Of course the unique flavor of the butter depends entirely on the apples. I love local small red-yellow/greenish apples with both a tangy and sweet flavor. These apples are crisp and very aromatic. There are several types of these red-yellow apples, and the tanginess-sweetness scale varies. I find the best flavor profile for apple butter comes from using at least two different types of apples.

Click here to see my original apple butter recipe with additional ingredients to enhance the flavor and sweetness.

This is my easy apple butter recipe:

10-12 small apples or about 8 medium ones (use at least 2 varieties if you can).

1. Preheat the oven to 150 C / 300 F.
2. Chop the apples into at least 4 pieces, 6-8 if they’re medium size. You don’t need to peel the apples, just take the core with the seeds off roughly (if a few bits and pieces are left, no worries – they will soften).
3. Place the chopped apples in a shallow ceramic or other suitable casserole dish or a pie baking dish. They don’t need to be in one layer if the dish is small.
4. Bake the apples in the oven for 1 hour. Then turn the oven off and cover the dish thoroughly with a lid or foil to keep the moisture in and let the apples soften for another 1,5 hours.
5. Straight from the oven, scrape the soft apples into a high-speed blender. Scrape everything, from the browned parts to the possible juicy substance in the bottom of the dish.
6. Blend everything for at least a minute or two or until the apple butter is smooth. No peels or anything is left for texture; it’s just silky and fruity golden butter.
7. Store in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
8. Use in oatmeal, baking, smoothies, toast, yogurt or spoon straight from the jar.

Apple Butter Oatmeal

I love apple butter in oatmeal. It makes the oatmeal softer, and slightly fruity and sweet. Here’s a simple recipe, which you can make in 10 minutes assuming the apple butter is already done 🙂

• 2 cups liquid = a cup of water and a cup of gluten-free barista style plant-based milk (I use Barista Oat milk)
• 1 cup of gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• Toppings: more apple butter, berries (frozen or fresh), chopped nuts and/or seeds, nut butter, cinnamon.

Bring the water and plant milk to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rolled oats and let bubble away in low-medium heat covered with a lid for 5 minutes. For best results, stir every 30 – 60 seconds, so the oatmeal doesn’t stick to the bottom.

After 5 minutes, turn off the heat, add salt and give a good mix. If there is a lot of liquid left, you can leave the heat on for about a minute and stir the oatmeal until the liquid is gone.

Let the oatmeal soften under a lid for another 5 minutes. Then stir in the apple butter, serve and add toppings of choice.

Forest adventures

We had this delicious oatmeal as a snack on a forest adventure with Linda from Septmbr.co

Linda is a talented wood carver creating beautiful unique sustainable wooden utensils inspired by Finnish forests. Much of my work is inspired by Finnish forests too and it was wonderful to share this connection with a creative soul. I will write more about our adventures soon.

With love from the forest ♥

Tiina