If you love Apples, Delicious Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe is one you should certainly make this fall. This recipe is the epitome of fall to me and it couldn’t get easier, made in the Instant pot . This Instant Pot apple sauce / apple butter recipe does not require peeling, has no added sugar and can be made in under 30 minutes! You have an amazing spread for waffles, bagels, muffins, pancakes. So skip the store-bought stuff and make your own sweet, tart butter in just a few easy steps. Check out the video recipe.
This recipe was originally published in November 2015 and has been updated with instructions for instant pot and new pictures.
What is apple butter & What is apple butter made of?
How to make Delicious Homemade Apple butter?
If you haven’t had apple butter before, it is sort of like super-concentrated applesauce. Nothing could be better than homemade apple butter / applesauce and your house smelling of sweetness and spice all day long. Apples are cooked in a pressure cooker with warm spices and then caramelized to make this sweet thick dark apple preserve (like a spreadable apple pie). Its great on toast, stirred into your Instant pot Steel Cut Oat, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, served over pancakes or biscuits, graham crackers, etc.
When to make homemade Apple butter
Though Apples are available all year around, they are at their flavor best from September through November in the US. I can’t believe summer is almost at its last leg and soon Apple picking season will be among us. Apple picking is definitely a popular activity during the fall. Whether it’s with family, friends or your significant other, it’s easy to spend a full day at the orchard.
Both my boys love the produces that are sold in the apple farmers market. These range from delicious juices to apple cider donuts, compotes, purees, and apple cider vinegar, all of which are organic, naturally. However, what we love the most is to fill our bag with our favorite apples and take them home to make this delicious apple butter, our air fryer apple chips, eat them raw and other delicacies.
Which apples are best for apple butter?
Since the apples are going to be cooked, hence you should use soft apples, like McIntosh/ Golden Delicious, to make homemade apple butter. Because they break down quicker than hard apples when cooked and hence easier to prepare.
How to buy: Look for firm fruits and avoid those with bruises, wrinkles, or cuts in the peel.
How to store: It is recommended to keep apples refrigerated to help increase life. Although they look lovely arranged in a bowl on the table, they’ll become soft if left out at room temperature for longer duration.
What’s the difference between homemade apple butter and apple sauce?
While both apple sauce and apple butter are made by cooking apples with water and spices until soft and saucy. Apple butter is cooked for a longer duration to reduce it to a creamy butter like spread. The butter is thick glossy and can be preserved for a longer duration than applesauce.
How long is homemade apple butter good for?
This lasts a long time in the refrigerator, at least 4 weeks if not longer. One more way is to smell and look at the apple butter if the butter develops an off odor, flavor or appearance, or if mold appears, it should be discarded.
Kitchen tools you need .
- Apple Slicer – I’m telling you, this is so worth every penny we spent
- Immersion Blender – This will allow you to get the texture or consistency that you want.
- Instant Pot – We used our 6-quart Instant Pot.
Can you freeze apple butter?
This recipe makes roughly an 8 oz jar of apple butter. You can just double the recipe if you would like more. It makes for a really a lovely gift. Hence for that reason you might as well make a big batch. Add a bit of twine around the jar, a little note tag and grab a fresh baguette and you are done with a personalized return gift.
Easy Instant pot Applesauce Video Recipe
Easy Instant Pot Homemade Apple Butter
If you love Apples, Delicious & Sugar Free Instant Pot Homemade Apple Butter Recipe is one you should certainly make this fall. This recipe is the epitome of fall to me and it couldn't get easier, made in the instant pot or slow cooker. This Instant Pot applesauce / apple butter recipe has no added sugar and can be made in under 30 minutes! You have an amazing spread for waffles, bagels, muffins, pancakes. So skip the store-bought stuff and make your own sweet, tart butter in just a few easy steps. Check out the video recipe.
Ingredients
- Apples - 4 pounds (12 -15 apples)
- Water or apple juice - ½ cup
- Dash of vanilla extract - 1 tbsp
- Cinnamon - 1 tbsp
- Allspice - ¼ tsp
- Nutmeg - ⅛ tsp
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Wash and slice apples with a apple slicer .
- Add apple slices ,spices ,lemon juice and water to the inner pot of your Instant Pot.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot, set vent to sealing, pressure cook it for 15 minutes.
- When done , quick release the pressure.
- Remove the lid and puree the cooked apples and spices with an immersion blender .
- Blend it till everything is smooth and lump-free.
- Press the SAUTE button.
- Place a glass cover and keep stirring the apple butter frequently ,it will take for 10- 20minutes until it thickens.
- Be careful with this step, as the mixture is HOT and splashes up.
- Keep boiling until the desired consistency is achieved. Use the spoon to draw a line through the apple butter on the bottom of the pot if the line holds for 5 seconds before the apple butter merges back together, it's finished cooking.
- After the apple butter reaches the desired consistency , let it cool.
- Transfer it into jars and store in the fridge for a week, or you can also freeze it in freezer jars or can it
Recommended Products
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KitchenAid KHB1231WH 2-Speed Hand Blender, White -
OXO Good Grips Apple Slicer, Corer and Divider
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Instant Pot Ultra 6 Qt 10-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer
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Mealthy MultiPot 9-in-1 Programmable Slow and Pressure Cooker
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Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer
Liz says
This was very tasty! I’m an Instapot newbie so I added more water than I should. It took forever to cook it down to the consistency of apple butter.
