In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, apple butter, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside for 15 minutes to meld flavors.

In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 6–8 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain and crumble.

In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add walnuts and sugar, stirring until sugar coats nuts, about 5 minutes; cool on parchment paper.

Wash and dry lettuce greens, add to large salad bowl as the base.

Slice apples and mix with lettuce, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and crumbled bacon, then add red onion.

Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine. Top with candied walnuts and feta cheese if desired.