Fruit Butter

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5 from 1 vote

A basic template for making and canning fruit butter with almost any kind of fruit!

Prep Time45

Cook Time8

Canning Time (Optional)15

Total Time9

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fruit butter

Servings: servings, 6 pints

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Water Bath Canner

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.

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