You won’t be surprised to find out that Apple Pear Butter is comprised mainly of apples and pears. What may shock you is that this fruit spread also contains a respectable amount of a secret ingredient. I could tell you now, but where’s the fun in that? I know, right? In addition to fresh fruit, this apple pear butter also has the warm, fall spice you crave this time of year. Our kids love to spread this butter on their bagels and toast. Hector’s infamous Sunday morning pancakes are often covered with it as well. On occasion, I, unabashedly, spoon it right into my mouth.
*This post was first published in December 2017. I’ve updated it to make it solely a slow cooker recipe and have revised the article and images.*
What is Apple Pear Butter?
Apple pear butter is a paste made from fresh apples and pears. That’s basically all it amounts to, really. Fresh apples and pears are cooked down to remove most, if not all, of the water they contain, which leaves you with a thick, fruity spread. Think of it as fortified applesauce.
Some folks make just apple butter, but since pears are at their peak this time of year, too, I thought, “Why not?” And I’ve been making apple pear butter ever since.
Is there butter in Apple Pear Butter??
No, there’s not a single pat of butter in this apple pear butter. In fact, most fruit butters are dairy-free. The only reason why they are called “[insert fruit here] butter” is because they’re as thick as spreadable butter. Usually, they are slathered on toast, crumpets, or pastries, so it’s kind of a fun way to say, “not jam-spread.”
This spread is actually vegan and gluten-free, so it’s one of those that you can serve to crowds without worrying about it. Well, I mean, unless someone’s allergic to apples or pears. Then worry about it.
What do I need to make Apple Pear Butter?
To make this apple pear butter, you need sweet-tart apples. My favorites to use are equal amounts of Honeycrisp and Gala apples. You also need pears. I lean towards Anjou (also called D’Anjou), but Comice or Bartlett will also work. The rest of the cast is made up of apple cider, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, kosher salt, vanilla extract, and our secret ingredient: apple cider vinegar!
What does the apple cider vinegar do in this recipe?
Yes, apple cider vinegar is my ace-in-the-hole here. Most recipes include some tartness to cut through the sweetness from the apples and pears. Without it, the fruit butter may taste cloyingly sweet. The balance of the tart, acidic vinegar levels the flavor playing field. Instead of using a different tart juice- like lemon- to balance the sweetness in this recipe, I figure, why not hit it with more apple?
It works like a dream and makes this apple pear butter truly unique.
Can I make this just an Apple Butter?
Yes, you can replace the pears with apples and make pure apple butter.
Poor pears.
What kind of Apples should I use for Apple Butter?
I’m an apple snob, and you know what? I’m okay with me. HERE, in this particular recipe, though, I’m not an apple snob. Well, kinda-sorta.
Though I tend to gravitate towards Gala or Honeycrisp whenever I make this recipe, I’m okay with you replacing them with your favorite apple. Pink Lady®, Kanzi, Braeburn, or Jazz® apple varieties are the ones I recommend if you decide not to use the ones I suggest. These are all sweet-tart apples, so they balance the sweetness of the pears and the sugars from the brown sugar and the apple cider vinegar.
Red and Golden Delicious are both too sweet for this application, but you can combine them with super tart Granny Smiths and have good results. I’d suggest avoiding using only the über-tart Granny Smith’s because they make for bad pucker factor with the vinegar. The key here is to balance sweet and tart apple flavors.
Cut the washed, unpeeled apples in half, then cut them in quarters. Give the apple quarters a rough chop.
Wait! Do I need to core the fruits?
Nooooo. I know it may feel awkward to leave the fruit seeds in anything, but in this case, those seeds (and the peels) are beneficial to the recipe.
Fruit seeds and skins or peels contain pectin, which thickens jams, jellies, and fruit preserves. We’re going to use the seeds and peels instead of adding pectin to this recipe. I do remove and discard the apple and pear stems, though.
What kind of Pears work best in this recipe?
Pears that are sweet work best in this recipe. I prefer Bartletts because they’re always in the fruit bowl since that’s what we eat regularly. Bartlett pears have a sweet flavor, with a semi-soft flesh when ripe. You know they’re ripe when their green skin has a blush of red.
Alternative pear varieties that will work here are red or green Anjou (D’Anjou), which are a little less sweet than Bartletts and have firmer flesh. Comice pears are the sweetest and have the same type of flesh as Bartletts, so they will work here too. Bosc pears are less sweet than all of those I mentioned before, and they also have firmer flesh when ripe. Unlike the apples, you really can’t go wrong with any pear you choose.
Well, scratch that. Avoid Asian pears. Asian (or Korean) pears have a higher water content than most pears. They also have a granular texture, so the apple pear butter will be gritty once it’s done.
Cut the pears the same way you cut the apples. To easily remove the pear stem, just grab it and pull. It will come away easily along with the membrane that’s attached to it.
Add the pear and apple chunks to a blender, along with the apple cider and the apple cider vinegar. Blend the fruits with the liquids until smooth and no chunks remain, or about a minute.
Can I alter the spices in this recipe?
