Apple butter’s main ingredient is cooked and puréed apples. In some parts of Europe, the term apple butter is used for a syrup made from reduced apple juice. While apple butter is associated primarily with the US — colonial America, in particular — its history goes back to Europe. It is an invention from the Middle Ages. It comes from Limburg, which is now known as Belgium as well as the Netherlands and Germany.
Table of contents
Apple butter’s history is tied to European monasteries in the Middle Ages. The monasteries had large orchards that produced lots of fruit. Apple butter originated as a way to preserve apples.
The Germans who emigrated to the US and became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch brought apple butter over with them. Making apple butter was a social event for the Pennsylvania Dutch. Communities. They gathered the apples from orchards and would have parties wherein the apples were peeled, cored and sliced. The apples would be cooked slowly in large copper kettles.
In the Netherlands, apple butter is called apple syrup or appelstroop.
Apple butter contains no dairy butter. It gets its name from the fact that it has a spreadable consistency similar to that of butter. It can also be called apple jam.
Apple butter flavor profile
Apple butter is similar to apple sauce, but it has been cooked for a much longer time. The result is that it is more caramelized than applesauce, so the flavor will have darker, deeper notes similar to molasses. Apple butter is usually flavored with spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. One of the characteristics of apple butter is its consistency, which is thick and firm since much of its water has been cooked out.
Health benefits of apple butter
You won’t get much of your daily nutrition from apple butter since a serving contains only trace amounts of any vitamins, but it does contain some important compounds like:
- Minerals: You will get a small amount of potassium and manganese from a serving of apple butter.
- Fiber: Because it consists of reduced apples, apple butter does have a small amount of fiber per serving.
With apple butter in your diet, you may get a little help when it comes to treating or preventing health problems like:
- Constipation: The fiber in apple butter may provide a little help toward preventing constipation but on its own, it probably won’t make much of a difference.
- Obesity: When it is consumed in moderation, apple butter may be a filling option because of its fiber content, which means that it may help you to lose more weight compared to other similar spreads like fruit jelly. Jellies typically have very little fiber.
Health concerns
Apple butter gets most of its calories from the sugar it contains. There is natural fruit sugar in the apples, and most apple butter recipes call for added sugar. Consuming too much sugar will increase weight gain and can contribute to type 2 diabetes.
Common uses
Aside from its main use as a spread for bread, you can use apple butter just as you would use jam or syrup. The Dutch and Germans traditionally serve apple butter on bread with cheese. It works well as a topping for muffins, waffles, and pancakes. Apple butter is used in savory preparations as well. You can use it to make a glaze for pork or chicken.