Over the last couple years we have both learned a couple tips and tricks to help get us through this pretty labor intensive time consuming weekends because in the end it's totally worth it! We decided to take a shot at making our own apple pumpkin butter and it does not disappoint. Perfect to spread on toast with a cup of coffee on these foggy mornings we've been having!
We held our first "canning party" at Molly's moms house this weekend (we are starting a tad late this year.) We packed up our most comfy clothing, grabbed our lists, and were off to the farmers market!
This apple pumpkin butter recipe is so yummy and not too apple-y. We added it because canning pumpkin by itself can be dangerous if you don't plan on refrigerating it. There's very little acid in pumpkin and no acid means potential bacteria, yuck. Apple helps combat that but if your still worried just enjoy the modern age we live in and leave your jars in the fridge after canning.
Anywhoo here's the recipe:
Apple Pumpkin Butter
This will make 8 1/2 pint mason jars
2 29 oz cans of pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar
11/4 cups apple juice*
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 whole cinnamon stick broke in half
9 whole cloves (or 2 tsp. ground)
1 whole nutmeg
[Don't forget to take out the whole things before canning!]
*We used fresh squeezed apple juice from 3 medium apples because we forgot juice at the store but in the long run it made it taste so much better and it was a more mellow apple aftertaste. But it's up to you!
Mix all the ingredients in a crockpot on high.
Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. You'll just want to watch for it to get thick.
The apple pumpkin butter should be so thick it won't fall off the spoon right away.
Then go ahead and can it! We will be showing our canning process in a future post coming soon! We just wanted to share this way too yummy recipe ASAP!
xoxo
Molly & Cara
