Cracker Barrel apple butter is quartered apples cooked soft, strained, then simmered down with sugar, cider and warm spices over about 4 hours. That makes this Cracker Barrel apple butter recipe worth doing on a Sunday, since it spreads on biscuits, toast and pork chops all week.
Forcing the softened apples through a colander is the step that matters, and it is why you never peel or core anything. The skins and pips stay behind in the mesh while the pulp goes through, so you skip the worst 30 minutes of prep entirely. Blend it instead and you grind the skins right back into the batch.
Most apple butter recipes are slow cooker jobs that stay pale and loose. This one reduces uncovered on the hob for 2 to 3 hours, which drives off water and darkens the sugars. Apple cider alongside the water and three spices instead of just cinnamon are what give it depth rather than sweetness alone.
Cracker Barrel Apple Butter
4
servings20
minutes3
hours45
minutes45
kcalWhole quartered apples boiled until soft, strained through a colander, then simmered down with sugar, apple cider, allspice, cinnamon and cloves until dark and spreadable. No peeling, no coring, no pectin.
Ingredients
2 quarts apples, cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup apple cider
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Directions
- Cook the apples:Put the water in a large pot over medium heat, add the quartered apples, and cook until they are completely soft.
- Strain the pulp:Lift the apples out of the water and force them through a colander, leaving the skins and cores behind in the mesh.
- Season the mash:Add the sugar, apple cider, allspice, cinnamon and cloves to the strained apple mash and stir them through.
- Cook it down:Transfer to a medium pot over medium heat and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, until thick and dark.
FAQs
Do you have to peel and core the apples?
No, and that is the point of the colander step. Quarter them and cook them whole, skins, pips and all, because the mesh does the separating for you once everything is soft. The skins also carry a lot of the pectin and colour, so leaving them in through the cooking gives you a better set and a deeper shade.
What apples work best for apple butter?
The recipe just says apples, so any cooking variety will do the job. A mix of tart and sweet gives the best result, so pair something like Granny Smith with Golden Delicious or McIntosh. Softer varieties break down faster in the first stage, which shortens the time before you can strain.
How do you know when it is done?
Spoon a little onto a cold plate and watch the edges. Finished apple butter holds its shape and stays put, while an underdone batch weeps a ring of watery liquid around the mound. It should also darken noticeably and pull away from the sides of the pot as you stir.
Can you make this in a slow cooker instead?
You can, but you lose the thing that makes this version work. A covered slow cooker traps steam, so the batch never really reduces and stays paler and looser than the stovetop method. If you go that route, prop the lid open for the last couple of hours to let moisture escape.
How long does homemade apple butter keep?
Refrigerated in a sealed jar it holds for a few weeks, helped along by two and a half cups of sugar acting as a preservative. It freezes well for months if you leave headspace in the container for expansion. For shelf-stable storage you need to water bath can it properly, which is a separate process with its own timings.
