Sweet homemade applesauce is on the table in under 30 minutes with this easy Instant Pot applesauce. Chopped apples, water, a little sugar, and some optional spices turn into vibrant, flavorful applesauce with the press of a button, making the most of fall fruit with barely any effort at all.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Minimal prep! Just chop apples and add flavor components like cinnamon.
- Smooth, velvety texture beats any store-bought applesauce.
- Customize to preference for sweetness, spices, etc.
- Hands-off method – just pressure cook then blend.
Scroll down for the printable card for this Instant Pot apple sauce recipe, or read on for all the details.
What do you need?
Apples
The variety of apples used impacts flavors and texture. Mixing sweet and tart apples helps balance the flavor.
- For sweeter apple sauce: Fuji, Gala, Kiku, or Ambrosia apples.
- For medium-sweet: Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Pink Lady
- For tart apple sauce choose: Granny Smiths, Braeburn, or Bramley apples
Regardless of variety, select fresh apples without bruises.
Water
You need a minimum amount of water for the Instant Pot to get up to pressure, and to make the applesauce the right consistency. Use ¾ cup per 4 pounds of apples.
Sugar
Some varieties of apples are very sweet and do not need extra sugar added, other varieties of apples are quite sour and really do benefit from the addition of a little sugar to offset the tartness.
However, if you prefer a no-sugar applesauce then feel free to leave it out! You might want to choose your apple variety carefully though, to make sure you don’t choose one that will be too tart.
Spices (optional)
This applesauce can be made spiced or unspiced. I usually make spiced applesauce for the holidays, but unspiced during the rest of the year. Try adding a couple of cinnamon sticks or 1-2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and/or ground cloves.
How to make applesauce in the Instant Pot
- Peel and core the apples, and chop into 1-inch chunks.
- Add the apple pieces, sugar, and water to the Instant Pot inner bowl. Add spices at this point, if using.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual mode, ensure the valve is sealed, and pressure cook for 8 minutes on high.
- Once the cooking time is up, use the quick-release valve to release the pressure.
- Mash the applesauce with a potato masher, or use an immersion blender to blend it to your preferred consistency.
Serve Instant Pot Applesauce with:
Storing leftovers
Store any leftover applesauce in an airtight container in the fridge, and use within 5 days.
If you find yourself with leftover apple sauce, here’s a tip: freeze it in ice cubes. When you’re ready to use it, the ice cubes can be removed from the freezer and either allowed to defrost in the refrigerator or microwaved on high for 30-second bursts, string after each burst, until they are thawed.
Instant Pot Applesauce
Ingredients
- 4 lb / 1.8 kg large apples (cored, peeled, and chopped [Note 1])
- ¾ cup water
- 2-4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks (optional [Note 2])
Directions
- Core and peel the apples, then chop into 1-inch chunks.
- Add the apples, lemon juice, and water to the Instant Pot inner bowl. Add cinnamon sticks or other spices, if using.
- Set the valve to Sealing, then use the Pressure Cook (Manual) mode to cook on High for 8 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, use the quick release valve to release the pressure.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the applesauce to your desired consistency.
Notes
- For sweet apple sauce choose: Fuji, Gala, Kiku, or Ambrosia apples. For medium-sweet choose: Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Pink Lady. For tart apple sauce, choose: Granny Smiths, Braeburn, or Bramley apples.
- Or 1-2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and/or ground cloves.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
Sue
Tuesday 30th of January 2024
Mmm, very tasty apple sauce and easy to make!