• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

  • New? Start Here
  • Contact

Sweet Peas and Saffron

meal prep recipes for busy people

  • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Sides
      • Salad
      • Soups & Stews
      • Drinks
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Grill
      • One Pot Meals
    • Diet
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Carb
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Nut Free
    • Protein
      • Beans
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Lentils
      • Seafood
      • Pork
    • Recipe Index
  • Air Fryer
  • Instant Pot
  • Shop
    • Shop Meal Plans
    • Shop Favorites
  • Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

    Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Home Method Instant Pot
5
/5
1 hour 5 minutes

Instant Pot Apple Butter

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Nut Free Nut Free Vegan Vegan Vegetarian Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard2 Comments
Posted: 9/27/21 Updated: 9/21/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This Instant Pot apple butter tastes like it was cooked all day - but secretly only takes just over an hour! Made with three simple ingredients and no added sugar, it's a delicious fall treat that is vegan, gluten-free, and made with wholesome ingredients.

Just like our Instant Pot applesauce recipe, the pressure cooker does all the hard work for this Instant Pot apple butter - making it so easy to prepare. You can also make crockpot apple butter, which takes a little bit longer to make but is also easy and tasty.

ingredients for apple butter in instant pot before cooking
Jump to... show
1 Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
2 Recipe Video
3 What Is Apple Butter?
4 Ingredient Notes
5 Types Of Apples You Can Use
6 Step by Step Directions
7 FAQ
8 14 Ways To Use it up
9 Storage
10 Gift Option
11 More Seasonal Instant Pot Recipes
12 Instant Pot Apple Butter

This apple butter is the ultimate fall treat that is both indulgent and easy. With no added sugar, it still tastes sweet thanks to the natural sugars in the apples, and cinnamon which enhances the sweetness!

Made with just three simple ingredients (plus water), you can have it ready using the Instant Pot in just over an hour. No peeling the apples needed, and no babysitting a pot on the stove for hours as it cooks down and thickens.

Homemade apple butter can be spread on toast, enjoyed in oatmeal, or even as a natural sweetener in baking! This recipe makes about 8 cups, so you'll have lots of extra for sharing and gifting - or you can store it away in the freezer for later.

Reasons You'll Love This Recipe

  • With no added sugar, it is bursting with apple cinnamon flavor, and is even better than store bought apple butter
  • It makes a thoughtful gift - add it to a fall gift basket in a mason jar tied up with a bow!
  • It stores really well in the fridge or freezer, and can be used up in many different ways

Recipe Video

Watch the video below to see how to cook this recipe! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel and Facebook page.

What Is Apple Butter?

Apple butter is a slightly more rich, sweet, and luxurious version of applesauce. While applesauce cooks up quickly, apple butter typically simmers away on the stovetop or in a slow cooker all day. Cooking it for longer than apple sauce allows it to thicken and caramelize the spices and sugars from the apples. 

Ingredient Notes

ingredients required to make instant pot apple butter
  • Apples - we recommend using a mixture of red and green apples for the best flavor; you may leave the skins on or take the time to peel them. See below for more info on types of apples you can use for this recipe.
  • Vanilla - vanilla extract adds sweetness and a delicious aroma
  • Cinnamon - brings out the flavors of the apples and compliments their natural sweetness.

Types Of Apples You Can Use

For this Instant Pot apple butter, we have found that combining different apple varieties gives your applesauce so much more depth of flavor. We would advise staying away from macintosh or red delicious apples because they can add a mealy texture to the sauce.

Here are some varieties that you could include:

  • granny smith - we don't recommend using 100% granny smith apples but to mix them in with a sweeter red apple
  • fuji
  • golden delicious
  • braeburn
  • courtland
  • ambrosia
  • gala

Step by Step Directions

Prepare Apples

Chop apples into 8 pieces, removing the core. Leave the skin on or peel it off.

overhead view of instant pot filled with apples and cinnamon

Combine

In the stainless steel pot of a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, place the apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and ¼ cup of water.

