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Easy Instant Pot Applesauce uses just 4 ingredients and no sugar. Make the BEST homemade applesauce with peeled or unpeeled apples in your pressure cooker!
Homemade applesauce is definitely one of the easiest Instant Pot recipes you can make. Just dump all of the ingredients into the pressure cooker, press start, and cook!
After only 4 minutes of cooking time, you’ve got delicious, homemade unsweetened applesauce! As a bonus, your home will smell truly amazing — just like fall!
I used to always make homemade applesauce in the Crock-Pot, but it pressure cooker applesauce is so much faster! You can whip some up whenever you need to, and it’s the best way to use up old apples.
My daughter got braces last week and was having one heck of a time eating — poor baby! I was able to make applesauce in the Instant Pot in just a few minutes, and she was one happy camper!
Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce
We like unsweetened applesauce, so this recipe is made without sugar. The mix of apples I use naturally sweetens the applesauce.
You can always add some brown sugar or white sugar at the end if you want, but my picky kids love it just as it is, so that definitely tells me it’s sweet enough. In fact, we think it has even more flavor the next day!
What Apples do you Use for Applesauce
Personally, I like to use a mix of tart and sweet apples to make unsweetened applesauce. I usually use a mix of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Gala, but you can use what you like best.
McIntosh, Fuji, Jonagold and Braeburn are fine, too. I wouldn’t recommend using all Granny Smiths, though, since that would most likely be too tart!
How to Make Instant Pot Applesauce with Peeled or Unpeeled Apples
You can use peeled or unpeeled apples for homemade applesauce. I usually use unpeeled apples because it’s quick and easy this way.
However, I peeled the apples this time because I wanted super smooth applesauce for my daughter. Think baby food!
Just, throw the peeled or unpeeled apples into the Instant Pot, and sprinkle the cinnamon and sea salt over the top. Then, add the water, and pressure cook the apples for 4 minutes.
You’ll notice I only use 1/4 cup of water here, which may seem like it won’t work, but trust me, it does! Apples release a ton of liquid as they cook. If you like your applesauce thinner, use 1/2 cup of water.
Use Natural Release or Controlled Release with Applesauce
A word of caution here, so listen up, folks! You want to allow a natural full release or do a controlled quick release when you make Instant Pot applesauce. The apples get super foamy in the pressure cooker, and they will spray everywhere with a quick release!
You can mash the apples with a potato masher or fork if you like chunkier applesauce. But since I wanted the applesauce to be as smooth as possible, I used an immersion blender here.
How Long does Homemade Applesauce Last?
You can serve your homemade applesauce warm or refrigerate it for later. Homemade applesauce should last up to a week in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. We thought it tasted even better the next day!
Recipes that use applesauce
Instant Pot Applesauce Recipe
Easy Instant Pot Applesauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 small apples peeled or unpeeled, cored and sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt (optional)
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Add the apples to the Instant Pot
- Sprinkle cinnamon and sea salt over apples, and pour water around the sides
- Cover, turn vent to sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes
- Pot will take a few minutes to reach pressure, then cook for 4 minutes and beep when cooking is done
- Do a gradual quick release to avoid liquid spraying from Pot, or allow pot to release naturally. When pin drops, open lid, and use an immersion blender for smooth applesauce or stir or mash with fork for chunky applesauce
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe was originally published in 2018 and updated for extra tips and clarity in 2019
How simple! Kids loved it. We had a bunch of apples that we needed to use up, too! Yummy!
Awesome! I’m so glad you all liked the applesauce!
Your Applesauce looks delicious, Dee. Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday.
Miz Helen
Why buy store bought at all when it’s so easy to make at home!
Such an awesome side dish! It sounds really easy to make!
Perfect for school lunches!
Nothing beats homemade applesauce, it’s the best!
Yet another fabulous dish for me to try in the Instant Pot! What a great recipe for the season’s fruit!
This is a great way to use up apples if you go apple picking! 🙂
My sister would love this!
I love homemade applesauce and now I can’t wait to make some in the instant pot! What a great way to do it!
It’s so easy this way!
What a great way to make this at home. It’s perfect for school lunches!
Thanks, Des. We just love it!