Instant Pot Applesauce
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Instant Pot Applesauce is so easy to make and tastes way better than store-bought applesauce! You can prep this recipe in just 10 minutes and let your instant pot do the heavy lifting! We include directions for both sweetened and unsweetened pressure cooker applesauce, too!
I love baking with apples in the fall. Don’t get me wrong, I do my fair share of pumpkin spice baking, too, but there is something about a tasty apple recipe that just feels like fall. (And if you really want a pumpkin recipe, try Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake).
If you’re looking for more apple recipes, try Apple Cinnamon Muffins, bread machine apple cinnamon rolls, instant pot apple dumplings, instant pot apple crisp, and make-ahead baked oatmeal with apples.
❤️Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe makes 4 cups of perfectly sweet chunky applesauce. I love using my pressure cooker to make applesauce because it takes just 5 minutes of cooking time for perfectly soft apples that mash quickly and easily into a delicious homemade applesauce.
Here are some other reasons to love instant pot applesauce:
- 5 simple ingredients – apples, sugar, water, cinnamon, and lemon juice
- You know exactly what is going into your applesauce
- You can use whatever variety of apples you want!
- You can omit the sugar or swap it out for your favorite sweetener
Don’t have an instant pot? Try our recipe for crockpot applesauce!
If you want to make smooth instant pot applesauce, just blend it up with an immersion blender, countertop blender, or food processor.
📋Ingredients
Apples: We use a combination of Gala and Granny Smith apples. Look for apples that are free from bruises and make sure to wash them well.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a warming spice that enhances lots of fall flavors. We love it in our applesauce and find it makes homemade applesauce taste even better.
Lemon Juice: Lemon juice has two jobs. It keeps the applesauce from browning and also helps balance the flavors of sweet and tart. Fresh squeezed or bottled lemon juice will work.
Scroll to the bottom for the complete list of ingredient measurements and printable recipe card.
📖 Ingredient Swaps
Sugar substitutes: You can omit the sugar altogether in this recipe and make it unsweetened applesauce. You can also swap it out for your favorite sweetener: honey, maple syrup, or stevia will all work.
🥣Special Equipment
You will need an instant pot or other brand of electric pressure cooker for this recipe. I used the 6-quart instant pot duo.
If you’re curious about the flowers on my instant pot, It’s a magnetic wrap.
If you plan on making a lot of apple recipes, you may want to invest in an apple corer and peeler. They save so much time and effort!
🔪Step-by-Step Instructions
👩🏻🍳Expert Cooking Tips
Apple Varieties
I used a combination of Gala and Granny Smith apples for this applesauce recipe in the instant pot. You can use any apple varieties you like.
Keep in mind that the overall sweetness of the apples affects the sweetness of the applesauce. Additional sugar can be added to the applesauce after cooking and taste testing.
Making Smooth Applesauce
If you want smooth applesauce, skip mashing the apples with a potato masher. Instead, transfer the apples to a blender and blend until smooth. You could also use an immersion hand blender and blend it right inside the instant pot.
Using Different Fruits
You can add different fruits to the applesauce if desired. I have successfully made strawberry applesauce in the instant pot. You can also mix in a couple of pears to make pear applesauce. Yum. Yum. The cooking time stays at just 5 minutes.
💭Recipe FAQs
Yes, this recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. If you are looking to make this applesauce without added sugar, you may omit the sugar. It does not affect the overall texture or cooking time. Although, it will be less sweet.
If you are hoping to make sweet applesauce without added sugar, I recommend substituting the granny smith apples for another sweet apple-like honey crisp or more gala apples.
Yes. We have successfully made strawberry applesauce in the instant pot. You can also mix in a couple of pears to make pear applesauce. Yum. Yum. The cooking time stays at just 5 minutes.
This recipe only uses 1/2 cup water, so it should not come out runny. Although it does depend on the apples used. If your applesauce comes out too runny or thin, you can set your instant pot to saute and bring it back to a boil. Let it cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until thickened.
Alternatively, you can mix up a cornstarch slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Whisk it into hot applesauce to thicken.
Yes. If you cook your applesauce for too long it will begin to thicken and turn into rich apple butter. Apple butter is great, too, but it is not a tasty side dish. It’s more of a topping for toast or biscuits.
🍏More Apple Recipes
If you tried this Instant Pot Applesauce Recipe or any other recipe on my website, I would love it if you could leave me a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below. ❤️
Instant Pot Applesauce
Ingredients
- 6 small gala apples
- 2 medium granny smith apples
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel, core, and slice apples.
- Add apples, water, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon to instant pot.
- Close lid and set pressure release valve to sealing.
- Press manual or pressure cook button and set to 5 minutes.
- Natural pressure release.
- Mash apples with a potato masher.
- Remove applesauce from instant pot.
- Let instant pot applesauce cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.