How to Use Apple Butter (and Pumpkin, Peach & Other Fruit Butters) – 13 Delicious Ideas
Want to cook with your fruit butter? Use the ideas below and our recipe libraryWhat Is Fruit Butter?
Fruit butter is a smooth, spreadable preserve made by slowly cooking fruit until it thickens naturally. Unlike jam or jelly, fruit butter contains no pectin. Instead, the fruit is cooked down until its natural sugars concentrate, creating a rich flavor and creamy texture.
Our best selling product - fruit juice sweetened apple butter - is made with nothing but apples. Some apples are pressed into cider, which is used to sweeten the apple butter.
Apple butter and pumpkin butter are the most well-known examples, but Bauman's makes butters from many fruits, including berries, pears, peaches, and plums.
Fruit butter contains no dairy, and all Bauman's fruit butters are fat-free!13 Delicious Uses for Apple Butter, Pumpkin Butter & Peach Butter
Apple butter, pumpkin butter, and other fruit butters are incredibly versatile. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with apple butter beyond spreading it on toast, this guide shares easy, delicious ways to use fruit butter in breakfasts, baking, savory dinners, and desserts. Here are our family favorite recipes and creative ways to use fruit butters.- Spread apple butter on toast, biscuits or English muffins
- Use blueberry butter or strawberry butter to flavor oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt or cream of wheat
- Include pumpkin butter in batter for pancakes & waffles
- Make ice cream even more delicious using a cherry butter topping
- Try strawberry butter in your milk & cereal! It's DELICIOUS!
- Glaze ham, meatloaf, pork chops or chicken with apple butter or tomato butter
- Apple butter and applesauce can substitute for oil or egg in baked goods - use ¼ cup per egg or replace oil cup for cup
- Fill peanut butter thumbprint cookies with strawberry raspberry butter
- Mix pumpkin or strawberry butter with cream cheese - use as a spread on bagels or muffins
- Use apple butter or pumpkin butter as a filling for cinnamon rolls
- Flavor a vinaigrette with strawberry raspberry butter
- Make blueberry butter popsicles
- Use peach butter to make these peach crumble bars
How Long Does Fruit Butter Last?
Fruit butters are naturally shelf-stable due to their concentrated fruit content. Apple butter is cooked down to a very high concentration and, like honey, keeps exceptionally well. It does not require refrigeration, even after opening.
Other fruit butters will last for years unopened when stored in a cool, dry place. Once opened, they should be refrigerated and enjoyed within a few months. As with any preserved food, discard the product if mold is present.
Can you bake with apple butter and pumpkin butter?
Yes! We have lots of ideas for baking such as apple butter oatmeal cookies, pumpkin butter cheesecake bars, apple butter banana bread and cherry butter brownies
Can you also use fruit butters like apple butter when cooking dinner?
Yes. Apple butter, tomato butter and strawberry butter all make great marinades for meats. Some of our favorite things to make are tomato butter covered meatballs, sweet and spicy chicken made with strawberry butter and apple butter pork chops
Are Fruit Butters Only for Fall?
Apple butter, pumpkin butter, and other fruit butters are often thought of as fall flavors, and it’s easy to see why. Warm spices, apples, and pumpkins are closely tied to autumn baking and cozy seasonal foods.
Historically, however, fruit butter was made to be enjoyed long after harvest. Apple butter was traditionally cooked down in the fall and stored to be eaten throughout the winter, when fresh fruit was scarce. Its long shelf life and concentrated flavor made it a pantry staple during colder months.
Today, fruit butter is just as versatile year-round. Whether you’re baking, grilling, or looking for an easy way to add fruit flavor to everyday meals, Bauman’s fruit butters are available all year so you can enjoy them well beyond the fall season.
