The Ideal Kinds Of Apples To Use For Your Apple Butter

Spoonfuls of homemade apple butter dolloped onto fresh pieces of toast, warmed breakfast muffins, and biscuits taken straight out of the oven are simple joys that can brighten otherwise mundane weekdays. Though apple butter is a recipe that requires some dedicated time carved out in the kitchen, the sweet reward offered throughout the week is well worth the culinary commitment. To set yourself up for sweet success, however, choosing the right kinds of apples to blend into your creamy spread can help ensure your creation is an accomplishment you look forward to savoring on Monday morning.

We won't sugarcoat the attention you'll need to direct toward the stove as you stir the cardamom-spiced apple butter you've set out to make: Making apple butter takes time. But using softer apples like Fuji, Golden Delicious, Corland, and Braeburn can help reduce the amount of time required to watch apples simmering in heated pots.

While you can experiment with using different kinds of apples to make apple butter, sweeter apples like Gala and McIntosh can brighten recipes. Tart apples like Granny Smith will result in apple butter that can be spread on top of bagels, but the recipe may be more pucker-inducing than you've intended for sweeter pancakes and waffles toppings.

Though cooking apples in a slow cooker will take the better part of a day, the end result will be worth your efforts. Once the slow-cooked apples have been mixed with sugar and spices and left to simmer, you'll be on your way to whisking a spread that can be spooned into jars and preserved — or eaten immediately. You'll know apple butter is ready for serving when your creation sticks to a spoon. If your recipe is a success, you may have trouble putting the spoon down and start searching for other ways to incorporate the fruity ingredient into your dishes.