Melissa says
My nuwave pot doesn’t have a sauté button. I used the sear button. Is that about the same?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Melissa, yes dear or if you have time and don’t want hot splashes you can slow cook for 4-6 hours :)
Bonnie says
My family used to get together and make apple butter every year in a huge copper kettle. The elders of the family that always ran things are a bit older now and who wants to get up at 4 a.m. and freeze while peeling hundreds of dollars worth of apples. In about an hour I have enough apple butter to last more than a month. Peanut butter & apple butter sandwiches are delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I’m really proud that I was able to follow it and have it turn out so well.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Bonnie, Thanks for sharing your wonderful memory and glad to hear you enjoyed this apple butter recipe 😀 xoxo
Cassie says
Dee it is able to be Canned, and can be done in the instant pot as well.
Cassie Richwine says
Yes, and you can do that in instant pot too.
Michelle says
1 lemon squeezed of the juice? Or 1 container of the lemon juice sold in stores?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Michelle, it’s juice of 1 lemon. Hope this helps
Jacqueline says
Anyone can it afterwards, how long to process? Thanks in advance
Dee Chambers says
Is it possible to can it into canning jars after cooking and blending. I don’t want to freeze it or use it right away.
Thank you!
Pam Hulme says
Do you take the seeds out of the apples, it just says slice them.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Pam,Yes remove the seeds please. we used a apple slicer which removes the seeds.
Suze says
It does help! I guess I didn’t realize how much it cooks down nor how many apples it takes. Thanks! I’m going to give it a try!
Suze says
I would love to make this, as I looooove apple butter and cannot seem to find a low/no added sugar one commercially.
I have one question – am I reading this correctly that 4 pounds of apples only makes between 1 and 2 cups of apple butter? That just seems so little yield – but I’ve never made it and just don’t know.
Thanks!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Suze, glad this recipe interests you. It can yield any were between 2 cups to 3 cups depending on how much thick you want your apple butter. Apple reduces alot after pressure cooking and further more if you keep sauteing it. Hope this helps.
Alexa says
This was so good!! I used honey crispy apples and my whole family is eating this apple butter with everything!!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Alexa, we are so glad to hear that 😀❤
Barbara says
Can I use a potato masher instead of mixer?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Barbara, yes you can , but it won’t be a fine paste texture. Hipe this helps. Do share your experience with us.
GordN says
Juice of 1 lemon? Is that what you mean?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi GordN, its means juice of 1 lemon.
Jenn says
Do you make with red or green apples? I have a bag of green but wondering if it would be too tart
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Jen, the blog post recipe was made with golden delicious, but I have made it so many times now and experimented with different apples. If you want to just green apple (granny smith) I would suggest add 1 or 2 cups of brown sugar ot regular sugar as they are tart. Hope this helps.if you end up making it do share your experience with us. Xoxo
Joelle says
This apple butter is delicious. No joke about the burning hot splashes though! Be sure to wear gloves or something!
Bethany says
Looks really good but I don’t own an instapot or pressure cooker. Any other way to make apple butter?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Bethany, you can make it on stove pot. Put everything in a large pot add additional water and cook it for 30 mins on medium heat . Blend it in a mixer and add it again in the pot and continue to cook till desired consistency.
Erin says
How much does this make?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Erin, it depends on how thick you want your apple butter to be. Approximately between 1-1/2 cup to 2 cups.
Hope you give it a try soon apple season is here 🍎🍏🍎
Judy Engel says
Are the instructions different for applesauce?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Judy, No the process is the same.its ready after you blend it . You can Refer to the video in the recipe too it’s says when your 🍎 sauce is ready :) xoxo
Amy says
Just to clarify, is it one while lemon or a tablespoon/teaspoon? And at what point do you add the lemon? I may be missing it on the instructions… Sorry…
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Amy, it’s 1 lemon juice :) add it with the apples and spices.hope you try it and share your feedback with us 😊 xoxo
Maryal says
Omg I need to make this STAT! I feel like this will be a fall snack staple for me – too yummy! Saving this :)
Teresa W says
Looks delish! I’m guessing that the apples are peeled first?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Teresa, No , the apples are not peeled. Just make sure you wash the apples nicely.
Amanda Krieger says
mmmmm, great recipe! i’ve been looking for a good easy apple sauce recipe!
everydaywithmadirae says
Yum! This recipe has me in the mood for fall!! Apple butter is seriously my favorite!
-madi xo | http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
Kasey Ma says
This looks so yummy! Can’t wait for the fall to go apple picking and make this!
Kasey Ma
http://www.TheStyleWright.com
Email: [email protected]
geekydaddydave says
I love apple butter and my toddler loves apple sauce. We will be giving this a try this weekend!
Leanne Wong says
I’m so glad I came across your recipe because I am a HUUUGE fan of apple jam and this apple butter sauce looks so creamy and divine. Saved!
Lorna says
This looks delicious and brings back memories. My Grandpa used to make homemade apple butter.
Kristin says
Yum! This looks yummy!!
Sara Welch says
What a flavorful recipe! So easy and perfectly sweet, too!
Andrea Metlika says
I love apple butter but it always go bad before I use it all. I am glad to know I can make this and freeze it. Then I can make smaller jars.
Colleen says
I love that there’s no added sugar in this recipe and can’t wait to make it!
Roxana says
This apple butter looks fantastic. So creamy and I love the burst of flavors from the spices. And a really nice and thorough post.
Kristine says
This apple butter was absolutely delicious! So full of fall flavors, which I appreciate all year long! And so easy to make. I’ll definitely make this recipe again, thank you!