My family loves this homemade Instant Pot applesauce recipe! It’s quick, easy to make, and so much better than store-bought.
I’m still amazed at how simple it is to make applesauce in an Instant Pot: add apples, water, and spices to the Instant Pot, seal the lid, and cook. In minutes, you’ve got warm, homemade applesauce that fills the kitchen with the best smell.
If you have extra apples, try our apple butter recipe next. It’s like applesauce, but thicker and spreadable, making it perfect for toast or pancakes.
Key Ingredients
- Apples: I love using sweet, crisp varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Cox, Gala, or Pink Lady. They hold their flavor beautifully after cooking, and since they’re naturally sweet, I usually skip adding extra sugar.
- Spices: You can play around with spices, but my favorite combination is cinnamon sticks and whole star anise. A splash of vanilla extract takes the flavor over the top.
- Lemon: A bit of acid brightens everything up. Fresh lemon juice is perfect, but orange juice or even apple cider vinegar works just as well.
- Sweetener (optional): I usually skip it, but if you prefer a sweeter applesauce, stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey after cooking to adjust to your taste.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Applesauce in an Instant Pot
Tip 1: Cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. Making applesauce in a pressure cooker couldn’t be easier. Add peeled apples, spices (I like cinnamon and star anise), lemon juice, and water. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. (For a stovetop recipe, see this homemade applesauce.)
Tip 2: Let the pressure release naturally. Once the cooking time is up, leave the Instant Pot alone for about 20 minutes to release naturally. This step allows the apples time to finish softening, creating a better texture.
Tip 3: Mash and adjust to taste. After 20 minutes, release any remaining pressure, open the lid, and mash the apples with a potato masher. If you find the applesauce too tart, stir in a bit of sweetener, like sugar or honey, at the end.
More Apple Recipes
- Perfect Cinnamon Apples
- Easy Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Seriously Good Apple Salad
- Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby
Ridiculously Easy Instant Pot Applesauce
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Instant Pot applesauce is incredibly simple to make, makes your kitchen smell incredible, and tastes far better than store-bought. Add sweetener only if needed after cooking. Brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey all work well.
You can peel the apples for ease or leave the skins on. If you keep them, press the cooked apples through a food mill or fine mesh strainer for a smooth texture.
**Cooking takes 5 minutes under pressure, but remember to allow time for the pot to come to pressure and release afterward.
You Will Need
4 pounds crisp, sweet apples, 8 large
One 3-inch cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 to 2 whole star anise, optional
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice, or apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or other sweetener to taste, optional
Directions
1Prepare apples: Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into 1-inch chunks or wedges.
2Pressure cook: Add the apples, cinnamon stick, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and star anise to a 6-quart electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot). Pour in ⅓ cup water and stir to combine. Close the lid, select Pressure Cook (or Manual), and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. The timer will begin once the pot reaches pressure.
3Naturally release: When the cooking time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes. Then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure, keeping your hands and face away from the steam.
4Mash: Mash the apples to your preferred consistency, they’ll be soft enough for a spoon or potato masher. Taste and add sweetener if needed, starting with a teaspoon. The applesauce will thicken as it cools. If it seems thin, use the Sauté function to simmer briefly until slightly reduced.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Freeze applesauce for up to 6 months, possibly longer. We do not have instructions for canning applesauce and recommend that you consult other canning resources for tips.
- Add more cinnamon: One cinnamon stick adds a little warmth to the applesauce, but it is not overpowering. If you love a lot of cinnamon in your applesauce, add an extra ½ teaspoon to the pot.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include sugar in the calculations.
Do you weigh the apples before or after preparing them?
Before peeling and chopping.
This recipe was easy, quick, tasted amazing!
Our neighbours gave us a big bucket of ugly duckling looking apples from their tree. Wormy, rotty spots… all kinds. I quartered them, cut out the core & yucky bits and followed your instructions. I normally use a crock pot, but it takes SO much longer. After they cooled a bit I dumped them in the blender (skins on). I’ve NEVER had applesauce THIS fast, THIS easy & THIS good! I froze a bunch in ziplock bags, flat. Perfection! Thank you!