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3 Minute Instant Pot Applesauce (no sugar, real food, paleo)

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3 Minute Instant Pot Applesauce is so easy to make! This quick cooking method helps the applesauce turn out perfectly every time – and it tastes amazing. Plus this homemade applesauce has healthy, nourishing, real food ingredients!

Overhead of Instant Pots with raw apples and cinnamon, cooked apples in cinnamon and a bowl filled with homemade applesauce with apple slices and cinnamon sticks next to the bowl. this RECIPE

THIS INSTANT POT APPLESAUCE COOKS IN MINUTES!

Yes, homemade applesauce can be made quick! Once the pressure builds in the Instant Pot, it only takes 3 minutes to cook the applesauce.

Applesauce is easily found in jars or little single serving containers at the grocery store, but they do not capture the true essence and authentic flavor of real food applesauce.

Applesauce made from scratch is full of bold flavor – store-bought applesauce is mild and lacking in flavor. 

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoons and cinnamon sticks.

For many people, me included, applesauce can be a nostalgic food (it’s been around since the mid-1700’s) as well as a comfort food.

Applesauce was a fun food for me growing up! Store-bought applesauce was a staple in my southern grandma’s kitchen and homemade pan-cooked applesauce was a staple in my mom’s kitchen.

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoons and cinnamon sticks.

CINNAMON APPLESAUCE IS A NOSTALGIC FOOD!

As a young girl in the 80’s, I visited my grandma a lot, especially during the summertime. She always had applesauce for me – the kind that comes in the jar, with a shaker of Cinnamon Sugar (the McCormick® kind) ready to sprinkle on the top. I loved it, it was our special snack to eat together.

My mom on the other hand only made homemade applesauce. She never bought the packaged kind for me and she only made it with one meal – mac n’ cheese, which was a regular staple for us.

A bowl filled with homemade applesauce with 3 slices of apple sitting next to a towel and spoons.

Apples were cheap, I loved the applesauce and it filled our bellies. My mom always made her delicious, chunky applesauce with 1 to 3 Red Hots® (aka cinnamon imperials) to add cinnamon flavor.

Yikes! Now I cringe at the thought of the Red Hots® ingredients and all of that food dye, but I had no idea about it then – and neither did my mom. Regardless of that, I love how much LOVE my mom put into what she made for me.

I love that she always made that same meal – boxed mac n’ cheese, homemade stovetop applesauce with Red Hots® and petite peas with butter sauce (the frozen packaged kind).

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoons and cinnamon sticks.

HOMEMADE, OLD-FASHIONED APPLESAUCE IS A DELICIOUS, TRADITIONAL FOOD THAT CAN BE ENJOYED BY ALL!

The memories that go with certain foods is what makes them so special and leaves a lasting, lifetime impression.

Applesauce is one of those foods that has been around forever and enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

Keeping the family tradition going, homemade Instant Pot applesauce has become a favorite for my children too!

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoon and cinnamon sticks.

3 MINUTE INSTANT POT APPLESAUCE IS A PERFECT FOOD FOR FALL AND WINTER, BUT ALSO GREAT YEAR-ROUND!

Apple season (fall through winter) is the best time to make homemade applesauce, however, apples can usually be found year-round.

Not only is this Instant Pot applesauce delicious, but it’s also easy to prepare and cooks so fast!

The Instant Pot ensures that the texture comes out perfect every time and you can’t beat the fast cook time!

Two bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoon and cinnamon sticks.

THIS INSTANT POT APPLESAUCE WITH BUTTER IS FULL OF EXTRA NUTRITION TO HELP GIVE IT A NOURISHING, HEALTHY BOOST.

My homemade applesauce is loaded with flavor and nutrition!

You’ll find 6 simple, real food ingredients in this Instant Pot cinnamon applesauce – lots of organic apples, ground cinnamon, fresh lemon juice, healthy grass-fed pasture butter, optional quality honey and mineral-rich sea salt.

I add a healthy fat to the applesauce for a reason – healthy fats, like quality grass-fed butter, are great paired with fruit because they are known to help stabilize your blood sugar and known to help the body absorb nutrients better.

I add a pinch of mineral-rich sea salt which adds trace minerals to the applesauce. Added nutrition is always a good thing!

The honey is totally optional, but I do add a little bit of quality honey if the apples are not very sweet and juicy.

A close up of a spoon full of homemade applesauce, with three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, sitting next to a towel and spoon in the background.

INSTANT POT APPLESAUCE FOR BABY OR INSTANT POT BABY-LED WEANING

This Instant Pot applesauce is perfect as a first-food for responsive feeding infants (who are old enough to eat solids), baby-led weaning and toddlers love it too!

