Grilled Cheese With Apples and Apple Butter Recipe (2024)

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Dave

This need bacon.

Rich

I love this sandwich, and I play with variations: Havarti or Swiss cheese instead of cheddar. peanut butter or almond butter instead of apple butter (especially if you're looking for a little more protein), orange marmalade or fig preserves, cinnamon for rosemary, raisin bread or whole grain (or gluten free) bread...

Diane Kay

It's a perfect sandwich for this time of year -- disagree about the bacon as the cheddar provides melty fatty salty goodness on its own.

Allison

Substituting apple butter + rosemary for mayo + gochujang was A+. I broiled the sandwiches open-faced to save on time and butter.

GothamNurse

Made this tonight. Outrageously good, especially for the minimal time involved. The only change I made was that I had a loaf of brioche sitting around and sliced that to use. Talk about gilding the lily.

Barbara

I cut the apple in half and used a mandoline to get thin slices. It was a good treat and easy.

Anne Clark

Delicious. Use a smear of good mustard (grainy dijon is awesome) if you don't have apple butter.

PeggySu

If you have any extra apple butter it’s really good on rye bread, toasted or mot.

MargefromTN

Question... adding water to the pan while browning the loaded bread slices? Seems to me that would make the bread soggy and prevent it from browning up nice and crisp?

TriciaPDX

The apple slices are sauteed with the shallots and rosemary till they're both softened.

Maura

This was an amazing Sunday night supper with some homemade soup. Gourmet Grilled Cheese. Will make this again and again!

jenn irons

Try with adding a little French mustard on sourdough

Elizabeth

Sounds delicious - I'm thinking I will also try this this on walnut bread.

Elizabeth

Tried it with Goat cheese instead of cheddar the second time I made it, and it was a very good idea!

Megan

Paired with tomato soup, this recipe is perfect for chilly fall or winter days. I've tried it with and without bacon, and both are good - I'd say it's just a matter of preference if you want something with meat. I couldn't find apple butter at the store but the shallot and rosemary already give the apples tons of flavor. Will be making this over and over!

Judy

Used a baguette cut in half to make two sandwiches, but made enough apple mix for four. I’m glad I did—the extra extras pumped up the flavor. Not sure it would be as tasty with half as much.

Maureen

Straightforward grilled cheese sandwich is my lifelong favorite sammie! I freely admit I’m kinda of a purist about them. And I prefer savory, not sweet. Nevertheless this recipe intrigued me. Excellent as is (but until someone explains putting water in the pan I’m not doing it). I cooked the apple slices rather gently to maintain a little firmness. Served grainy mustard on the side. Bacon sounds great for a brunch, so saving that idea for one of our meat days.

jamie s

As others have suggested, I added Applewood Smoked Bacon, which was a nice addition for both the texture and flavor profile. 1/4” is a bit thick for the cheese. We had the deli slice it that thick and it’s really difficult to melt without burning the bread. We had to let ours finish cooking in the warm oven.

Scott

Some folks like to grate the cheese, rather slice it. Grated cheese is a bit harder to keep on the bread, but melts quicker

ShadyPrincess

Really good. Next time I’ll use different bread. Didn’t love the thick white bread. Might do a wheat. Also salted the apple side before covering pan because I’d forgotten to add when sauteeing.

Christopher Foley

I use that steaming technique on many things where you want a crispy crust but a melty moist topping. It’s especially great for reheating pizza. Crisp your slice first in a little olive oil for a minute or two, then just a spoonful of water and quickly cover the pan.

Jim

Made the recipe as written, except I used Rye bread. Great sandwich, will definitely make it again.

tinykb

tremendous, and even better with grainy dijon and sliced turkey on the side opposite the apple butter.

Tiffany

Just made this with gluten free white bread and WOW! A little embarrassed to say I ate 2 sandwiches! I wouldn't have thought it but adding a bit of water to the butter before cooking the bread made is extremely crispy/crunchy. Delicious perfection!

Liz K.

My cheddar, which was extra-sharp, melted much faster than I anticipated - over the edges of the bread & into the pan, so I had to take the sandwich out much faster than 5-7 minutes indicated.

Dave

We made two of these today with an adjustment we saw from others -- a smear of dijon mustard instead of apple butter. Wow, this is a great combination of flavors. Something new versus our old stand-by of Cheese, Tomato, and bacon. We made one of these with bacon bits and one without as one of us likes bacon and one does not. Sandwiches are great platforms for customization!

Maggie J

These were surprisingly tasty and a hit with the family - although a little more involved to make than traditional grilled cheese. We have a late summer crop of apples, so made apple butter first, then these sandwiches. Will make them again on a cool day in the fall.

