There’s nothing quite like the cozy aroma of homemade apple sauce simmering in your kitchen. This easy instant pot apple sauce recipe transforms freshly picked apples into a smooth, naturally sweet treat — no refined sugar needed. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort, you’ll have a batch of apple sauce from scratch that’s perfect for snacking, baking, or freezing for later.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’ve ever stood over the stove stirring a pot of apples for what feels like forever, you’ll appreciate how simple this instant pot apple sauce is. The pressure cooker does all the work in a fraction of the time, leaving you with tender apples that blend into silky perfection. Plus, this version is completely refined sugar free — the apples and cinnamon provide all the flavor you need.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs apples (freshly picked if possible, mixed varieties for best flavor)
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup water
That’s it! No added sugar, no preservatives — just pure apple goodness.
How to Make It
- Prep the apples: Wash and core and roughly chop your apples. Leave skins on for higher nutritional value extra fiber and pectin which helps the sauce to thicken!
- Load the Instant Pot: Add the apples, cinnamon, and water. (note, water should just cover the bottom of the pot, you don't want too much or your sauce will be overly runny!)
- Cook: Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Manual or Pressure Cook for 10 minutes.
- Natural release: Let the pressure release naturally for 10-15 minutes, then carefully vent the remaining steam.
- Mash or blend: For a chunky texture, mash with a potato masher. For smooth apple sauce, use an immersion blender.
That’s all it takes to make the best homemade apple sauce you’ve ever tasted.
Tips for Perfect Apple Sauce
- Use a mix of apples: Combine sweet and tart varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Granny Smith for balanced flavor.
- Skip the sugar: If your apples are especially tart, add a splash of maple syrup — still keeping it refined sugar free.
- Store or freeze: Keep in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in portions for up to six months.
Serving Ideas
This easy instant pot apple sauce is delicious on its own, but it’s also amazing stirred into oatmeal, served over vanilla ice cream or with pork chops. You can also use it as a healthy baking substitute for oil or sugar.
Once you see how quick it is to make apple sauce from scratch, you’ll never go back to store-bought again.
Instant pot apple sauce
This easy instant pot apple sauce is made from scratch with fresh apples, cinnamon, and no refined sugar. Perfect for snacks, baking, or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs apples (freshly picked if possible, mixed varieties for best flavor)
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Prep the apples: Wash and core and roughly chop your apples. Leave skins on for higher nutritional value extra fiber and pectin which helps the sauce to thicken!
Load the Instant Pot: Add the apples, cinnamon, and water. (note, water should just cover the bottom of the pot, you don't want too much or your sauce will be overly runny!)
Cook: Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Manual or Pressure Cook for 10 minutes.
Natural release: Let the pressure release naturally for 10-15 minutes, then carefully vent the remaining steam.
Mash or blend: For a chunky texture, mash with a potato masher. For smooth apple sauce, use an immersion blender.
Leave a Reply