Handmade Holiday Cheer: Pumpkin & Apple Butter

The most wonderful time of year upon us and I can't keep myself from trying new recipes to share with family and friends during upcoming holiday celebrations. I have a long list of treats that I want to make before Christmas gets here and this past weekend, I started with some seasonal butters! Since we travel for the holidays, I always try to find something that aside from being homemade, will also travel well. I made apple butter in the crock pot and pumpkin butter on the stove in my Le Creuset Dutch oven. Both are super yummy and could not be any easier. I also now the trick to making your house smell all warm and cozy and festive. Ours smelled like a holiday dream on Sunday with these butters cooking! And how darling are these mason jars all wrapped up with a simple bow. These are perfect to keep on hand during the season to give to your friends or to bring some Christmas cheer as a hostess gift at your next gathering.

When I test tasted the apple butter, I felt all happy inside, like the apples and spices were hugging me. It then occurred to me that substituting the apples for pumpkin would be an equally cheerful treat.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Apple Butter

adapted from Bakin' on the Side

7 apples (I used a combination of Honey Crisp and Jonagold)

2 cups apple cider

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. pumpkin or apple pie spice

1/4 tsp. salt

Peel, core and chop apples then add them to the crock pot. Add cider, sugar and spices, mix together well. Cook on high until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 6-8 hours, stirring every hour. The apple butter will be very thick and dark brown when done. To get it to the right consistency pulse about 10 times in a blender.

Pumpkin Butter

1 29 oz. can pumpkin

1.5 cups apple cider

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. When it comes to a boil, turn down to low and simmer for an hour until thickened.

*1 batch of both the apple and pumpkin butter fills two mason jars. Both can easily be doubled, tripled, or if you have a gigantic crock pot- quadrupled!