Apple Butter & Steel-Cut Oats: Fall Comfort That’s Heart-Healthy
The first recipe I learned how to make at the nicest restaurant I worked at was apple butter. Every fall season I play around with it, tweak it, test it and I'm proud to say….I nailed it. Simply put, it’s amazing.
Recipe first, b.s. story about why I love apple butter later.
Apple Butter
Ingredients
967 g Cosmic Crisp apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
322 g granulated sugar (about ⅓ the apple weight)
1 lemon, zest peeled in wide strips
1 cinnamon stick, toasted
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary or thyme
¼ cup apple cider or water
Kosher salt
Method
In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, rosemary/thyme, apple cider, and salt.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then lower to maintain a gentle bubble. Stir occasionally and cook 60–75 minutes, until the apples collapse and deepen in color.
Remove the aromatics. Blend the apples on high until perfectly smooth and glossy (2–3 minutes).
Pass through a China cap or wide-mesh strainer for restaurant-level silkiness.
Cool, then store in a jar in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
Steel-Cut Oats & Assembly
Ingredients
⅓ cup dry steel-cut oats
1 cup salted water (or adjust to desired consistency)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup frozen blueberries (stirred in at the end for texture)
2 Tbsp roasted walnuts
2 Tbsp Kodiak protein granola
2–3 Tbsp apple butter (or more to taste)
Method
Bring salted water to a gentle boil. Stir in oats and reduce to a simmer.
Cook 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and chewy. Stir in brown sugar during the last 5 minutes.