Pour the contents of the blender into the slow cooker and add the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, kosher salt, and vanilla extract to the puree. You can also replace the individual spices in this recipe with the same amount of this Pumpkin Spice Blend. You can double the amount of cinnamon called for in the recipe if you’re a big fan of it and you don’t mind a darker apple pear butter. I prefer a light cinnamon flavor because I want a full-on apple and pear flavor. Stir the spices and sugar, and vanilla into the apple pear mixture to combine.
Leave the cover of the slow cooker askew to allow steam to escape from the apple pear butter as it cooks. Set the temperature to high.
How long do I cook the Apple Pear Butter?
Cook the apple pear butter for 8-12 hours. You want to stir the it every hour or so. This isn’t a hard and fast rule. You can go up to an hour and 15 minutes between stirs. The goal is to move it around so that the moisture in the slow cooker is dispersed, allowing it to evaporate.
I know a 4 hour time variation is huge, but the time you cook your apple butter depends on how thick or thin you want it to be. The longer you cook this apple pear butter, the thicker it will be once it’s cooled. I cook this mixture for up to 12 hours if I want to use it in recipes like cheesecake. I set it for 8 hours for a consistency that I want to spread on bread or bagels.
After the 8th hour, you can uncover the slow cooker and finish the rest of the cooking time with it uncovered. This will speed up the reduction of the apple pear butter.
What other ways can I make this Apple Pear Butter?
If you want apple butter quick, fast, and in a hurry, you can reduce the cooking time by taking it to the stove or the oven. You are going to have to spend time babysitting it, though, so prepare yourself:
Stovetop Apple Pear Butter Instructions:
- Prep and blend the apples and pears as instructed above and pour the puree into a 6-quart Dutch oven.
- Add the brown sugar, spices, and vanilla to the pot and stir until everything is combined.
- Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to bubble like lava, reduce the stove temp to medium-low.
- Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat, uncovered, for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, or until very thick and reduced by more than half. You have to stir the mixture every 10 minutes to ensure it reduces properly.
- After the apple pear butter is thickened, proceed with jarring and cooling it.
Oven Apple Butter Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Prep and blend the apples and pears as instructed above and pour the puree into a 6-quart Dutch oven.
- Add the brown sugar, spices, and vanilla to the pot and stir until everything is combined.
- Bring the mixture in the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then transfer the uncovered dutch oven to the hot oven.
- Set a timer for 30 minutes. After the timer goes off, pull the oven rack out and carefully stir the mixture in the pot.
- Return the rack to the oven and cook for another 30 minutes, then repeat the stirring process.
- Cook the mixture for 2 1/2 hours or until it reaches your desired consistency.
- After the apple pear butter is thickened, proceed with jarring and cooling it.
Why is my Apple Pear Butter not getting thick?
Water is the reason your apple pear butter isn’t getting thick. As with most things in life, we can’t control how much water our apples and pears contain when we pick them. Depending on how much water is in the fruits, your apple pear butter may take a bit longer to thicken.
This is why I say to uncover it after 8 hours if you’re planning to go super thick with it. Stirring every half-hour after that point also helps.
Around the 4 hour mark, you’ll see a massive decrease in the apple pear mixture. Check out the top line where my mixture started. This image is at the 4-hour mark, and it has reduced more than half.
Continue cooking and stirring until it reaches the thickness you desire. Remember that you can pull it even when it’s slightly thinner than what you want. That pectin we talked about earlier will further thicken the apple pear butter as it cools.
How do I store Apple Pear Butter?
Once the apple pear butter is done, transfer it into clean mason jars. I do this while the mixture is piping hot, so the heat vacuum seals the lids on the jars.
You can also transfer the mixture to any food storage container you have. If you’re not sealing it, wait for it to cool before putting a lid on the container. The reason why is to avoid creating condensation on the lid from the steam. That condensation will drip back onto the apple pear butter and thin out the mixture.
How long can I refrigerate it?
I’ve stored this apple pear butter in the fridge for up to a month. The vinegar in the recipe helps to preserve it longer than it would without. Make sure that you’re scooping out the butter with a clean spoon or knife each time you use it, though. It’s so easy to inadvertently introduce bacteria to the jar by scooping with a pre-used spoon.
Try to avoid leaving the apple pear butter out for long periods, too. Anything less than 15 minutes on the countertop is ideal. This will prolong its storage life. Scoop out what you plan to eat and put the rest of the apple pear butter back in the fridge.
What do you use Apple Pear Butter for?
You can top your toast, bagel, or pastries with this apple pear butter. You can also use it to glaze poultry or pork. Here are some of my favorite recipes to use this spread in:
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Butter Glaze
- Apple Streusel Cheesecake
- or in this Apple French Toast Bake
The sky’s the limit when it comes to how to use this apple pear butter.
Can I freeze it?
You can freeze apple pear butter in jars or in freezer storage bags. To do it:
- Allow the apple pear butter to cool completely.
- Transfer the butter to a freezer-safe container and freeze solid.
- Freeze for up to 1 year.
