Instant Pot Applesauce is by far the easiest way to make applesauce at home. Just cut the apples into slices, throw them in your electric pressure cooker, press a button, and walk away! It’s the BEST applesauce you’ll ever taste, with no added sugar.
How to Make Instant Pot Applesauce
To make applesauce in your Instant Pot, you’ll get started by slicing the apples. I like to use an apple slicer that removes the core at the same time to make the process as fast as possible, but you can simply use a knife if you prefer to cut your own slices.
Do You Have to Peel Apples when Making Applesauce?
It is not necessary to peel your apples when making applesauce. Much of their nutrition is found in the peel, so I prefer to leave it on to get maximum benefits. This also means less work for you! The peels become very soft when cooked in the Instant Pot, so they are easily pureed when blended after cooking.
If you prefer a chunky applesauce, I do recommend peeling the apples so that you can simply use a potato masher to make the applesauce after the cooking process is complete. The peels will not break down with a potato masher the way they do in a blender, so it’s easier if you remove them before cooking in this case.
What Kind of Apples are Best for Making Applesauce?
My mother has always told me that McIntosh and Jonathan apples make the best applesauce, but those aren’t always available in my local store. (I try to choose organic apples when possible, since I don’t peel my apples for this.)
Instead, I’ve fallen in love with using Gala apples in my applesauce. They are naturally sweet, and make the best homemade applesauce, without the need for any added sugar. I’ve also made it using Honeycrisp apples, which are just slightly more tart, but still sweet.
How To Use Your Instant Pot
If you’re new to using the Instant Pot, the main thing you need to know is how to cook on manual and whether your recipe calls for a natural release or a quick release. This Instant Pot recipe includes step-by-step directions below, but these photos also help to give you an idea of what your machine should look like during the process.
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My 6-quart Instant Pot is older, so it has a “Manual” button that I use to pressure cook. Newer models have a button that says “Pressure Cook” instead, but both buttons do the same thing. For this recipe, we’re cooking at high pressure for 10 minutes.
The Instant Pot will take 6 to 10 minutes to come to pressure, and the cook cycle countdown doesn’t start until the pot is pressurized. You can tell the pot is pressurized when the floating valve in the lid has popped up.
This recipe calls for a 10 minute natural release. When 10 minutes has passed, the screen on the Instant Pot will read LO:10, and that’s when you can move the steam release valve to Venting. Any remaining steam pressure will release through the top of that valve, and when the floating valve next to it drops, that’s when you know it’s safe to remove the lid. (The floating valve will be silver or red, depending on the Instant Pot model you own.)
How Long Does Homemade Applesauce Last?
My kids gobble this up, so it never lasts longer than a week in our house. However, store bought applesauce says it can last up to 10 days in the fridge, so that’s the rule I go by with my homemade version, too. To be on the safe side, look for mold every time you open the jar and always use a clean utensil when serving from the jar to help the applesauce last as long as possible.
Instant Pot Applesauce
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples , cored and sliced (no need to peel)
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Place the apple slices into the bottom of your Instant Pot and add in the water. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take 6 to 10 minutes for the pot to pressurize, so it will simply say ON before the cook cycle starts.
- When the cook cycle is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. The screen will read LO:10 when the 10 minutes are up, and then you can move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
- When the floating valve in the lid drops, it's safe to remove the lid. Transfer the cooked apples and juices to a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend directly in the pot.
- Pour the applesauce into a large glass jar and seal it with a lid. Store your Instant Pot applesauce in the fridge for up to 10 days and serve chilled.
Video
Nutrition
Per 1/2 cup: Calories: 88, Fat: 0g, Carbohyrdates: 23g, Fiber: 4g, Protein: 0g
Recipe Notes:
- For a chunky applesauce, peel the apples before cooking and then use a potato masher to make the applesauce, so that it’s not a pureed texture.
- You can add any other flavorings you like to this applesauce. I sometimes add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a cinnamon flavor, or I’ll replace a pound of apples with one pound of other fruit, such as strawberries or mangos. You can use frozen fruit that is already chopped for convenience. I’ve found that strawberry applesauce needs 2-3 dates added for sweetness, but the mango is delicious on its own!
- I have a separate post for making slow cooker applesauce if you prefer to use that!
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Reader Feedback: Have you tried making your own applesauce before?
I love how easy the apple sauce is to make- my daughter loves when I make this recipe.
I love that I don’t have to peel the apples for this! I’ve made Instant Pot applesauce before, but I really appreciate how you simplify the process, Megan. This is my new go-to recipe!
I make this almost every week. I had no idea what I was missing by not making my own applesauce. Last batch I added strawberries and a couple of dates, so, so good. Megan, thanks so much for the recipes.
Can I freeze applesauce?
wondering the same about freezing. I can’t see why not. I am going to
Yes! I freeze mine in mason jars and it thaws out beautifully and still tastes great! I plan on making a huge batch and canning it for the winter!
Hi there. Can you please tell me approx how many cups 3# apples makes? Thank you
After making this recipe for the first time, I went out to the supermarket and bought 6 (!!!) bags of organic apples to make lots of apple sauce. This recipe is so awesome! I was wondering if I could double the batch(I have a 6 quart), and how much water would I use?
This recipe was really easy and good. I made this twice, the second time I used 1/3 cup of apple juice instead of water and that was a great way to make it a little bit sweeter.
I made this in my IP exactly (with opal apples) and added cinnamon. It has an extremely metallic taste. I can’t eat it – any ideas why this happened?
Some people add 1/3 cup Orange juice to their recipe like the one person added a bit of apple juice. Sounded like a good idea!
Great healthy recipe!! Making it right now for the second time. 😊
was perfect in texture and taste!
I’m so glad it worked well for you! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
I have so much liquid left. What did I do wrong?
Hmm… do you mean there’s a lot of liquid after blending or mashing the apples? It thickens up a lot in the fridge, but there’s definitely supposed to be some liquid in the apples to help them blend.
There was tons of liquid floating on top after I mashed the apples. I used Sweet Tango and Honeycrisp. Maybe they just have a lot of water in them
Just tried this recipe and it turned out great! So easy and delicious!
I used a variety of apples. Easy and yummy. I did use immersion blender and did not peel the apples, to leave all the nutrients. Next batch will be peeled and chunky.
Love this method, and it turns out great! My kids love applesauce, and this couldn’t be more simple. I make a large batch, and then freeze portions in glass mason jars to thaw and serve later. I love being able to make this applesauce with absolutely no preservatives!
If I used blueberries instead of strawberries would I still need to add the dates?
Can I use frozen apples? if so how much apples do you think?