Apple Butter

Apple time is upon us so I'm pulling out all my favorite apple recipes. We'll shortly be making our yearly supply of applesauce, and from some of that sauce we'll create apple butter. This all-purpose product makes a wonderful spread for toast or homemade bread, a great Christmas gift, and a good alternative to peanut butter!

8 cups unsweetened applesauce
4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons Allspice
2 teaspoons ground cloves (this is the strongest spice, so adjust to preference)
**Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot. Leaving the top off, cook on high for 6-7 hours. Be sure to stir occasionally as a skin will form on top. Ladle hot into pint jars and process at 5 lbs for 10 minutes. Yields about 5 pints.

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Spiced Applesauce Cake

OVEN: 350 degrees

Another great use for applesauce. Cake is not a favorite of ours, but this moist, spicy dessert is an exception to that rule. We enjoy it with or without any glaze or icing.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream

1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I use 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves and 1/2 tsp nutmeg)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup currants (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup applesauce

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and sour cream until blended. Stir together the next 7 ingredients and add these alternately with the applesauce to the creamed mixture, beating only until blended.

Place batter into a well-greased 10-inch tube pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan. Remove to serve. Drizzle with favorite glaze or icing if desired.

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Apple Walnut Bread

Every fall we either pick, or purchase at the local farm market, way too many apples. I then can way too many quarts of applesauce! Thus, I'm always on the look-out for great recipes that use applesauce. This bread machine recipe is a family favorite. Easy to make and delicious toasted for breakfast or sliced fresh with a tasty pork roast dinner, you can't go wrong with this one.


6 oz applesauce
3-5 ozs apple juice
3 Tablespoons butter
1 large egg
4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Measure all ingredients into bread pan. Select dough setting if you want to bake the loaf in your oven. Shape dough into a greased, large loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Choose your Basic or Sweet Bread setting if you want to bake the loaf in your bread machine.

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