Despite its name, apple butter is not actually a butter but more of a cooked-down version of apple sauce, but BETTER—it’s like fall in a jar. The beauty of this fall staple is that you can adjust the sweetness just by the type of apple you select. I am partial to Gala apples for my apple butter, and despite most recipes, you don’t need any added sugar, honey, or sweetener to make a flavorful, velvety spread.

Some folks like to really kick up the apple taste by using apple cider as a base; however, I have found that using water and the right spices keeps this figure-friendly. Throw in some Low Carb Protein Powder, and you have instantly made this a healthy indulgence.

According to the infamous “Crock Pot Ladies,” the following apples are best suited for this pumpkin spiced apple butter butter:

• Ambrosia Apples: Firm flesh with a sweet flavor reminiscent of pear with low acidity.
• Braeburn Apples: Firm flesh with a combination of sweet and tart flavors, which don’t release a lot of liquid when cooked.
• Cameo Apples: Sweet, firm, and crisp flesh with an aromatic flavor.
• Crispin Apples: Also known as “Mutsu” is a juicy apple with a slightly tarter flavor than Golden Delicious. These make a great sauce.
• Cortland Apples: Very white flesh and sweeter than a McIntosh apple.
• Empress Apples: Coarse-grained flesh with a flavor that is sweet and spicy, reminiscent of apple cider.
• Fuji Apples: One of our favorites! A crisp and clean flesh that is nice and sweet and gets even sweeter in storage.
• Gala Apples: Fine textured flesh with a sweet aromatic flavor.
• Golden Delicious Apples: Sweet, mild-flavored apple. The flesh stays chunky when cooked and does not easily break down, making it great for those who like a chunkier applesauce.
• Granny Smith Apples: Crisp flesh that holds up well to baking and cooking with a bright tart flavor that mellows a bit as it ages.
• Honey-gold Apples: Yellowish-white flesh with a flavor that is slightly sweeter but similar to that of a Golden Delicious.
• Jazz Apples: Hard and crisp flesh that is juicy with a tangy and sweet flavor.
• Jonagold Apples: Fluffily crisp and juicy flesh that is sweet and has just enough acidity to appeal to a wide audience.
• Jonalicious Apples: Very firm crisp flesh with a sweet and tart flavor that gets sweeter the longer it is stored.
• Jonathan Apples: Crisp flesh that is a mostly tart apple perfect for sauces!
• McIntosh Apples: Tart apple with tender white flesh.
• Melrose Apples: A creamy white fleshed apple that is nice and firm with a flavor that is mildly acidic but not too much.
• Pink Lady Apples: Crisp, firm, and juicy flesh that is a combination of zesty, tart, and sweet.

Once you’ve picked out your apple variety, it’s time to get cookin’!

Pumpkin Spiced Apple Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 apples
• 1 cup water
• 1 scoop Pumpkin Spice Low Carb Protein Powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• ½ tsp allspice

Directions:

1. Peel, core, and slice apples.
2. Add apples, water, and spices to crockpot.
3. Cook on low for three to four hours until apples are tender (almost mushy).
4. Using an immersion blender, puree contents of crockpot.
5. Stir in protein powder and let simmer on low.
6. Enjoy!

Chef Note: You are welcome to use another flavor of Low Carb and just add your own pumpkin pie spice.

Chef Note: This pumpkin spiced apple butter recipe freezes beautifully and can be canned and stored for up to a year. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three months.

Nutrition Information:
Yields 15 servings (made with Gala apples)

• Calories: 30
• Fat: 0 g
• Carbs: 7 g
• Fiber: 1.4 g
• Protein: 1 g