Grilled Cheese With Apples and Apple Butter

Grilled Cheese With Apples and Apple Butter
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,419)
Notes
Read community notes

If Cheddar on a slice of apple pie sounds good to you, you will love this twist on a grilled cheese sandwich, which marries salty and sweet elements between two caramelized pieces of buttery bread. Look for dark apple butter, with no added sugar, since it will have the richest flavor. Unlike most grilled cheese recipes, which call for building the sandwiches, cooking them on one side, then flipping, this one calls for cooking the sandwiches open-faced, then assembling them.The cheese melts more quickly and reliably if cooked this way. Depending on the size of your bread slices and your skillet, you may be able to cook two sandwiches at a time. You could also have two pans going, or just serve them as they are finished. To serve all four at once, just transfer the cooked sandwiches to a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven while you crisp up the remaining sandwiches on the stovetop.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
  • Print Options


Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 5tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more as needed
  • 1large Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1small shallot, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • Kosher salt
  • ½cup apple butter
  • 8slices country bread, cut ½-inch thick
  • 4ounces sharp Cheddar, sliced ¼-inch thick
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

497 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 22 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 486 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a large, 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter, then add apples, shallots, rosemary and a pinch of salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until apples are golden and softened, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing the heat if shallots threaten to burn. Transfer mixture to a plate; set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Rinse and dry the pan, and set over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter (2 tablespoons if you're cooking two sandwiches at a time). Spread one side of each bread slice with 1 tablespoon apple butter (this will be the inside of the sandwich). With the apple butter-side facing up, top four of the bread slices with 1 ounce Cheddar each; divide the apple mixture among the remaining four slices of bread. (Don’t assemble the sandwiches yet: The topped slices are first cooked, then combined.)

  3. Step 3

    Add one Cheddar-topped piece and one apple-topped piece to the pan (two of each if your pan can accommodate it), drizzle 2 teaspoons of water in the pan, and cover. Cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat if bread is browning too fast. Sandwich the two pieces together, cut in half, and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining ingredients, adding more butter to then pan if necessary.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,419 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

This need bacon.

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...

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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?

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

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

Try with adding a little French mustard on sourdough

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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!

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

Private notes are only visible to you.

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.