Apple Butter & Buttermilk Biscuits

Apple Butter & Biscuits

This is a plate that remembers. A simple, small-batch apple butter made with mixed apples, warm spices, and a touch of apple cider vinegar for balance — no canning required.

The biscuits are built the traditional way: cold fat, minimal handling, clean layers that steam open in the oven. The apple butter is made on the stovetop, low and slow, from unpeeled apples with warm spice and a touch of cider vinegar for balance.

Together they are simple, honest, and better than the sum of their parts—fresh biscuits split and spread while still warm.

Watch my video to follow along step-by-step.

Ingredients

• 4 lb (1.8 kg) mixed apples, cored and diced

• ½–1 cup (120–240 ml) apple cider or water (optional; use more for drier apples)

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup, packed (200 g) brown sugar

• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

• 2 tsp (6 g) ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground allspice

• ⅛ tsp (0.25 g) ground cloves

• ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt

Yields about 3–4 cups (750–950 g) apple butter.

Method

1. Cook the Apples

• Combine the diced apples, ½ cup (120 ml) water, vinegar, both sugars, salt, and all the spices in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.

• Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  Once the apples begin to break down, reduce the heat to low, cover loosely, and cook for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking.

• The apples should become very soft and begin to fall apart.

2. Purée the Mixture

• Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender (or transfer carefully to a blender) to purée until smooth.

• Return the purée to the pot.

3. Reduce to Butter

• Continue cooking uncovered on low heat, stirring often with a silicone spatula to prevent scorching.

• Simmer for 45–75 minutes, until thick, glossy, and spreadable.
  You’ll know it’s done when a spoon leaves a clean line across the bottom of the pot, or when the butter mounds on the spoon rather than running off.

• If the mixture sputters, lower the heat further — patience is key.

4. Taste and Finish

• Remove from the heat and taste.

• Add a touch more vinegar or salt if needed to balance the sweetness.

• Cool slightly, then transfer to jars.

Storage

• Refrigerate: up to 3 weeks

• Freeze: up to 6 months

• Serve: with buttermilk biscuits, on toast, or alongside roast meats.

💡 Larder Notes

Slow-cooking the apples unpeeled gives the butter its body and natural pectin. Passing it through a sieve is what makes it silky — a small step that separates homemade from ordinary.

Buttermilk biscuits are quick; apple butter is patient. Together, they tell the story of Southern cooking — where time and timing matter equally.

© 2025 Gary R. Rice. All rights reserved.
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