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Delicious homemade applesauce just got easier, made in the instant pot or slow cooker. This Instant Pot applesauce recipe has no added sugar and can be made in just 15 minutes.
Did you know that not all applesauce is created equal? That's the truth.
Any time I'm forced to buy store-bought applesauce it's a strugggggle. It's like buying store-bought jam. Every single brand and type has so much sugar, and most of them don't even taste very good.
Am I sounding like a total applesauce snob? I'm sorry, but homemade applesauce is just so easy and so GOOD, especially if you have an instant pot.
The first time I made applesauce in the instant pot I was blown away. That machine just continues to amaze me! (I have this 6qt instant pot). It was so incredibly easy and turned out perfect, with very little time or effort on my part. Learn how to get the most out of your instant pot!
How to make applesauce in the instant pot:
First, you choose your apples. I like a blend of sweet and tart apples to make really great flavor for the applesauce, without having to add extra sweetener. Granny Smith and Honey Crisp combination is definitely my favorite.
Peel, core and slice the apples. I use a johnny apple peeler to peel, core and slice the apples super quickly.
Add your apples to the instant pot. Toss the apples in water, cinnamon and lemon juice, and cook them on manual or high pressure for 8 minutes.
After a controlled quick release, open up the lid and the apples have literally turned to applesauce! You don't need to do anything but give them a little stir.
The taste is AMAZING–perfectly sweet, especially with a little extra cinnamon on top. If you used different apples, and feel that it needs to be sweeter, you could add some white or brown sugar.
I love applesauce that I can feel good about feeding my kids. I know exactly what's in it, and everyone LOVES it! It's its own type of delicious comfort food, don't you think?
If you don't have an instant pot you can make this applesauce in the slow cooker!
How to make applesauce in your slow cooker:
Add the peeled and sliced apples to your slow cooker. Toss in lemon juice and cinnamon (no water needed)!
Cook on LOW for 4 hours. Pour into blender and blend until smooth, or desired consistency.
Store applesauce in the fridge for 7-10 days.
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Instant Pot Applesauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, , peeled, cored and roughly chopped (or Golden Delicious apples )
- 4 large Honeycrisp apples, , peeled, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, (from about ½ a lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel and core apples. I use a johhny apple peeler to do all three steps at once (peel, spice and core).
- Add water, lemon juice and cinnamon to instant pot and stir to combine. Add apples and toss to mix.
- Secure lid and cook on manual (high pressure) for 8 minutes. Do a controlled quick release or allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Mash the apple mixture a few times with a potato masher, if desired. (If you like a smoother texture you could pulse it in the blender.)
- Transfer contents to a bowl and allow to cool completely. Stir in more cinnamon, if desired, to taste.
- Enjoy warm or cold. Store in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My favorite recipe! It’s perfect with no added sugar! Way better than store bought
I used this to prep the sauce for canning, I omitted the cinnamon and used 6lbs of apples (made 4 pints) with the 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon lemon. Used a immersion blender to smooth and then canned as if I had cooked on stovetop. Cut my time by ⅓ easily maybe more. I wouldn’t try more in my 6 qt cooker that’s about all it could handle at once.
Easy and delicious! I used a variety of apples and added about 2 Tbs of brown sugar. The 1 cup of water was too much, buuuuut, I decided to strain the applesauce and ended up with a glass of apple cider. I added 4 oz of water to it and heated it through. It was totally worth the little bit of extra effort.
Next time I make this I will add anothet apple and cut the water to 3/4 cup. (Unless I want more cider!)
Made this several times , using a few more apples and only galas , it came out fine , added a half tsp of salt to my pot along with cinnamon and lemon juice . A great way to use up extra apples !
This recipe is spectacular. I’ve used different kinds of apples each time and it just turns out great every time. I guess I make this the lazy way because I don’t ever peel the skins and I got away fine with cutting the apples roughly into chunks before adding to the instant pot. I’m cool with chunky applesauce though. Doubled the recipe and pressure cooked for 10 minutes.
Such a good recipe. I halved it first time and had no problem with quick release when the Insta-pot was done, but what a mess with a full recipe. I’d recommend letting it sit a bit before hitting quick release with a full recipe, unless you need that extra motivation to wipe everything in the kitchen down, including the ceiling.
I’ll make this recipe for the rest of my life. It is perfect.
I agree this is an amazing recipe! You can always throw a towel onto the lid of the instant pot before releasing steam so it doesn’t make a mess!
You can cover spout with kitchen towel. 👍🏻
Prep time 5 minutes IF you have a fancy slicer. Otherwise, plan on giving yourself a lot more time (and recruit a helper). A few notes – if you decide to do quick release be prepared for a bit of a mess due to all the moisture in the pot. Also, an immersion blender will give you a silky smooth texture (not unlike baby food). The sauce was tasty and not too sweet, but as the recipe states sugar can easily be added to taste.
Tasty but too watery. I would try again with more apples next time
Tasty but too watery. I would try again with more apples next time
I have made insta pot apple sauce a few times now. I recently realized it is not necessary to peel the apples when using the pressure cooker. The sauce turns out great, and skipping the peeling saves lots of time.
so you filter out the seeds and any internal overripe pieces and the skin later?