How to Make Fruit Butter (13 Recipes)

Fruit butters are the ultimate summer treat ~ they turn a late season glut into the silkiest, most intensely flavored spread imaginable, and help stock the larder for so many cozy fall and winter recipes to come.

What is fruit butter?

Fruit butter is fresh fruit that has been cooked thoroughly, then pureed, and cooked a little further to reduce it to a smooth spread. Often it is put through a mesh strainer to refine it further. Fruit butter differs from most jams and jellies not only because the texture is much smoother, but because there is no pectin added, the thickening comes from slowly cooking off the moisture in the fruit. A true fruit butter has a unique silky mouth feel and intense fruit flavor. Fruit butters are perfect for cooks who don’t have much experience with jam or jelly making because it’s almost foolproof. Just cook, puree, and cook some more 🙂

Intensifying flavor by reducing, or cooking down, is a time honored culinary tradition and is the secret to so many great recipes. Fruit butter illustrates this technique in its purest form.

Of all the fruit preserves, fruit butter is my favorite. Luckily, it can be made with nearly any kind of fruit ~ everything from mangoes and persimmons to figs and  cranberries. Here are some of the best fruit butter recipes to get you started…

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HOW TO MAKE APPLE BUTTER

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APRICOT LAVENDER BUTTER ~ SPUD.CA

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PLUM BUTTER ~ Savory Simple

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EASY PEACH BUTTER

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VANILLA SPICED PEAR BUTTER ~ Baked in AZ

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RHUBARB BUTTER

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MAPLE CRANBERRY BUTTER

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BLUEBERRY BUTTER ~ bbc.com

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CROCK POT PUMPKIN BUTTER

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MONKEY BUTTER ~ 12 Tomatoes

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PASSIONFRUIT BUTTER~ Belly Rumbles

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STRAWBERRY HONEY BUTTER ~ The Butter Half

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BOURBON BANANA BUTTER

What to do with your fruit butters ~

If you need a little inspiration for using up your delicious fruit butters, try these ideas.

• Put it on toast ~ probably the simplest way to enjoy fruit butter!
• Or in yogurt ~ A spoonful of fruit butter swirled into yogurt make a delicious breakfast.
• Bake with it ~ There are lots of great baking recipes that call for fruit butters. Here are some ideas to get you started.
  • Apple Butter Cinnamon Swirl Bread ~ Baking a Moment
  • Spiced Apple Cake ~ The View From Great Island
  • Peach Butter Slab “Hydrangea” Pie ~ Food 52
  • Spiced Vanilla Pear Butter Baked Oatmeal ~ A Kitchen Addiction
• Make a cocktail ~ Smooth fruit butter incorporates well into cocktails. This Apple Butter Old Fashioned from Half Baked Harvest sounds like the perfect fall drink.
• Add it to a sandwich ~ A little apple or plum butter on a grilled cheese sandwich is a decadent twist on a classic.
• Do something unexpected ~ The sweetness of fruit butters can make a great addition to savory recipes, too!
  • Slow Cooked Apple Butter Baked Beans
  • Apple Butter Brandy Meatballs
  • Apple Butter Pulled Pork ~ Instant Pot, oven, or slow cooker!
  • Baked Apple Butter Brown Sugar Wings ~ Damn Delicious
  • One Pan Apple Butter Pork Chop Skillet ~ The Cookie Rookie.
  • Apple Butter Onion Chicken Burgers ~ Nutmeg Nanny