Homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter
On July 02, 2025
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With six simple ingredients and a few hours of slow cooking, this Homemade Apple Butter is pure fall in a jar. This sweet, smooth butter tastes amazing on biscuits and pancakes, and it makes the perfect gift for the people you love.
Homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter
If you love that crisp, fall flavor apples provide, then you have to give this Homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter a shot. Your backyard fills with the warm scent of cinnamon and apples as you watch as the fruit transform into a rich, velvety spread that tastes like concentrated autumn.
This homemade apple butter has become a staple in our house, and I know it’ll become one in yours too. It’s cozy, nostalgic, and ridiculously delicious. I feel obligated to issue a warning with this recipe: don’t let anyone in your family try it unless you’re prepared to make it all the time.
What is apple butter?
Apple butter isn’t actually butter at all. It’s a thick, smooth spread made by slowly cooking apples until they break down and caramelize into pure concentrated apple goodness. Think of it as apple sauce’s more sophisticated cousin that’s been slow-cooked to perfection with warm spices. The name comes from its rich, buttery texture that spreads beautifully on just about anything.
Ingredients for this Recipe
I’ve been perfecting this recipe for years, and what I love most is how simple and foolproof it is. You don’t need any fancy equipment or complicated steps. You just need good apples, a few pantry staples, and a little patience.
- 5 pounds apples
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
This spice blend adds warming notes to your apples while enhancing the natural sweetness, but without overpowering them.
The Best Apples for Apple Butter
The type of apple you use makes a big difference in the final result. You want softer apples that cook down easily for that ultra-smooth texture. My top picks are:
- Gala: Sweet and soft, breaks down perfectly.
- Golden Delicious: Mild flavor, great texture.
- Fuji: Sweet and tender with a little more body.
- McIntosh: Classic apple butter choice, super soft when cooked.
Avoid firmer varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. They won’t break down as well and can leave your apple butter with a chunkier texture.
How to Make Apple Butter
Apple butter is honestly one of the most rewarding and delicious recipes you can make. It’s simple, but the transformation that happens over those few hours of cooking is something you have to taste to appreciate. Here’s how to do it:
- Prep those apples. Peel and cut your apples into 1-inch chunks. Don’t stress about making them perfectly uniform because they’re going to break down completely during cooking anyway.
- Combine everything. Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, then add everything. Toss the apples with both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt Use a copper pot if you want a traditional experience, but any large pot will work.
- Cook low and slow. This is where it gets good. Cook your mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with a slotted wooden spoon so it doesn’t burn. Watch as the apples slowly start to break down, then caramelize into that gorgeous dark brown color that screams “apple butter.”
- Stir, stir, stir. I can’t stress this enough: keep stirring! Scrape the bottom of the pot regularly to prevent sticking and burning. Trust me, burnt apple butter is not what we’re going for here.
- Test for doneness, cool, and store. Your apple butter is ready when it’s thick enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a clear trail, and the color has deepened to a rich, dark brown. After you get your apple butter exactly how you like it, allow it to cool to room temperature before storing.
Storage and Shelf Life
Once your apple butter has cooled completely, transfer it to airtight jars and refrigerate it. It’ll last for 2–3 weeks in the fridge, though it rarely sticks around that long at our house. I love storing in these glass Mason jars with lids, which also make for a beautiful presentation if you’re giving your apple butter as a gift.
Susie’s Apple Butter Pro Tips
After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve picked up some tricks to use so you nail it every time:
- Don’t rush it. Low and slow is the name of the game, so it’s no wonder I love it this much.
- Stir often. Stir every 10–15 minutes, and set a reminder if needed.
- Use a heavy pot. This helps prevent scorching on the bottom so you avoid that burned taste.
- Taste as you go. Add more spice if you like a bolder flavor.
- Customize it. This is your recipe, so don’t be afraid to try adding vanilla, fresh ginger, or a pinch of cardamom.
Serving Suggestions
Whether you’re slathering it on toast, glazing grilled pork, or sneaking spoonfuls straight from the jar (hey, no judgment), this apple butter is going to become one of your fall favorites. Here are some of my go-to ways to use it:
- Spread on warm biscuits or toast
- Swirl into oatmeal or yogurt
- Glaze for pork chops or chicken
- Gift it to neighbors and friends (they’ll love you for it!)
More Incredible Condiment Recipes
If you love making your own condiments and sauces, you’ll find tons more homemade recipes like this apple butter in the Hey Grill Hey App. From BBQ sauces to rubs and everything in between, it’s packed with over 700 recipes to help you become a true Backyard BBQ Hero. Here are some of my favorites so you can get started:
Easy Apple Butter Recipe
Once you make this Homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Come back and leave a rating and comment below so others can see how simple it is to make. Don’t forget to snap a photo and tag me @heygrillhey on Instagram and Facebook so I can cheer you on!
Sweet Rub
$12.99
Homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 5 pounds apples soft, like gala or golden delicious
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Prep the apples. Peel and cut apples into 1-inch chunks. These do not need to be perfectly sized pieces, they will break down during the cooking process.5 pounds apples
- Preheat and combine everything. Preheat a large pot over medium-low heat. Traditionally, this is cooked over wood fire in a copper pot. I did these on my stovetop, so go with what works for you. Add the apples, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then stir with a large wooden spoon or paddle to ensure the apples are all coated.1 cup dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Cook the apples. Allow the apples to slowly break down over the heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot often to prevent burning. This cooking process will take a couple hours for the apple mixture to slowly cook through, turn to a dark caramelized brown, and reach a thick consistency. But trust me, it’s worth the wait.
- Process the apple butter. The regular stirring and low cooking temperature should break the apples down into a smooth paste. If you are using a slow cooker, your apples will not be as broken down as the stove or fire method. In this case, you may need to use an immersion blender or blend your apple butter in small batches to reach the right spreadable consistency. If your apple butter is too thin after processing, return to the pan and continue cooking until it thickens.
- Cool, and use or store. Cool your apple butter to room temperature before transferring to air tight jars and refrigerate. The apple butter will last for 2-3 weeks, if refrigerated.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