If you are in the beginning weeks of introducing foods to your infant (5 months and up), try substituting grass-fed ghee for the butter or coconut oil – or better yet, omit the fat completely and add whipped bone marrow to the individual serving of the applesauce afterwards when you serve it.

Yep, I said whipped bone marrow – because it’s a super, nutrient-dense heme iron food, which is crucial for babies. If you’re looking for resources for first foods for the first 2 years, this is the resource I used and where I learned about whipped bone marrow, why heme iron is so important and how and when to introduce allergen foods.

HISTAMINES, HONEY AND CITRUS ALLERGEN FOODS  

If your baby is sensitive to histamines, I would suggest omitting the ground cinnamon because it’s high in histamines. Instead, try adding ½ teaspoon ground ginger (known to support digestion) and ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom. 

Make sure to omit the honey, since honey is not safe for infants under 1 years old and note that citrus is one of the top allergen foods. If your baby has already been exposed to citrus without reactions, by all means use the lemon juice, otherwise simply omit the lemon juice.

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoon and cinnamon sticks.

IF YOU OR ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY LOVES APPLESAUCE, YOU’VE GOT TO TRY THIS EASY INSTANT POT METHOD!

Applesauce cooked in the Instant Pot will turn out perfectly every time because it gets cooked to perfection!

It’s no shocker that this is my favorite way to make applesauce, considering I LOVE the Instant Pot® and I have written and photographed four, print-published Instant Pot cookbooks – The Art of Great Cooking with Your Instant Pot, Amazing Mexican Favorites with Your Instant Pot, Low-Carb Cooking with Your Instant Pot and a HUGE book with all kinds of food, The Big Book of Instant Pot Recipes (240 recipes!).

My version of homemade Instant Pot applesauce is packed with delicious flavor and nutrition and is always a family-favorite and crowd pleaser. It’s so good that you can enjoy it warm or cold! Eat it when it’s nice and warm, by the spoonful right after it has cooked and cooled a bit or enjoy it super cold and chilled.

Several whole apples, a bowl with butter, a mason jar with water, a teaspoon with salt, a small bowl with honey, a small bowl with cinnamon and a half of a fresh lemon.

How to Make Instant Pot Applesauce

It’s so easy to make this healthy Instant Pot applesauce recipe. All you need is 6 ingredients and an Instant Pot! 

Start by picking out 12 large, fresh, organic apples. Choosing organic apples for this recipe is important because they are currently #5 on the EWG’s Pesticides in Produce Dirty Dozen™ list. Make sure to give the apples a quick wash then dry them. 

Grab a cutting board, knife and a peeler (if you’re going to peel the apples). Using a peeler or knife, peel all of the apples – peeling is my personal preference, but if you don’t mind the skin, by all means, leave it on. After peeling the apples (or not), quarter all of the apples, removing and discarding the core and toss the apple chunks into the Instant Pot stainless steel bowl. 

An open Instant Pot filled with quartered, peeled, fresh apples.

ASSEMBLE THE INSTANT POT

Place your Instant Pot on a flat counter or surface. Then place the Instant Pot stainless steel bowl in the Instant Pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the apples – grass-fed butter or ghee, ground cinnamon, honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sea salt and water.

An open Instant Pot filled with quartered, peeled, fresh apples, topped with ground cinnamon and tablespoons of butter.

Next place the lid on the Instant Pot, close it and make sure the lid is locked and the steam release valve is sealed. 

Turn the Instant Pot on by plugging it in, then press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button (depending on the model you have) – normal/high will be highlighted on some models. Then press the minus “-” button and decrease the time to 3 minutes. The Instant Pot will pause for a second, then make a beep and say “On” on the screen – at this point the Instant Pot will turn on and start to build pressure. The countdown of time will automatically start once the Instant Pot has come to pressure.

AFTER THE 3 MINUTE APPLESAUCE HAS COOKED

When the Instant Pot is done cooking, it will beep. Depending on the Instant Pot model, press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” or “Cancel” button. Then unplug the Instant Pot and allow the Instant Pot to naturally decompress, which takes about 15 minutes for the little silver dial to drop. Once the little silver dial drops, or after 15 minutes, turn the vent to remove any excess steam if necessary, then carefully open the Instant Pot lid.

Get your high powered blender or food processor set up, then carefully ladle the apples into the blender or food processor. 

