Honey Sweetened Blueberry Butter

I’ve been trying to write some recipes that don’t use refined sugar.  I really don’t like the taste or how it makes me feel after I eat it….  and it seems like there are a lot of other people out there that are on the same page as me.  

I don’t like looking at my pantry and seeing all this beautiful fresh fruit I’ve preserved drowned in a ton of sugar.  Organic or not, I don’t feel like I can incorporate it into a healthy diet.  My most recent attempt came out pretty darn good ….

The little market right near where I live has been selling these amazing blueberries from one county over, and even though I don’t usually by fruit at the store, I’ve been buying huge bags of them several times a week.  

My favorite way to eat blueberries is with milk and cornflakes, which is boring but insanely delicious.  My family used to go to Cape Cod every summer for vacation, which sometimes involved a trip to a local u-pick blueberry farm.  

I have such distinct memories of being in our little rental house eating this for breakfast. I loved it then and I love it now!  It’s the perfect way to start off a gorgeous summer day.

The blueberry season is short here in Northern California, so I made this recipe hoping to preserve the flavor of these sweet berries for another few months.  

The idea is from the Food In Jars blueberry butter recipe; I just changed the amounts a little and used honey instead of sugar.  

Since this is a low-sugar preserve I’m not 100% sure about the shelf life…. I’m going to say that it should be used within three months of canning. 

I’m sure this would be great in all kinds of tarts and baked goods (it would be epic as filling for a donut) but right now I’m just mixing some with plain yogurt to have for breakfast.

It’s not very exciting to look at, but I feel like it’s an actually real thing I can eat whenever I want and still be healthy, which is incredibly exciting for me. 

BLUEBERRY BUTTER

Makes: 8 half pint jars

Cook time: a few hours, but it’s really easy

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. blueberries, washed
• 1 c. water
• 2 c. honey
• zest and juice of 2 lemons

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, bring the honey and water to a simmer.  

Stir to melt the honey.  

Add the blueberries and keep simmering.  

Once they’re soft, puree the mixture with an immersion blender.  

Turn the heat to low and cook until it’s thickened (just like making apple butter….) It will need several hours on the stove to get to the right consistency.  

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once it’s gotten to the right texture, add the lemon juice and zest.

Transfer the blueberry butter to 1/2 pt. jars leaving 1/4″ headspace.  

Process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

4 thoughts on “Honey Sweetened Blueberry Butter”

1. Three Well BeingsJULY 11, 2013 AT 4:52 PMWow! I love this!Reply
2. Pingback: Links: Honey Sweetened Preserves, Apricots, and Winners | Food in Jars
3. NicholeJULY 28, 2013 AT 10:07 PMoh yummm “Blueberry Butter” sounds so decadent and delicious! I’m right there with you on the white sugar thing, I used the last of mine up at Christmas time last year and haven’t purchased any since. I reach for the palm or coconut sugar if I absolutely have to have some. 😉 Using honey as a preservative is such a great idea. I can just see this layered in between a couple scoops of Greek yogurt w/ some toasted oats and nuts on top!Reply
4. JanetOCTOBER 16, 2013 AT 4:36 AMOh my goodness I must make this. Blueberries are by far my favorite berry!