DIY Apple Butter

I absolutely love DIY, and I think homemade gifts are the best! Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it's only a little over month till Christmas, so I decided to share a delicious apple butter recipe with you. I think this makes a great surprise for family and friends, when put in a cute mason jar and decorated with a ribbon. I have made this apple butter many times, but I tend to modify the recipe a little bit each time depending on how strong I want it to be in taste. This apple butter is super easy to make when using a Crockpot, but can be done on low heat on the stove also.

Ingredients:

- 10 big or 15 small apples in chunks (nearly full Crockpot)
- half a cup of brown sugar
- 10-15 gloves (I like to add one clove per apple)
- 1 big cinnamon stick
- at least 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder
- couple slices of orange & some vanilla (optional)

All you have to do is peel, core and slice the apples, throw all the ingredients in the pot and let it sit for at least 5 hours on low heat. I've done this on high-setting in 3 hours, but the taste won't be as strong in my opinion, so give it some time to develop.

Once your house smells heavenly and the apples are super soft, you can use a spoon to lift the apple pieces into a blender (now, be careful not to use the cloves or the cinnamon stick anymore, those you can throw away). Blend until the whole thing is smooth and even. Check the taste - if you feel like it needs to be stronger in flavor, then you can add some of the liquid that is left in the Crockpot.

I love that it is really light in texture and kind of "bubbly". The most I like enjoying this apple butter with my breakfast porridge, or just like that after heating it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Please, let me know your favorite apple butter recipes!