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This easy Instant Pot Applesauce turns fresh apples into silky, naturally sweet applesauce with just two ingredients and minimal prep. There's no added sugar, no peeling the apples, and no standing over the stove stirring. Just an incredibly simple way to make smooth, flavorful homemade applesauce.
Instant Pot Applesauce at a Glance
- Easy Prep: Simply wash and chop the apples. No peeling needed.
- Cook Time: 12 minutes on high pressure + 10 minutes of natural pressure release
- Yield: About 1 quart
- Texture: Silky smooth, or thick and chunky if desired.
Kristen's Keys for Perfect Instant Pot Applesauce
After years of making stovetop applesauce, I switched to using my Instant Pot to keep the cooking process hands-off, and I haven't looked back! After a few tweaks, I landed on a process that delivers naturally sweet, silky-smooth applesauce with minimal effort.
- Don't peel the apples. The 12-minute pressure cook softens the skins enough that they blend smoothly into the applesauce. This saves a lot of prep work, especially when you are working with 3 pounds of apples. The same is true when making Instant Pot Apple Butter.
- Don't be tempted to add more liquid. Normally, I recommend at least 1 to 1½ cups of thin liquid when pressure cooking, depending on the size of the Instant Pot. Apples are the exception. They release plenty of juice as they heat, so ½ cup is enough for a 3- or 6-quart Instant Pot, while ¾ cup is plenty for an 8-quart Instant Pot.
- Remove the apples before blending. Don't blend everything in the pot at once. Lift the cooked apples out with a slotted spoon, blend, and then add the cooking liquid back only as needed. This gives you control over the consistency instead of ending up with watery applesauce.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
5-⭐ Reader Review
I made this recipe time and time again & it's always come out delicious. 😋 I have used all types of different apples successfully. Such a easy wonderful recipe I make this apple sauce frequently put it in containers freeze it and give it out to my friends, neighbors and even our priest at church. I have used both water and apple cider delicious both ways. Thank you for a recipe that makes applesauce a breeze🥰 --Angeline
Ingredients You'll Need
You only need two ingredients for homemade Instant Pot Applesauce.
- Apples: For naturally sweet, smooth applesauce, use mostly sweet apples that break down well, such as Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, or McIntosh. I like adding one or two Granny Smith apples for a bit of tartness, but using too many can make the applesauce quite tart.
- Apple Juice or Apple Cider: Water works, but I prefer 100% apple juice or apple cider. You only need a small amount, and it intensifies the apple flavor while helping naturally sweeten the applesauce.
Money-Saving Tip
Applesauce is the perfect place to use bruised or less-than-perfect apples. Check manager specials or ask your local orchard about discounted apples. And don't toss apples that were sliced up for cream cheese apple dip but didn't get eaten. As long as they are still fresh, they can go right into the pot, too.
How to Make Applesauce in the Instant Pot
Making homemade applesauce in the Instant Pot requires very little hands-on work.
- Prepare the apples. Wash and dry the apples well. Remove the cores and cut each apple into 2-inch chunks. You don't have to be exact, but keep the chunks similar in size for even cooking.
- Add to the Instant Pot. Place the apples in the inner pot and pour in the apple juice or cider. If desired, add a pinch of cinnamon.
- Pressure cook. Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. Many Instant Pot applesauce recipes call for a shorter cook time, but I have found the longer cook is necessary to fully soften the skin.
- Let the pressure release. Once the cook time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure. This gives the apples additional time to soften and prevents the hot fruit mixture from sputtering through the pressure-release valve.
- Separate the apples from the liquid. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened apples to a large bowl or blender, leaving the cooking liquid behind.
- Blend until smooth. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the apples until silky smooth. Add the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time if you prefer a thinner consistency.
How Much Applesauce Does This Make?
As a general rule, 3 pounds of apples will make about 1 quart of applesauce.
You can adjust the amount of apples based on the size of your pressure cooker, but never fill an Instant Pot more than two-thirds full.
- 3-quart Instant Pot: Use about 2 pounds of apples and ½ cup liquid.
- 6-quart Instant Pot: Use 3 pounds of apples and ½ cup liquid.
- 8-quart Instant Pot: Use 3 pounds or more of apples and ¾ cup liquid.
Whether you increase or decrease the amount of apples, the amount of liquid and 12-minute pressure-cooking time stays the same.
Flavor Variations
One of the best things about homemade applesauce is that you can adjust it to suit your family's tastes.
- Cinnamon Applesauce: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the apples before pressure cooking.
- Tarter Applesauce: Use a higher proportion of Granny Smith apples and add a splash of fresh lemon juice.
