Ina Garten’s Cozy Chunky Apple Butter Recipe for Fall Magic

Chunky apple butter transforms ordinary mornings into extraordinary culinary experiences with its rich, velvety texture and complex spice profile.

This delightful spread captures the essence of autumn’s bounty in a single, soul-warming dollop.

Sweet and tangy flavors dance together, creating a harmonious blend that speaks to comfort and nostalgia.

Warm spices like cinnamon and cloves infuse each spoonful with depth and character.

Home cooks adore this versatile condiment for its ability to elevate simple breads, muffins, and breakfast treats.

Prepare to embark on a sensory journey that celebrates seasonal ingredients and time-honored cooking traditions: get ready to fall in love with this irresistible spread.

Chunky Apple Butter Worth Spreading

• Burst with Cozy Autumn Flavors: This chunky apple butter captures the essence of fall with its warm blend of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, creating a deeply comforting and aromatic spread that feels like a hug in a jar.
• Enjoy Effortless Homemade Goodness: The recipe requires minimal prep work and simple cooking techniques, making it accessible for home cooks of all skill levels while delivering a restaurant-quality condiment that tastes incredibly sophisticated.
• Savor Versatile Textural Delight: The carefully crafted chunky purée provides a rustic, satisfying texture that's neither too smooth nor too rough, perfect for spreading on toast, pairing with pastries, or using as a delicious accompaniment to various dishes.
• Quick and Make-Ahead Friendly: With just 50-55 minutes of total cooking time and a refrigerator shelf life of two weeks, this apple butter offers convenience and flexibility for busy home cooks looking to create something special without extensive time commitment.

Apple Butter Ingredient Rundown

• Butter, Sugar: Provides a rich, sweet foundation for the apple butter with a caramelized depth of flavor. Unsalted butter ensures better control of saltiness.
• Apples: The star ingredient that gives the butter its primary taste and texture. Choose firm, sweet-tart varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for best results.

• Cinnamon, Cloves, Allspice: Warm spices that create a classic autumn flavor profile. Freshly ground spices offer more intense aromatics.
• Vanilla Bean: Adds a complex, sophisticated sweetness and delicate fragrance. Whole bean provides richer flavor compared to extract.

• Apple Cider: Helps create moisture and deepens the apple flavor. Fresh, unfiltered cider provides the most robust taste and natural sweetness.

Cooking a Thick, Flavorful Apple Butter

Step 1: Prepare Butter and Sugar Mixture

Grab a medium pot or Dutch oven. Gently melt butter and sugar together over low heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until they create a smooth, golden base.

Step 2: Chop Fresh Apples

Wash and prepare apples by peeling, coring, and cutting them into hearty 1-inch chunks. This ensures delightful texture in your final apple butter.

Step 3: Create Flavor Base

• Apple cider
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Allspice
• Vanilla bean

Bring everything to a rolling boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes until apples become wonderfully tender.

Step 4: Reduce and Concentrate Flavors

Remove the pot lid and continue simmering for 35-40 minutes. Watch as the liquid reduces and apples transform into a rich, concentrated mixture.

Step 5: Blend to Perfection

Remove the vanilla bean. Transfer the entire mixture to a food processor. Pulse 5 times to create a rustic, chunky texture that preserves the apple’s natural character.

Step 6: Cool and Store

Pour the apple butter into a clean container. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, allowing flavors to meld and deepen.

Step 7: Serve Deliciously

Warm the apple butter in the microwave for 1 minute before serving. Enjoy at room temperature or slightly heated for maximum flavor enjoyment.

Tips for Richer Apple Butter Flavor

• Choose Ripe, Seasonal Apples: Select crisp, sweet-tart varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith that hold their shape during cooking and deliver maximum flavor.
• Slice Uniformly for Consistent Cooking: Chop apples into equal 1-inch chunks to ensure even caramelization and prevent some pieces from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
• Master the Slow Simmer Technique: Allow the mixture to reduce gradually on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and develop rich, concentrated apple flavor.
• Pulse Carefully for Chunky Texture: Use short, controlled pulses in the food processor to maintain a rustic, hearty consistency that showcases the apple's natural texture.
• Enhance Flavor with Overnight Resting: Refrigerate apple butter for 24 hours before serving, allowing spices and ingredients to meld together and create a more complex, intense taste profile.

How to Store Homemade Apple Butter

• Freezer Preservation: Seal the chunky apple butter in heavy-duty freezer bags, pressing out all air to prevent freezer burn. Label each bag with the date and contents. Freeze flat to maximize storage space and ensure even freezing. This method keeps your apple butter delicious for up to 4 months.
• Glass Jar Storage: Choose wide-mouth mason jars with tight-fitting lids for long-term refrigeration. Clean jars thoroughly with hot, soapy water and dry completely before filling. Leave about half an inch of headspace to allow for potential expansion. Refrigerated apple butter stays fresh and flavorful for 2-3 weeks when sealed properly.
• Canning Method: Process apple butter in sterilized glass jars using a water bath canning technique. Ensure jar rims are clean and use new lids for best sealing.

Apple Butter Flavors You Can Try

• Spiced Pear Apple Butter: Replace half the apples with ripe pears, adding ground cardamom for a warm, aromatic flavor profile that complements the original recipe's spices.
• Maple Bourbon Apple Butter: Substitute half the sugar with pure maple syrup and add a splash of bourbon during the final simmering stage for a rich, complex taste that elevates the traditional apple butter.
• Roasted Cinnamon Apple Butter: Lightly toast whole cinnamon sticks before adding them to the pot, intensifying the cinnamon flavor and creating a deeper, more robust apple butter with caramelized undertones.
• Ginger Citrus Apple Butter: Incorporate freshly grated ginger and orange zest during cooking to brighten the recipe with a zesty, slightly spicy kick that adds complexity to the classic apple butter.

Apple Butter Thoughts to End

Culinary magic happens when simple ingredients combine with Ina Garten’s signature charm.

Homemade apple butter becomes more than just a spread – it’s a nostalgic journey through autumn’s warmest memories.

Classic techniques transform humble apples into a luxurious condiment packed with deep, complex flavors.

Fresh ingredients and careful cooking create a masterpiece that connects generations around shared kitchen experiences.

One spoonful transports memories of countryside kitchens and family gatherings.

Passionate cooks who craft this recipe will discover pure comfort in each delectable bite – so go ahead, share this delightful dish, comment on your experience, and spread the love with friends and family who appreciate heartwarming culinary traditions.

Ina Garten Chunky Apple Butter Recipe

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4.9 from 39 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s chunky apple butter brings rustic comfort from kitchen to table. Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, this homemade spread promises warmth in each rich, silky spoonful you’ll savor alongside fresh toast or warm scones.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Fruits:

• 1½ pounds Granny Smith apples (3 large)
• 1 pound crisp sweet red apples, such as Macoun or Empire (2 large)
• 1½ cups fresh apple cider

Spices and Flavoring:

• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Base and Sweetener:

• 6 tablespoons (0.75 stick / 85 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

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Instructions

1. In a medium (9 to 10-inch) pot or Dutch oven, gently combine butter and sugar over low heat, allowing them to meld together for approximately 5 minutes.
2. Prepare the apples by meticulously peeling, coring, and dicing them into uniform 1-inch chunks.
3. Introduce the diced apples into the melted butter and sugar mixture, along with apple cider, warm spices (cinnamon, cloves, and allspice), and the aromatic vanilla bean.
4. Elevate the temperature until the mixture reaches a rolling boil, then immediately reduce heat, cover the pot, and allow the contents to simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the apples become exceptionally tender.
5. Remove the pot’s lid and continue simmering, allowing the liquid to gradually reduce and the apples to break down completely, which typically takes 35 to 40 minutes.
6. Carefully extract and discard the vanilla bean, then transfer the entire contents – including soft apples and remaining liquid – into a food processor.
7. Pulse the processor 5 times, creating a rustic, chunky purée that maintains some textural integrity.
8. Carefully decant the apple butter into a clean storage container, ensuring it can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
9. When ready to serve, gently reheat in the microwave for 1 minute, presenting the apple butter either warm or at ambient temperature to preserve its luscious consistency.

Notes

• Savor the complexity of flavors as your apple butter develops depth after resting overnight in the refrigerator, allowing the spices to meld and intensify.
• Preserve the rustic texture by gently pulsing the food processor, keeping the apple butter slightly chunky and maintaining its homemade charm.
• Watch carefully as the liquid slowly reduces, transforming your apple mixture into a rich, concentrated spread that clings perfectly to your toast.
• Ensure uniform cooking by cutting apples into consistent 1-inch chunks, guaranteeing even softening and caramelization throughout the batch.
• Select premium, crisp apples at peak ripeness to create a foundation of pure, vibrant apple flavor that will elevate your entire recipe.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 of 6 servings
• Calories: 363
• Sugar: 57g
• Sodium: 18mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 65g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 0.7g
• Cholesterol: 31mg