Apple Butter Spread

Jun 24, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Pantry Butter spreads compound butters Origin: Madagascar Vanilla: Extract Medium

A apple butter spread for toast, bagels, and biscuits. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 3 cups (48 servings of 1 tablespoon).

Prep 25 min

Cook 110 min

Cool 1 hr

Total 3 hr 15 min

Servings 48

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

3.0 lb (1361.0 g)apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 9 cups)
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)apple cider
½ cup (106.0 g)light brown sugar, packed
1 ½ tspground cinnamon
2.0 tsp (10.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
¼ tspfine sea salt

Make it at home

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Instructions

In a large heavy pot, simmer the apples and cider, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
Puree with an immersion blender (or carefully in a blender) until smooth.
Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook uncovered over low heat, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until thick, glossy, and deep brown, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. A spoonful on a cold plate shouldn't weep liquid around the edge.
Stir in the vanilla. Cool, then spoon into clean jars.

Tips

Cover the pot with a splatter screen; thick fruit butter spits as it bubbles.
Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months. This recipe isn't tested for canning.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make apple butter spread?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 110 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to cool. It makes about 3 cups (48 servings of 1 tablespoon).

How should I store apple butter spread?

Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months. This recipe isn't tested for canning.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.

A apple butter spread for toast, bagels, and biscuits. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 3 cups (48 servings of 1 tablespoon).

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 48 servings this recipe makes.

26 Calories / serving

0.1g Fat

6.8g Carbs

0.1g Protein

5.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (48 servings): ~1248 cal · 5g fat · 326g carbs · 5g protein · 264g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 26 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 5 min·0.3 mi·~600 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 4 min·0.2 mi·~400 steps
Moderate cycling 3 min·0.6 mi
Swimming laps 4 min
Jogging 3 min·0.3 mi·~500 steps
Stair climbing 2 min·~200 steps
Dancing 4 min
Bodyweight circuit training 3 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 6 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.