- Sweeter Applesauce: I recommend tasting the finished applesauce first since the sweetness of apples varies considerably. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, or granulated sugar while the applesauce is still warm, so the sugar easily dissolves.
- Chunky Applesauce: If you prefer chunky applesauce, peel the apples before pressure cooking, then mash the cooked apples with a potato masher instead of blending.
Storage Instructions
Let the applesauce cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
- Refrigerate: Store in airtight jars or containers up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion, and freeze up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Extra Apple Liquid: If you have cooking liquid left after reaching your desired applesauce consistency, don't pour it down the drain. Use it to make mulled cider, Christmas tea, more applesauce, or for oatmeal (especially delicious in my baked apple oatmeal).
More Instant Pot Staple Recipes
Like this Instant Pot Applesauce recipe, the following recipes are simple and even easier to make in the Instant Pot.
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
- Instant Pot Yogurt
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Instant Pot Beans
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Summarize and Save This Recipe Content On:
Instant Pot Applesauce
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples, about 12 small apples or 9 medium apples
- ½-¾ cup apple juice or cider, based on size of Instant Pot
Instructions
- Wash the apples well. Remove the cores, then dice the apples into 2-inch chunks. There is no need to peel the apples.
- Add the apples to the inner pot. For a 6-quart model, pour in ½ cup of juice; for an 8-quart Instant Pot, add ¾ cup. There is no need to stir.
- Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on HIGH pressure for 12 minutes using the manual or pressure cook function.
- Once the cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure.
- Using a spider strainer or slotted spoon, remove the pressure-cooked apples from the inner pot, leaving the cooking liquid in the pot, then transfer to a high-powered blender or food processor fitted with an S-blade.
- Place the lid on the blender, crack open the top to release steam, and blend until smooth, adding cooking liquid as needed to thin and smooth.
- Serve warm or allow to cool, then store the applesauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I wanted an easy recipe where I didn't have to peel the apples and this was perfect. I doubled the recipe and used 1 1/2 cups water using my 8 quart. I will do it again and only use 1 cup of water. I drained about 3 1/2 cup of juice after it was done. I did add 1 tbs of cinnmmon, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice because I was canning this for long term storage. After draining, I added 2 tsp vanilla and used an immersion blender. Thank you for a great base recipe.
This is a great applesauce recipe. Very easy. I used cider as the liquid. I really appreciate the tip to remove some of the liquid before you purée or blend. I plan to use the liquid in baking or to cook pork.
The skins did not purée out, so I had to pick many of them out. The sauce came out a pretty pink color.
I did not have to add sugar, but I did throw in about a teaspoon of cinnamon. Thanks for the recipe!
Great idea to use the cooking liquid for pork or baking! As for the skins, I am sorry to hear that. It may have been the type of apples or the power or your blender. But happy to hear you still enjoyed the recipe.
Thank you!
Had some apples to use, found your recipe, filled my 6 & 8 quart instant pots. Followed your directions. Delicious applesauce and two quarts of apple juice!
Awesome! Homemade is the best.
I made this recipe with half granny Smith and half gala apples. Added 1 cup of apple cider and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice.
I blended with an immersion blender right in a quart size mason jar. I also added 1 tsp cinnamon for the whole jar. I then put them reusable squeeze pouches.
Turned out great and my girls (3 & 1) loved it!!
Thank you for sharing Crystal! So happy to hear your girls enjoy--and those pouches are the best!
This is a terrific and easy recipe. My Insta Pot is cooking my 4th batch of applesauce as I write this note. I'd like to add that the apple juice that is drained from the cooked apples makes for a very nice flavoring for homemade kombucha. I add it, some cinnamon, and a little more tea to my 2nd ferment. After 2 or so days...it is great!
Thanks for sharing Steve!
Hi,
You say it’s possible to freeze homemade applesauce. You suggest how to portion it and how long it may last. However, I don’t see anywhere that you suggest how to defrost it. What’s your suggestion for defrosting it?
Hi Kathleen! I would defrost in the refrigerator overnight for best results.
I am so glad that I found this recipe! I used water and it turned out great. The only thing I will do differently next time is peel the apples. I used an immersion blender and the consistency and taste were perfect but there were too many big chunks of apple skins. I threw it in my blendtec and blended it a little more. That did the trick but the consistency was too smooth for me. It tasted like a puréed baby food. It seems most people don’t have this problem. Perhaps it depends on the blender or type of apple you are using. Overall I was very happy with this recipe and will be making again!
Hi Kim! Thanks for sharing. Feel free to peel the apples, or drain off the liquid before blending--that may help with the consistency as well. 🙂