Note - though this recipe only has ¼ cup of added liquid, the apples release a lot of liquid while heating, which helps bring the Instant Pot to pressure. We had success in both 6 and 8 quart Instant Pots using ¼ cup liquid.

instant pot with 5 minutes on the timer

Pressure Cook

Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook for 10 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, allow the pressure to release naturally (around 30 minutes).

immersion blender in instant pot blending sauce

Purée

Using an immersion blender, purée the apples until smooth.

Note- we love this immersion blender!

instant pot set to saute on low

Simmer

Select the 'sauté' button on the Instant Pot, then select 'adjust' to set the pot to the lowest sauté temperature. Allow the apple butter to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

Once the apple butter has reduced to the consistency you'd like, use oven mitts to remove the inner pot from the base of the Instant Pot, and allow it to cool.

apple butter sauteeing in the instant pot

Serve

Spread it on toast, swirl into oatmeal, or enjoy as is.


FAQ

Do the apples need to be peeled for Instant Pot apple butter?

No! This apple butter is so simple because there's no peeling involved. We were able to get a nice smooth consistency by pureeing well. If you want it to be ultra-smooth, then you might want to peel.

Will the apple butter thicken as it cools?

Yes, the apple butter with thicken up more as it cools. It also thickens during the simmering step, after pressure cooking.

Does apple butter actually contain butter?

No, this recipe is dairy-free and vegan. It is called "butter" thanks to the creamy smooth consistency. In fact, it's actually more similar to jam, and you could call it "apple jam"!


14 Ways To Use it up

Apple butter makes a great gift during the fall season. It's always fun to share a jar or two with family or friends or in your next hostess gift basket! But, if you still have lots leftover, you can also use it up in the following ways:

  1. Slather it on top of pancakes
  2. In oatmeal or steel cut oats
  3. In overnight oats
  4. Spread it on toast
  5. With a charcuterie spread or appetizer platter - apple always pairs well with cheese!
  6. With pork ternderloin
  7. Slathered on muffuins, like these apple coffeecake muffins or on pumpkin bread!
  8. On french toast
  9. In these brown butter apple blondies
  10. With homemade waffles
  11. As a side with overnight french toast bake
  12. On roasted brussels sprouts with maple butter
  13. In a honey, apple, cheddar and bacon panini
  14. Use it as a natural sweetener in baking, just as you would apple sauce. These rhubarb muffins would work great with apple butter

Storage

side view of apple butter in jar
  • Fridge - Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
  • Freeze - Freeze in an airtight freezer container for up to 6 months. Alternatively, you can freeze in jars using the tips below.
  • Canning - we've never canned this recipe before, but if you know how to can jams and sauces, you could also can this apple butter to preserve it.

Gift Option

Want to give this as a gift? Download our free printable apple butter gift tags!

Free Printable Gift Tag

Tips for Freezing In Jars

Here are a few tips for freezing black beans in mason jars to avoid the jars breaking:

  1. Make sure to select canning jars; repurposed pasta sauce or food jars are not designed to withstand dramatic temperature shifts and can break.
  2. Avoid jars that have 'shoulders' and taper in at the top, as they are more prone to breaking
  3. Leave an inch from the top of the jar empty to account for expansion when freezing
  4. Leave the lids ajar until the beans are frozen solid- at this point, you can secure them!

More Seasonal Instant Pot Recipes

  • Instant Pot cranberry sauce
  • Leftover turkey bone broth
  • Instant Pot brussels sprouts
  • Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower 
  • Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

ingredients for apple butter in instant pot before cooking

Instant Pot Apple Butter

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Time to pressurize + natural pressure release: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
Print Rate
This Instant Pot apple butter tastes like it was cooked all day - but secretly only takes just over an hour! Made with three simple ingredients and no added sugar, it's a delicious fall treat that is vegan, gluten-free, and made with wholesome ingredients.
8 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 lbs apples see note 1
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup water see note 2

