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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 high-school son loves this recipe. He won’t eat store bought applesauce at all now. Now thanks to you ( and my wife ) I have a new item added to my honeydo list lol.
Very easy and delicious! I have an apple tree in my yard and there is a lot of applesauce in my future.
Hubby picked the rest of the Liberty and Freedom apples from our little fruit orchard this morning. I made the sauce with the left over apples I had, so halved the recipe. I left on the peel, we like it that way and I just stirred it with a spoon to keep it somewhat chunky. This sauce is delicious. I added some Allspice and Coconut Palm Sugar to it for a little extra taste. I’ll be making this again!!! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
We absolutely love this recipe! I do have a question though. Our apple trees are in abundance this year. Would I be able to can this recipe? Or does it need to be eaten fresh rather than preserved?
So glad you love it; you can Can applesauce but you’ll want to look up directions on a safe canning website. This one is good: https://nchfp.uga.edu/#gsc.tab=0
This is my go to for apple sauce! I’ve tried different types of apples but I always stick to the water, lemon & cinnamon ratios & cooker times from recipe. It has always turned out yummy! Been a few batches a bit tastier than others but all have been eaten. Thanks so much for the guide!
I followed the recipe as written with the exception of using the 8 apples that were in my fridge and a little past their prime for eating (I think they were Envy variety), and my applesauce came out great! I let it natural release for a while (not sure how long, maybe 15 mins), then quick released the little pressure that was left and I didn’t have any messy issues. My apples were a little bland, so I stirred in a bit of coconut sugar after I pureed the sauce with an immersion blender. I ended up with a quart of delicious apple sauce. Thanks for a great recipe, this will be my go-to method for using up apples and avoiding food waste
So good. My kids love it too and we use it as baby food
Made this many times and it’s so good! It’s also so easy and fast so I’m a fan!
It would be tremendously helpful to know how much the apples weigh before going into the instant pot. That would provide the recipe author’s actual ratio of the liquid to the apple chunks. My attempt tasted fine but was very watery.
Perfect for baby food! Used all gala apples and baby ate it up! So did the two year old and dad!