Homemade fruit butters have never been easier. Whether you eat them spread on toast or muffins, or use them as a smart, fat-free substitute for butter in baking, these recipes will make it easy to have your favorites on hand for whatever uses you choose: apple butter, prune butter, pear butter, and banana butter.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs ripe apples, peeled and cored
• 2 cups unsweetened apple cider
• ½ cup sugar or Splenda
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp apple pie spice (optional)

Instructions

Slice apples and place in large saucepan with apple cider. Cover and heat gently, stirring occasionally, to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until apples are soft. Drain, reserving cider, and transfer to food processor. Add sugar or Splenda, vinegar, and apple pie spice (if desired- recommended for spread but not necessary if apple butter is intended for use in baking only), and process until smooth, adding back cider as needed for a smooth, spreadable consistency. Store refrigerated in an airtight jar or container.

Ingredients

• 10 ripe pears, peeled and cored
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup unsweetened orange juice
• 1 ½ cups sugar or Splenda
• 1 tsp fresh grated orange zest (optional)
• 1 tsp apple pie spice (optional)

Instructions

Cut pears into quarters and place in large saucepan with water. Cover and place over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until pears are soft. Drain water and press pears through a food mill or puree in food processor, then return to saucepan with orange juice, sugar or Splenda, zest and apple pie spice (if desired- recommended for spread but not necessary for baking uses). Simmer 15 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. Skim off foam, and store refrigerated in an airtight jar or container.

Ingredients

• 4 cup dried prunes, pitted
• 1 cup water

Instructions

Place pitted prunes in food processor and pulse to chop coarsely before pureeing, adding water gradually until the mixture reaches a smooth (but not runny) consistency, and is spreadable. Note: Depending on how moist your prunes are, more or less water may be required. Store refrigerated in an airtight jar or container.

Ingredients

• 5 ripe bananas, peeled
• 3 ½ Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ cup sugar or Splenda
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Instructions

Break bananas into pieces and place in food processor. Process with lemon juice until smooth. Transfer puree to large saucepan over medium heat, stirring in sugar or Splenda and pumpkin pie spice (if desired-- recommended if to be eaten as a spread, but not necessary for baking uses). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Store refrigerated in an airtight jar or container.