Emma

Added fried eggs and subbed apple butter for strawberry preserves and it was SOOOO GOOD. Can toast the other slice of bread and assemble separately w apple/shallot mixture after the cheesy slice is done if pan has no lid

Seth

This quick lunch was a huge surprise. I thought the apple butter would be too sweet and the shallots too overpowering. Keep the layer of apple butter thin and know your audience when you’re selecting the quantity of shallots and you’ll be a hero. Bravo!

KF Napa

I used a mandolin to get paper thin slices. No apple butter but had fig preserves. Paired with tomato soup. Best cheese sandwiches!

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Grilled Cheese With Apples and Apple Butter Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cheese goes well with apple butter? ›

Since it's sweet, apple butter can pair with many different kinds of cheeses — try your favorites and see what works best. If you need some suggestions to begin, try a sharp cheddar, an oozy brie, or a tangy chèvre.

What pairs well with apple butter? ›

Pairing apple butter with cheese, crackers, and cured meats on a charcuterie board is a perfect choice too. Its sweet and savory profile complements the flavors of cheeses and meats.

What type of butter is best for grilled cheese? ›

For good measure: While most recipes today call for unsalted butter, often so the cook can control the amount of salt in the recipe, the grilled cheese sandwich is clearly one place where salted butter belongs. It adds more flavor and helps turn the bread more deeply golden.

Do you butter both sides of grilled cheese or one? ›

Standard procedure for grilled cheese is to butter the outsides of the bread before placing it in the pan — for more flavor, butter both sides, inside and out. This works quite nicely, adding flavor to the sandwich, while also preventing burning and sticking.

Why does cheese go so well with apples? ›

The contrasting flavors make them ideal partners. Basically, they taste good together. You eat a dry salty piece of cheese and its flavor fills your mouth. Follow the cheese with a bite of sweet moist apple and the dry saltiness disappears, which sets you up for another bite of cheese.

What's the difference between apple butter and butter? ›

Contrary to its name, there is no butter involved in the making of apple butter. The fruity spread, which is essentially highly concentrated applesauce, is made by cooking apples with spices (like cinnamon and cloves) or ciders until the sugars are caramelized.

Should you refrigerate apple butter? ›

Average shelf life unopened is 11 months. But after you open a jar, it is very important it is re-capped and refrigerated. It will last about a month in the refrigerator, but we usually finish out a jar in a couple of days. The same goes for any baked goods or cooked items made with apple butter.

What's the difference between applesauce and apple butter? ›

But it makes all the difference. Applesauce is a fairly quick process, cooked apples run through a food mill. Apple butter is basically concentrated apple sauce, cooked down even more until it's thicker, silkier, and more intensely apple flavored. Like the difference between tomato sauce and tomato paste, essentially.

How long will apple butter last in the fridge? ›

Once the apple butter has cooled and been placed into jars or airtight containers, store using the following guidelines: Refrigerator Storage – You can store the apple butter in the fridge for up to 1 month. Freezer Storage – You can store the apple butter in the freezer for up to 1 year.

What two cheeses are best for grilled cheese? ›

Sharp cheddar, Gouda, Fontina, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Pepper Jack, and brie are all good options. The amount of cheese you use will depend on the size of your bread. I love sharp Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Gouda together.

How many slices of cheese should you put on a grilled cheese? ›

For each grilled cheese, you'll need two slices of bread, at least 1 tablespoon of butter, and 2-4 slices of cheese (depending how gooey you like it). American, Cheddar, Swiss, muenster or Gouda all work well—feel free to mix and match your cheeses.

How many times do you flip a grilled cheese? ›

I flip mine about 10 time total per sandwich: I butter both sides of 2 slices of bread. Put them in a hot cast iron skillet for about 4 minutes a side, so that both sides, of each slice, is toasted.

When should I flip my grilled cheese? ›

Once the bread slightly bronzes, flip the sandwich and grate another layer of cheese on top. Let this side fully brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip once more to develop a quick, crispy parmesan crust, around 1 minute. Transport sandwich to a plate, cut, and enjoy.

What goes well with apple and cheese? ›

Juicy, sweet, and refreshing, Honeycrisp apples pair well with the sweet and creamy Gruyere cheese and buttery yet sweet Chardonnay wine. Sweet honey flavors, creamy textures and a buttery Chardonnay… name a better trio! Honeycrisp is a fan favorite, and it's no surprise this combo might just be our favorite too!

What goes well with apple and cheddar? ›

Curried Squash Soup with Apple-and-Cheddar Melts

But first she spreads a generous dollop of sweet mango chutney across each bread slice. When you dip your sandwich into the spiced squash soup, the chutney will blend nicely with the sweet and aromatic curry in every bite.

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