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Cardamom Chardonnay Apple Butter

Inspired by Christine Ferber and French confiture traditions our apple butter recipe takes a decidedly Old-World approach to a very North American preserve. Made with cardamom, lemon, and a touch of Chardonnay, this apple butter is a refined, small-batch preserve that tastes like something you’d find at a small confiserie in Alsace, or tucked into a gift basket from Fauchon during the holiday season.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 50 minutes
Idle Cook1 day
Course: Jam, Sweet Spread
Cuisine: French-inspired North American preserve, Fusion
Keyword: apple butter, apple butter with Chardonnay, apple butter with wine, artisan apple butter, cardamom apple butter, gourmet fruit spread, holiday gift spread, homemade holiday gift, slow cooker apple butter, small batch preserve, stovetop apple butter recipe
Servings: 3 half-pint (~250 ml) jars

Ingredients

  • 2.6 lb crispy apples peeled, cored, chopped (1200 g or about 8 medium apples)
  • 2 2/3 cups sugar granulated (540 g)
  • 1 tbsp ground cardamom (approx. 15 g)
  • 1/2 tbsp cardamom pods lightly crushed (about 4–5 pods)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (80 ml)
  • 1/2 cup Chardonnay dry white wine (120 ml)
  • 5 cups water (1.5 liters)

Instructions

This small-batch method is designed to be as hands-off and weekday-friendly as possible.

    Step A. Cook the Apples

    • Cut apples into quarters. Do not remove cores or seeds.
    • Place cut apples and all the cardamom pods in a large pot. Add the 5 cups of water to cover.
    • Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let apples simmer gently.
    • Cook for 30 minutes, until apples are soft.

    Step B. Remove from heat and let cool - uncovered

    • You may refrigerate overnight or pause for several hours. You can start in the morning and finish in the evening.

    Step C. Strain and Press

    • Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Strain the apples and reserve all the liquid.
    • Using the same strainer, press the cooked apples with a large metal spoon until all the pulp passes through. Skins, cores, and seeds must stay behind.
    • Pick the cooked cardamom pods and scrape the seeds from the pods right into the apple pulp. Add ground cardamom and mix.

    Step D. Combine Ingredients

    • In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot combine all remaining ingredients. Stir to combine

    Step E. Cook in Three Stages (on stovetop)

    • Stage1: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Turn off heat and let the pot cool completely, uncovered. It is fine to cool overnight.
    • Stage2: Place the pot back on the heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir at least every 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool uncovered again.
    • Stage 3: Reheat once more. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes until thickened to your preferred consistency. Test thickness using a chilled plate, since hot butters always look thinner in the pot than they do when cooled.

    Alternative Step E: Slow Cooker Method (Start After Step D - Combine Ingredients)

    • There is no shortcut for cooking and straining the apples, but once that step is done, the slow cooker can take over.
    • Add the apple pulp, reserved apple juices, sugar, lemon juice, ground cardamom, cardamom seeds and wine to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
    • Cook on Low with the lid closed for the first 1 hour. This helps the mixture heat evenly without forming a skin or reducing unevenly.
    • After the first hour, prop the lid open with a wooden spoon to allow steam to escape. This step is essential because apple butter must evaporate significantly to thicken properly.
    • Continue cooking on Low for 3 to 5 hours, stirring every 1 to 2 hours.
    • Every slow cooker is different, so the reduction time may vary. The mixture should gradually darken, thicken, and become glossy.
    • The apple butter is done when it holds its shape on a chilled plate.

    Store or Can

    • Pack the butter into jars and process using a water bath canner or atmospheric steam canner following your standard time chart.
    • You may also use freezer-safe jars and freeze the apple butter.

    Notes

    EQUIPMENT:

    Large pot, fine-mesh strainer, heavy-bottomed pot, slow cooker (optional), water bath canner or steam canner, jars, funnel, jar lifter.

    Processing time guidelines for hot water bath or atmospheric steam canners

    Style of Pack: Hot
      Process Time at Elevations of:
    Jar Size 0 - 1,000 ft 1,001 – 6,000 ft Above 6,000 ft
    1/2 Pint (8 oz, ~250 ml) 5 min 10 min 15 min