Instant Pot Applesauce

The easiest way to make homemade applesauce is in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. The process is incredibly fast, and the result is always delicious.

During apple season, we have an abundance of apples to eat and cook with from our trees. So many goodies come out of my kitchen this time of year!

Making Instant Pot Applesauce is a great way to use up some of those apples. The process is incredibly easy and all you need are two simple ingredients – apples and water!

Plus the taste of homemade applesauce is so much better than store-bought applesauce. Best of all, there is no added sugar in my easy recipe so it’s a good choice if you want to reduce the amount of sugar you consume.

Ingredients and Supplies

• 3 pounds of fresh apples (about 9 apples)
• ½ cup of apple juice or filtered water
• Apple peeler/corer/slicer
• Instant Pot
• Immersion Blender

By the Numbers: How to Make Instant Pot Applesauce

Follow these simple step by step instructions to learn how to make delicious homemade applesauce in your Instant Pot or other brand of electric pressure cooker.

Step 1: Peel, Core and Slice Apples

Peel, core and chop 3 pounds of your favorite apples. I use my gadget that cores, peels and spiralizes apples to make this process quicker, but you can slice, cube or cut them any way you like. Place them in the Instant Pot pan.

Step 2: Pressure Cook Apples

Close the lid and make sure the pressure release valve is in the sealing position. Cook on Manual High Pressure for 6 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.

Step 3: Blend Cooked Apples

Let some of the steam dissipate from the pot, then use an immersion blender to blend the cooked apples until it reaches your desired consistency.

Step 4: Refrigerate and Serve

Chill your homemade applesauce, then serve.

Tips for Making Applesauce in the Instant Pot

Answers to all of your questions about making this easy Instant Pot Applesauce recipe, including tips and substitution ideas.

Best types of apples

You can use any type of apples you have, but the best applesauce comes when you use a variety of apples. I like to mix it up by using some sweet apples and some tart apples to give a more complex flavor.

Some options include golden delicious, granny smith apples, red delicious, honeycrisp apples, gala or pink lady apples. Any types you can pick from a tree or buy at the grocery store can be used to make delicious applesauce!

Adding sweetener

My family prefers unsweetened applesauce. For us, the natural sweetness apples have is enough, but sometimes you get apples that are more tart than sweet.

If you find yourself in that position, it’s okay to add a little sugar to balance the flavors. My favorite added sweeteners for applesauce are brown sugar and maple syrup. I like to add any additional sugar after cooking, so I can taste it and adjust as needed.

Is that enough water?

I get asked frequently if ½ cup of water is really enough since Instant Pot recommends at least 1 cup of water for the 6-quart model and 1 ½ cups of water for the 8-quart model.

If you had the same question, the answer is ½ cup is the perfect amount of water in this instance because apples have a high-water content and they release it during the pressure cooking process. If you add more water, your applesauce will be runny and you’ll need to cook it down to the right consistency.

If you’ve tried my Instant Pot Blueberry Jam recipe, it uses no additional water – just a little lemon juice – and it turns out so delicious every time I make it! Pressure cooking fruit is a bit different than pressure cooking something like meat, rice or beans as it needs little water in comparison.

Make cinnamon applesauce

If you want to make cinnamon applesauce, adding a cinnamon stick or a little cinnamon powder (about 1 teaspoon) during cooking are both good options.

Remove the cinnamon stick before consuming your applesauce. It’s better to add too little powder before cooking as you can add more if it needs it, but if you add too much it will be strongly flavored.

Make chunky applesauce

If you prefer chunkier applesauce, the best way to accomplish that when pressure cooking is to use a potato masher rather than an immersion blender to break down the cooked apples.

Option: Leave the apple peels on

While my family prefers super smooth applesauce, you can also pressure cook unpeeled apples. If you go this route, a food processor will do a better job of breaking down the skins than an immersion blender.

Storage tips

After making your homemade apple sauce, you’ll want to store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container like a mason jar or food storage container. For best results, be sure to eat it within 4-6 days. If it looks or smells off, throw it away.

Fresh applesauce can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months for the best flavor and texture. Try freezing it in ice cube trays, then storing the cubes so you can defrost perfect portions.

More apple recipes

If you need more ways to use fruit from apple season, try these delicious recipes:

• Slow Cooker Apple Butter (great for bruised or softer apples)
• Gluten Free Apple Pie (with a tasty crumble topping)
• Dehydrated Apple Chips (such a simple snack!)
• Gluten Free Apple Muffins
• Gluten Free Apple Crisp
• Strawberry Apple Pie with Crumble Topping (almond flour crust)
• Apple Pie Bars with Pomegranate Seeds (great for bake sales)

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes