I will be the first to say that not every ingredient is necessarily better to make from scratch (puff pastry, I am looking at you). Homemade applesauce, however, is worth it every single time. The fresh, unadulterated autumn-ness of homemade applesauce sings in a way that packaged applesauce, locked away on a shelf, simply cannot. Every year, I pick far too many apples at our orchard, a self-fulling prophecy I have absolutely zero plans to thwart. With the Apple Bread, the best ever Cinnamon Apple Crisp in The Well Plated Cookbook, and Fresh Apple Cake to go around, why limit the supply? Fall baking is a wonderful place to start, but when you have more apples than you know what to do with, it’s time to call in the big-batch apple recipes: Apple Cider, Slow Cooker Apple Butter, and today’s splendid Instant Pot applesauce.

How to Make Instant Pot Applesauce

I adapted this pressure cooker recipe from my Crockpot Applesauce recipe.

Like the original, it uses a full 3-pounds of apples, makes a fantastic healthy snack, side, or even dessert.You can make it with sugar or without sugar depending upon your preferences.Making applesauce in the Instant Pot makes the entire process fast and easy.

Just 8 minutes cook time are all you need for Instant Pot applesauce!

The Ingredients

Apples. Naturally sweet and juicy, apples are a fan-favorite fruit. Applesauce is one of my favorite ways to use apples, as it celebrates their flavor and is nutritious. Apples are packed with vitamins and antioxidants.

Lemon Juice. Since the apples will lose some of their natural acidity during cooking, lemon juice helps make the applesauce taste its best. Spices. A little pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon will give your applesauce a boost of flavor. Sweetener. While adding a sweetener is optional, it is certainly delicious! You can use honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate applesauce in an airtight storage container for up to 10 days. To Freeze. You can freeze homemade applesauce. Freeze leftovers (once cooled) in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. 

Ways to Use Instant Pot Applesauce

Baked Goods. Enjoy your applesauce in Applesauce Cake, Vegan Zucchini Bread, Cornbread Muffins, Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins, Honey Bars, and all these other recipes. Fritters. Applesauce on potato pancakes is classic! For a similar pairing, try it on these Potato Fritters with Zucchini. Soups. Applesauce works wonderfully as a sweet addition to savory soups like Acorn Squash Soup.Oatmeal. For a delicious breakfast, stir some applesauce into your Steel Cut Oats, Pumpkin Oatmeal, or Overnight Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats.Pancakes. Swap out the maple syrup (or add it too!) for applesauce on these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes, Gingerbread Pancakes, and Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes.With Pork. Applesauce is a perfect side dish for Grilled Pork Chops or Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin.

Instant Pot. Ideal for making this Instant Pot applesauce recipe. Potato Masher. Use an immersion blender for a smoother applesauce. Citrus Juicer. Never juice a lemon by hand again.

I’ve run out of reasons not to make Instant Pot applesauce from scratch. Haven’t you?

If you want a chunky applesauce, peel your apples. Since the applesauce will be mashed instead of blended, it’s important the peels are removed or the texture will be off.If you want the fastest possible prep, don’t mind a darker colored applesauce, and don’t mind pureeing the sauce until it’s very smooth, make your Instant Pot applesauce with peels on. The peels do have bonus fiber and nutrients, so this can be a good route. You’ll want to blend the sauce until it is VERY smooth, so the peels completely break down.

Sweet. Honeycrisp, Gala, Pink Lady, Fuji, Golden DeliciousTart. Granny Smith, McIntosh, Johnathan, Harlson, and Cortland

Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe.

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