- Thaw the apple pear butter in the fridge and stir well before using it.
- Use any previously frozen apple pear butter within 2 weeks of thawing.
I hope you like this Apple Pear Butter with its secret ingredient. I think you’ll enjoy the hit of tang the apple cider vinegar gives it. Tell me what you think in the comments below.
Be sure to pin this recipe to your apple or breakfast boards, and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family.
Apple Pear Butter (Slow Cooker Recipe)
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- blender
- 8-quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (6 or 1 1/2 kilograms) apples (Gala and Honeycrisp), roughly chopped
- 1 pound (3 or 660 grams) pears (Bartlett, Comice, or Anjou), stems removed and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (125 milliliters apple cider
- 1/2 cup (125 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup, packed (120 grams) dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (1 gram) ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Blend the Fruits
- Add the pear and apple chunks to a blender, along with the apple cider and the apple cider vinegar.
- Blend the fruits with the liquids until smooth and no chunks remain, about 1 minute.
Slowly Cook the Apple Pear Butter
- Cover the slow cooker and set the temperature to high. Leave the cover of the slow cooker askew to allow steam to escape from the apple pear butter as it cooks.
- Cook the apple pear butter for 8-12 hours, stirring the apple pear butter once every hour.
- Once the apple pear butter is done, transfer it into clean mason jars or storage containers. If you do this while the apple pear butter is piping hot, the heat from it will help vacuum seal the lids on the jars.
- Store in the fridge for up to one month.Use it as a spread, topping, or mixed into your favorite recipes.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions
- You can replace the pears with more apples and make pure apple butter.
- Suitable apple alternatives: Pink Lady®, Kanzi, Braeburn, or Jazz® apples.
- Alternative pear varieties to use: red or green Anjou (D'Anjou), Comice or Bosc. Avoid Asian pears, which have a higher water content and a too grainy of a texture.
- Replace the apple cider vinegar with an equal amount of lemon juice.
- Double the amount of ground cinnamon for more cinnamon flavor and a darker apple pear butter.
- You can replace the ground cinnamon and ground ginger in this recipe with the same amount of Pumpkin Spice Blend.
Tips and Tricks
- Leave the peels on and the seeds in tact. The pectin they contain will help thicken the apple pear butter. You can remove the stems.
- The longer you cook this apple pear butter, the thicker it will be once it's cooled. Cook this mixture for up to 12 hours to use it in recipes like cheesecake. Cook for only 8 hours for a more spreadable consistency.
- Uncover the slow cooker after 8 hours if you want super-thick butter and continue cooking it for 4 more hours. Stir it every half-hour.
- You can jar the apple pear butter even when it's slightly thinner than what you want. The pectin will further thicken the apple pear butter as it cools.
Stovetop Apple Pear Butter
- Prep and blend the apples and pears as instructed above and pour the puree into a 6-quart Dutch oven along with the brown sugar, spices, then stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to bubble like lava, reduce the stove temp to medium-low.
- Simmer the apple pear butter over medium-low heat, uncovered, for 1 hour 15 minutes-1 1/2 hours, stirring every 10 minutes, until the mixture has reduced by more than half.
- After the apple pear butter is thickened, proceed with jarring and cooling it.
Oven Apple Pear Butter
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Prep and blend the apples and pears as instructed above and pour the puree into a 6-quart Dutch oven along with the brown sugar, spices, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture in the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then transfer the uncovered dutch oven to the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, pull the oven rack out and carefully stir the apple pear butter in the pot. Return the rack to the oven and cook for another 30 minutes, then repeat the stirring process.
- Cook the apple pear butter for 2 1/2 hours or until it reaches your desired consistency. Once the butter is thickened, proceed with jarring and cooling it.
Storage Instructions
- Transfer the apple pear butter to a food storage container or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. If you're not sealing it, wait for it to cool before putting a lid on the container to avoid condensation from forming on the lid and dripping back onto the apple pear butter.
- Store this apple pear butter in the fridge for up to a month. When scooping out the butter, always use a clean spoon or knife to avoid introducing bacteria to the jar.
- Try to avoid leaving the apple pear butter out at room temperature for more than 15 minutes at a time. This will prolong its storage life. Scoop out what you plan to eat and put the rest of the apple pear butter back in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions
- Allow the apple pear butter to cool completely.
- Transfer the butter to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 year.
- Thaw the apple pear butter in the fridge and stir well before using it. Use any previously frozen apple pear butter within 2 weeks of thawing.
Shoot, I did add 1/2 tsp of ground clove as well
That’s right!
Excellent recipe, only deviation is that I substituted 1/4 cup of the cider vinegar with lemon juice. I am canning it. Processing in water bath for 15 minutes after boiling. Also I did it with the stove top method. My husband loves it! Thanks for the recipe
You’re welcome, Glenda!
If I store the A/P butter in mason jars and they seal, do I need to refrigerate them or freeze it?
If you’re planning for long-term storage, definitely freeze them. I’m not a huge canner, but I’m pretty certain you can store them at room temp if they seal, no?