Instructions 

  • Prepare apples - Chop apples into 8 pieces, removing the core. Leave the skin on or peel it off (see note 1).
  • Combine - In the stainless steel pot of a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, place the apples, cinnamon, vanilla and ¼ cup of water.
    overhead view of instant pot filled with apples and cinnamon
  • Cook - Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook for 10 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, allow the pressure to release naturally (around 30 minutes).
    apple butter ingredients after cooking
  • Purée - Using an immersion blender, purée the apples until smooth.
    immersion blender in instant pot blending sauce
  • Simmer - Select the 'sauté' button on the Instant Pot, then select 'adjust' to set the pot on the lowest sauté temperature. Allow the apple butter to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Once the apple butter has reduced to the consistency you'd like, use oven mitts to remove the inner pot from the base of the Instant Pot, and allow to cool.
    instant pot set to saute on low
  • Serve- spread it on toast, swirl into oatmeal, or enjoy as is.
    side view of apple butter in jar

Tips:

  1. I recommend using a mixture of red and green apples for the best flavor; you may leave the skins on or take the time to peel them.
  2. though this recipe only has ¼ cup of added liquid, the apples release a lot of liquid while heating, which helps bring the Instant Pot to pressure. We had success in both 6 and 8 quart Instant Pots using ¼ cup liquid.
 
Storage
Fridge - Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freeze - Freeze in an airtight freezer container for up to 6 months. Alternatively, you can freeze in jars, using the tips above in this blog post.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 184kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 371mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 36g, Vitamin A: 187IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Shop This Post

6 Quart Instant Pot
8 Quart Instant Pot
Immersion blender
Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
Tag Me On Instagram Rate Recipe
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

You May Also Like...

  • cranberry sauce on spoon lifted out of instant pot
    Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
  • collage image of multiple foods with text overlay for instant pot holiday recipes
    Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes
  • overhead shot of sweet potatoes lined up with text showing number of minutes to cook each
    PERFECT Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
  • overhead shot of a pile of corn cobs with knob of butter and pepper on top
    Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
meal prep friendly high protein snack ideas. Graphic with 8 snack images; text reads high protein snack ideas
Previous Post
High Protein Snacks
image graphic with text reading: 21 vegan crock pot recipes
Next Post
21 Vegan Crockpot Recipes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




  1. Adam Adkison says

    Posted on 10/3/21 at Posted on 10/3/21

    5 stars
    Made this tonight with leftover apples from harvest, turned out amazing!

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 10/4/21 at Posted on 10/4/21

      Hi Adam, we're so glad that this Instant Pot apple butter turned out amazing for you! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review 🙂

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Denise

Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

Meal Prep

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

Freezer Meals

Slow Cooker

Breakfast

Popular

overhead shot of sweet potatoes lined up with text showing number of minutes to cook each

PERFECT Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

overhead shot of 7 easy stir fry sauces on gray background

7 Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipes

overhead shot of a variety of seven easy rice recipes with text description

7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker)

5 minute asian salad dressing in a mason jar on gray background

5 Minute Asian Salad Dressing

Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Reader Faves

overhead shot of blue mason jar filled with crispy chickpeas

ULTRA Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

a stack of fluffy protein pancakes with blueberries on top and syrup being drizzled over them

Perfect Fluffy Protein Pancakes (no banana!)

ingredients to make greek seasoning blend with labels on white background

Easy Greek Seasoning Blend

collage image that says 25 popular meal prep ideas

25 Most Popular Lunch Meal Prep Ideas

As seen on:

Wondering where to start?

Get my Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Join My Free Meal Prep Challenge!
  • Browse Recipes
    • Dinner
    • Lunch
    • Breakfast
    • Snacks
    • Drinks
    • Air Fryer
    • Instant Pot
    • Freezer
  • Meal Prep 101
    • Shop Meal Plans
    • Meal Prep Basics
    • Meal Prep Challenge
    • Quick Start Guide
Back to Top

Privacy Policy

Disclaimers

Contact

Accessibility

Causes

About

© 2023 Sweet Peas and Saffron
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Logo by Wooden Spoons