I’m still getting over how easy it is to make applesauce in the Instant Pot. Toss in your apples, water, and spices, then close the lid and cook. Release the pressure, and you’ve got applesauce! Our family loves homemade applesauce. It tastes way better than the jars or packets at the store and makes your kitchen smell incredible! If you’ve got some leftover apples, try our apple butter recipe. It’s like applesauce but thicker and spreadable.
Key Ingredients
Apples: I love sweet, crisp apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Cox, Gala, and Pink Lady. They taste great after cooking, and since they are already on the sweeter side, I usually don’t need to add any sweetener. Spices: You can experiment with different spices for this recipe, but I love cinnamon sticks and whole star anise. I also add a splash of vanilla extract, which makes the applesauce taste incredible. Lemon: I love adding a little acid to the apples. Fresh lemon juice is perfect, but fresh orange juice or apple cider vinegar are great substitutes. Sweetener (optional): I usually skip the sweetener, but you can stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. If you plan to add some, add the sweetener after the applesauce has finished cooking. This way, you can add to taste.
How to Make Instant Pot Applesauce
Making applesauce in a pressure cooker is simple and fuss-free. Toss peeled apples, spices (I like cinnamon and star anise), lemon juice, and water into the pressure cooker. Then, close the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to release naturally for 20 minutes (this is important for the best texture), and finally, open the lid and mash or stir the apples into a sauce. So easy! If you find the applesauce too tart, stir in a bit of sweetener, like sugar or honey, at the end. Peeled apples make this recipe easy, but you can use skin-on apples. If you do, use a food mill fitted with a medium disk to blend the sauce and remove most of the cooked skins for the best texture. You can puree the skins into the sauce if you do not have a food mill. Or pass the sauce through a mesh strainer to remove the skins. **The cooking time for this applesauce is 5 minutes, but keep in mind that the pressure cooker takes additional time to reach pressure before the cooking time begins and releases the pressure after the cooking time ends. One 3-inch cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 to 2 whole star anise, optional 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice, or apple cider vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or other sweetener to taste, optional 2Place the apples, cinnamon stick, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and star anise into the bottom of a 6-quart electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot). 3Add 1/3 cup of water, then stir the apples around the pot a few times. 4Close the lid, select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” function, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Note that the timer will not start until there is enough pressure inside the pot, so it may not start for a few minutes. 5When the cooking time is up, do not immediately open the lid and instead let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, release the remaining pressure using the quick-release button (be careful to keep your hands and face away from the venting steam). 6Stir or mash the apples into your preferred consistency. An immersion blender also works, but the apples should be so soft that a spoon is enough to mash them into a sauce. 7Taste the applesauce. If you would like to add a sweetener, add it to taste. Start with a teaspoon and then add more as needed. 8The applesauce will thicken a little as it cools, but if it seems too watery, return it to the pressure cooker, turn the sauté function on, and simmer until reduced a little.