Next add the leftover liquid – if there is a lot of excess liquid leftover in the stainless steel bowl, only pour about half of the liquid into the blender or food processor, you can add more as you go, but you don’t want it to have too much liquid to start with. Cover with the lid and use low speed or pulse just until fully combined and smooth. 

If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can also use an immersion hand-held blender. Like mentioned above, just make sure to remove some of the liquid before puréeing the applesauce mixture, then add liquid as needed. 

Then enjoy warm or chilled!

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoon and cinnamon sticks.

RECIPE FAQS: TIPS FOR INSTANT POT APPLESAUCE SUCCESS

  • Can I make this into a No-Peel Applesauce? Of course! It’s really a matter of preference whether or not you peel the apples or not. If you like the peels, leave them on! My family prefers a smoother applesauce with peeled apples so that’s how I make it. If you are making this applesauce as a first baby food, please reference the information I shared above for responsive feeding and baby-led weaning. I would recommend peeling the apples if this is an intro first-food for your baby because the peels are known to be harder on digestion.
  • What variety of apples should be used in this recipe? This really comes down to preference, I prefer to use Honey Crisp apples in applesauce since they’re my favorite apple. I have also used Fuji, Gala and Gravenstein to make applesauce. You can use a variety of apples if you prefer, for example, try using a 1:1 ratio of Granny Smith (for more tartness and less sweet) with a sweeter apple like Honey Crisp or Fuji. I also love to make Instant Pot Pear Applesauce using a variety of pears and apples.
  • What substitutes can be used in place of the grass-fed butter? I recommend using a quality healthy fat like grass-fed ghee or coconut oil. Alternatively, you can always omit the fat if you prefer. As noted above, I add a healthy fat to my recipe because it’s known to help the body absorb nutrients better. 
  • Do you have a favorite honey to use in this homemade applesauce recipe? Yes! I only recommend using a mild, light-colored, quality honey for this recipe. Honey flavors like orange blossom honey, clover honey, thistle honey or alfalfa honey are known to be the most mild in flavor. This is my favorite raw honey – I love their orange blossom and “original” honey. I also love using this raw honey, it’s easy to find online as well as at grocery stores like Sprouts Farmers Market.
  • Can Instant Pot applesauce be stored? Yes, you can store homemade applesauce in the refrigerator or freeze it for later use. For the best flavor, it’s best to enjoy this Instant Pot applesauce within 3 days if you don’t intend to freeze it. Make sure to store the applesauce in a covered air-tight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days. I love to store individual-size portions of applesauce in the freezer in these glass freezer-safe containers. You can thaw them in the refrigerator the night before you’d like to use it or thaw it in a warm “bath” (I set the covered jar in a bowl with hot water, swapping the water for more hot water about 2-3 times over about 20 minutes). 
  • How should Instant Pot applesauce be served? This applesauce is delicious served warm or chilled! Eat it by the spoonful as a snack or a treat, use it in baked goods, add it to a meal as a side dish or condiment (it’s delicious with potato pancakes), top it on homemade pancakes or waffles, spread it on toast, etc.

ENJOY THIS EASY 3 MINUTE INSTANT POT APPLESAUCE ANY TIME OF THE YEAR! PACK IT IN A LUNCH, EAT IT AS A SNACK, ADD IT TO A MEAL OR SAVOUR IT AS A HEALTHY TREAT!

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel and cinnamon sticks.

IF YOU LIKE THIS 3 MINUTE INSTANT POT APPLESAUCE RECIPE, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE GLUTEN-FREE FALL-INSPIRED RECIPES FROM RECIPES TO NOURISH:

Two bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple sitting next to a towel, spoons and cinnamon sticks.

3 Minute Instant Pot Applesauce

Three bowls filled with homemade applesauce with slices of apple, one dusted with ground cinnamon, sitting next to a towel, spoons and cinnamon sticks.

3 Minute Instant Pot Applesauce

Yield: 3 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

3 Minute Instant Pot Applesauce is so easy to make! This quick cooking method helps the applesauce turn out perfectly every time - and it tastes amazing. Plus this homemade applesauce has healthy, nourishing, real food ingredients!

