Fruit Butter
A basic template for making and canning fruit butter with almost any kind of fruit!
Servings: 6 pints
Ingredients
- 6 lbs. fruit prepared according to fruit type and kitchen equipment being used
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 cup liquid*
- 1-2 cups sweetener**
- Seasoning*** to taste
Instructions
- Bring the prepared fruit and lemon juice to a low simmer in a large, covered saucepan. Cook until the fruit is very soft. Remove from the heat.
- Run the cooked fruit through a sieve or food mill or blend with a blender/stick blender/food processor until smooth.
- Return the puréed fruit to the saucepan, adding the liquid, sweetener, and seasoning of your choice.
- Cook the fruit butter over medium-low heat until it stays spread apart with a spatula (anywhere from 30 minutes onward).
- Decant the fruit butter into jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the jars down and seal with two-piece canning lids until fingertip tight.
- Process the jars in a water canner for 10 minutes.**** When the timer goes off, turn the canner off and let the jars sit in the very hot water for 5 minutes before carefully removing with a jar lifter.
- Move the jars to a clean towel and let the fruit butter come to room temperature. Check the seal of each jar and remove the rings, unsealed jars should be moved to the fridge.
- Store sealed jars of fruit butter in a cool, dry place for up to 18 months.
Notes
*Choose from: apple cider, apple juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, or water
**Choose from: white sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar
***Choose from: ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, star anise, vanilla extract, balsamic vinegar, or citrus zest.
****Canning times: For half-pints and pints at elevations lower than 6,000 feet, process for 10 minutes (for quarts process for 15 minutes). For higher elevations (greater than 6,000 feet), process half-pints and pints for 15 minutes, quarts should be processed for 20 minutes.
If using a slow cooker: Cook the fruit and lemon juice in the slow cooker over high heat for 2-3 hours, stirring every hour. Run the cooked fruit through a food mill or sieve, or blend with a blender or food processor until smooth. Return the puréed fruit to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours, before partially removing the lid and cooking for another 2-3 hours until finished. Stir often as the fruit thickens to prevent scorching. When the fruit butter is done, decant to prepared jars and process in a water bath canner.