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.