Instant Pot Applesauce

4.91 from 41 votes

This recipe for no-peel, naturally sweetened applesauce comes together with minimal effort to deliver the best-tasting homemade applesauce.

Prep Time5

Cook Time12

Pressure Time20

Total Time27

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 73kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

Ingredients

3 pounds apples about 12 small apples or 9 medium apples
½-¾ cup apple juice see note

Instructions

Wash the apples well. If not peeling your apples, dissolve 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a large bowl of water. Add the apples to the water and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. Rinse them well.
Remove the core from the apples, dice the apples into 2-inch chunks, and place them in the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Add ½ cup of apple juice if using a 6-quart Instant Pot and ¾ cup of apple juice if using an 8-quart Instant Pot.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker and be sure your vent knob is closed or your lid is sealed and locked.
Hit manual or pressure cook and adjust the cooking time to 12 minutes on high pressure.
Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes, 15 minutes is best, before releasing the remaining pressure.
To control the thickness and consistency of the applesauce, remove the apples from the inner pot, using a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Place the pressured cooked apples into 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.

Video

Notes

Best Apples to Use: Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala, Fuji, Pink Crisp, and Golden Delicious are varieties I love using to make homemade applesauce. Keep in mind, that the apples you choose will determine the flavor of your applesauce. Tart apples, like Granny Smith, yield tart applesauce. Sweet apples, like Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious, yield sweet applesauce. I love using a combination of sweet and tart apples to yield a perfectly balanced applesauce.

Cinnamon Applesauce: If you like cinnamon applesauce, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the apples before pressure cooking.

Tart Applesauce: Use granny smith for half the amount of apples and add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.

Chunky Applesauce: Peel and dice the apples into 2-inch chunks and pressure cook as the recipe indicates.

Sweetened Applesauce: If you enjoy super sweet applesauce add in 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey prior to pressure cooking. You can also opt to stir in maple syrup or honey to taste after pressure cooking if you find your prepared applesauce is not as sweet as you desire it to be.

Freeze Applesauce: Freeze: Allow the applesauce to cool completely and then place in freezer-safe bags or containers and fill ⅔ of the way full, to allow for expansion. Store in the freezer for 4-6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Nutrition