Autumn air is filled with scents of apples, cinnamon and cider while vats of apple butter cook during hundreds of festivals around the country. No matter whether you purchase the butter at a local festival or store, or make it yourself, baking with it will add rich deep apple flavor to old favorites such as cakes, pies, cookies and even donuts.
Apple Butter Pie
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2-1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell
Combine ingredients (except pastry shell) and beat thoroughly. Pour into pastry shell. Bake in 450 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Bake about 40 minutes more or until set. Cool completely.
Apple Butter Tassies
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup flour
• Apple butter
• Chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Blend together butter, cream cheese and flour. Chill dough one hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Press balls of dough into 24 mini muffin cups, over bottom and up sides. Fill with apple butter and a few chopped nuts if using. Bake for about 15 minutes or until crust is golden and filling hot. Cool about 10 minutes. Carefully remove from muffin cups. You may need to run a thin, sharp knife around edge of tassie to remove. (Usually the butter and cheese provide enough oil to “grease” the cups as the tassies bake.) Cool completely.
Apple Butter Oat Bars
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For thin bars grease a 13 x 9-inch pan or line with foil and grease foil for easy lift out. For thick bars, use a 9-inch square pan and prepare the same.
Sift together flour, baking powder and soda and salt. Beat butter, sugar, egg and apple butter together. Add dry ingredients, blending well. Stir in oats.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until set. Cool Cut in bars. Bars may be sprinkled or coated with confectioners’ sugar or iced if desired.
Apple Butter Autumn Leaves
• Favorite pie dough, homemade or purchased
• Apple butter
• Finely chopped pecans
Roll out your favorite pie crust dough. It can be thin, 1/4 inch or thick, 1/2 inch. Using a maple leaf cookie cutter, cut pie dough. Transfer leaves to cookie sheets. Spread tops of leaves with thin layer of apple butter. Sprinkle on nutmeats. Press lightly.
Bake in 375 degree F oven for 5 minutes. Check to watch for browning. Bake only until leaves are set and just beginning to brown on edges. Remove to cooling racks. These can be eaten as cookies, used to decorate cakes or pies or used as garnish for dishes of ice cream.
Apple Butter Buttermilk Cake
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup thick apple butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch bread (loaf) pan.
Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and blend well. Sift together dry ingredients. Add them alternately with the buttermilk to creamed mixture. Beat in apple butter. Blend well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn out onto plate or rack and cool completely. Can be frosted with favorite white or cream cheese frosting if desired. (Unfrosted cake may be wrapped and frozen up to six months.)