Easy, Homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter

I am not fortunate enough to have my own apple trees, but should you be so lucky, I'm sure you have an overabundance of apples this time of year! Or maybe you know someone begging to get rid of their extra apples, but you're not sure what to do with them all. Well, I've got you covered with this incredibly easy, homemade apple butter recipe! If you've never had apple butter before, then you need to fix that. Apple butter is thicker than your average apple sauce, and in my opinion, much more tasty. You can use any type of apple you wish, but this is the perfect recipe to use up those apples in your backyard!

About a month ago, I visited my grandma out on her farm. Not only did I come home with a huge haul of fresh veggies from her massive garden, but I grabbed as many apples off her apple tree that I could without seeming greedy. Unfortunately, with the heat and the long drive home, not all of them remained crispy or appetizing for eating as is. Not wanting to waste them, I decided to try my hand at making apple butter. After perusing many, many recipes on how to make it, I realized how easy it was going to be and I got to work!

The beauty of apple butter is the apples can be soft, bruised and of any type. Crab apples work great too, or really, you could use any apple variety of your choosing. The apples from my grandma's farm are sweet and delicious so I was confident I wouldn't need much sugar for the butter. I highly recommend when making this recipe, that you follow the less is more rule. Taste your butter as it's simmering and sweeten accordingly. Some recipes I came across utilize an obscene amount of sugar! But then again, some apples are going to be more tart than others. I prefer my apple butter to be more on the savoury side, but to each their own!

Easy, Homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter

4 pounds of apples (seeded, cored and quartered)
2 cups of water
1/3 cup of brown sugar*
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Directions:

1. Seed, core and quarter your apples, but leave the skins on

2. Add apples to a large pot and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. (The water will not cover your apples entirely, that's ok!)

3. Once a boil is reached, turn heat down to low. Simmer apples for 15 minutes until they are soft and mushy. You should be able to easily mash the apples with a fork.

4. If you have a high speed blender (I used my vitamix) then add the contents of your pot to it. You could also use an immersion blender here. Blend the apples on high until smooth. With a powerful enough blender, you won't need to strain out the peels this way. If you don't have a high speed blender, then you will need to strain the apples through a fine strainer.

5. Place the pureed apples back into the large pot. Add the remaining ingredients and bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-60 minutes to allow the apple butter to thicken. If you want an extra kick of cinnamon, you can throw in a cinnamon stick or two as the pot is simmering. Different types of apples contain different amounts of pectin, so one type may yield a thicker butter than another.

6. Remove cinnamon stick (if used) and divide apple butter among mason jars. My batch yielded about 6 cups of apple butter. I placed the lids of the mason jars on while the apple butter was still hot which creates a pretty solid seal. Your apple butter will last in the fridge for at least 2-3 weeks. If you prefer, and have the necessary equipment, you could properly jar the apple butter for a longer shelf life.

*As your butter is simmering, you can taste it for sweetness and add brown sugar as you feel it's needed. 

Confession: I enjoy my apple butter straight out of the jar, much like you would apple sauce, but oh my goodness, it is so much more delicious! Spread on toast is another lovely way to consume it, or even mixed in oatmeal or Greek yogurt. There's no wrong way to enjoy it!

Cooking Made Easy with Chef's Plate!

This post was sponsored by Chef's Plate. Thank you for your support for the company's that make this hobby of mine possible. As always, all opinions and reviews expressed are my own. At the bottom of the post is a promo code for A Slice of Brie readers!

The other week, I finally got to try out Canada's new meal-delivery service, Chef's Plate. When I first caught wind that such a service was available in Canada, I knew immediately it was something I wanted to try. Fresh, locally sourced ingredients, delivered right to your door ready for you to cook up? Sign me up!

Chef's Plate utilizes the freshest ingredients while sourcing and building relationships with local farmers in order to provide high quality and truly special meals. Because the exact amount of ingredients are sent to you to prepare your meal, waste is eliminated, and all ingredients are arrive fresher than you would find at the grocery store, and all meats are hormone and antibiotic free. A true foodie's dream all wrapped up in a refrigerated box that is sent right to your front door!

Every week, a new menu is available to choose from on the Chef's Plate website, and you can choose from the 2-person plan, or the family plan. Each meal option gives you a description of the recipe, the ingredients you will be sent, as well as the difficulty level and the amount of time the recipe should take you to cook. 

I decided to choose meals that utilized ingredients that I don't normally cook with. I love to cook, and I especially love trying new recipes, but sometimes buying a whole bunch of ingredients just to try something new is costly, wasteful and overwhelming. Chef's Plate solves that dilemma for you since you are only sent exactly what you need. The only things you are already required to have on hand are cooking oils and salt and pepper. So with that in mind, I chose the Glazed Turkey Tenderloin with black and white quinoa, baby greens, and pomegranate molasses. For our second meal, I went with the Singapore Shrimp toasted in a sesame curry sauce with bell pepper and rice noodles.

Once I placed my order, I was given a delivery date, and while the delivery time is quite open, you are able to attach specific instructions as needed. I made note that my box could be left on my front porch if I was not home to receive it, and it was. Since the box is refrigerated, it is safe for it to sit out for several hours. The other great thing about the box is all the packaging is completely recyclable, making for a truly waste free experience. 

The first night, I made the Glazed Turkey Tenderloin. I have never cooked turkey tenderloin before, but after that meal, I can tell you it won't be my last. This meal was so delicious that I still think about if from time to time. No leftovers were to be found and even my toddler enjoyed some of it (although I really didn't want to have to share!). 

On our second night, I cooked up the Singapore Shrimp. I've never cooked glass noodles before, and I don't think I would have ever had the courage to do so before this. This meal also turned out great and was a big hit with all of us! Even though it was a meal for two, it fed all three of us and we even had leftovers for the next day. This recipe was a lot of fun because it was something different than I normally cook and felt like a meal we would usually only ever order out. 

Even though I cook frequently and try new recipes all the time, I still really appreciate step-by-step instructions. Along with your ingredients, you are also sent a photo of the meal you will be making which includes the ingredients, number of servings, difficulty level, prep time and nutritional break-down. On the back of the card there are step by step instructions including pictures. I loved this! I am such a visual person when it comes to cooking and this just made the whole process stress-free. The recipes even had a "chef's tip" at the bottom which I found very helpful too. And the neat part is, I can now replicate these recipes at home any time I wish since I have the instructions.

Overall, I was so impressed with Chef's Plate. It was incredibly easy to order my meals, I was more than satisfied with the quality and freshness of the ingredients, and my meals actually turned out just like they look on the cards. I think it's so fantastic that a service like this is finally available in Canada. The average cost per person per meal is around $10-12 dollars, which, when you think about the cost of eating out, is very reasonable. I know I cannot take my family out to a restaurant for dinner for less than $30, and so often I leave disappointed. If you already love to cook, or if you are someone who wants to cook more often and aren't as brave in the kitchen, then this is a great option for you! I love that the guess work was taken out of it for me: how tiring is the old question "what should we have for dinner tonight"?! I think this is a fun way to make meal planning a little more exciting and easier. Or a great idea for a stay-in date night. Or even a thoughtful gift for someone! Really, I can't see anyone not enjoying this service.

Have I convinced you to want to try this yet?! Honestly, this will not be the last time I order from Chef's Plate. Luckily for you, if you too want to try them out, you can use code #ASLICEOFBRIE to receive 3 free plate credits (that's a savings of $33!) . I promise, you won't be disappointed!

{my sous chef!}

Have you ever used a meal delivery service?