Ingredients

  • 12 large organic apples, peeled if preferred and quartered (I use Honey Crisp or Fuji apples)
  • 2 tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee - optional
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp light colored raw honey - optional
  • Juice of 1/2 organic lemon
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt - optional
  • 3/4 cup filtered water

Instructions

  1. Select 12 large, fresh, organic apples. Give the apples a quick wash and dry them.
  2. Get a cutting board, knife and a peeler (if you’re going to peel the apples). Using a peeler or knife, peel all of the apples - peeling is my personal preference, but if you don’t mind the skin, by all means, leave it on. After peeling the apples (or not), quarter all of the apples, removing and discarding the core and toss the apple chunks into the Instant Pot stainless steel bowl.
  3. Assemble your 6-qt Instant Pot: Place your Instant Pot on a flat counter or surface. Then place the Instant Pot stainless steel bowl in the Instant Pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the apples - the grass-fed butter or ghee, ground cinnamon, honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sea salt and water.
  4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close it and make sure the lid is locked and the steam release valve is sealed.
  5. Turn the Instant Pot on by plugging it in, then press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button (depending on the model you have) - normal/high will be highlighted on some models. Then press the minus “-” button and decrease the time to 3 minutes. The Instant Pot will pause for a second, then make a beep and say “On” on the screen - at this point the Instant Pot will turn on and start to build pressure. The countdown of time will automatically start once the Instant Pot has come to pressure.
  6. When the Instant Pot is done cooking, it will beep. Depending on the Instant Pot model, press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” or “Cancel” button. Then unplug the Instant Pot and allow the Instant Pot to naturally decompress, which takes about 15 minutes for the little silver dial to drop. Once the little silver dial drops, or after 15 minutes, turn the vent to remove any excess steam if necessary, then carefully open the Instant Pot lid.
  7. Get your high powered blender or food processor set up, then carefully ladle the apples into the blender or food processor.
  8. Next add the leftover liquid - if there is a lot of excess liquid leftover in the stainless steel bowl, only pour about half of the liquid into the blender or food processor, you can add more as you go, but you don’t want it to have too much liquid to start with. Cover with the lid and use low speed or pulse just until fully combined and smooth. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can also use an immersion hand-held blender. Like mentioned above, just make sure to remove some of the liquid before puréeing the applesauce mixture, then add liquid as needed.
  9. Enjoy warm or chilled!

Notes

  • YOU WILL NEED:  Instant Pot, High Powered Blender/Food Processor/Immersion Blender, Cutting Board, Knife or Peeler
  • Healthy Fat: I recommend using a quality healthy fat like grass-fed butter, grass-fed ghee or coconut oil (for dairy-free). Alternatively, you can always omit the fat if you prefer. As stated in the post, I add a healthy fat to my recipe because it’s known to help the body absorb nutrients better.
  • Applesauce for Baby or Baby Led Weaning: See post for specific instructions including extra nourishing ingredients, suggestions, substitutoins, how to freeze, etc.
  • Storage: For the best flavor, it’s best to enjoy this Instant Pot applesauce within 3 days if you don’t intend to freeze it. Make sure to store the applesauce in a covered air-tight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days, or store in the freezer for later use.
  • Please Note: As with all Instant Pot recipes, the Instant Pot takes time to come to full pressure. The *cook time* for this recipe is 3 minutes, but it will take several minutes to come to full pressure depending on many factors like how cold the apples are, etc.

See Recipe FAQS in the post for more tips.

The photographs of this recipe, recipe and all content above are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos without prior written permission. If you choose to share this recipe, please use proper etiquette and provide a link back to my original recipe on my blog with proper disclosure [the original recipe - "title of recipe" by Recipes to Nourish]. If you make significant changes to the recipe or adapt the recipe in any way, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and provide a link back here with proper disclosure for credit. Thanks for understanding! 

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 299Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 148mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 10gSugar: 49gProtein: 1g

This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

© Emily Vidaurri
Cuisine: American / Category: Instant Pot Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  12. I just recently got an Instapot and I can’t wait to try out your apple sauce recipe! 3 minutes! I love it!! I also dearly love apples, and eat at least one a day. Thanks for sharing this dreamy & speedy recipe. ♥

    Reply

  14. This is such a wonderful recipe we love it at our house just made a large batch and canned it for the season my son eats Apple sauce in his oatmeal and I always put it in his pancakes as well. I usually always also put carrots in the oatmeal and pancakes I think next batch I am going to try to add carrots to the Applesauce. Thank you for sharing

    Reply

  15. Can you replace the butter with anything? I’d like to make it and don’t currently have the pasture butter or ghee

    Reply

  17. if i want to make applesauce with only half of the apples the recipe calls for (like about 6), are the rest of the measurements the same or should i cut them in half as well?

    Reply

    • Hi Angie, yes if you’re going to half the amount of apples, I would also half the rest of the ingredients – however, this recipe is very forgiving, so if it’s not exact it’s probably still going to taste great. 🙂

      Reply

  18. Hi! I just came across this recipe while looking for recipes for my new Instant Pot. I have a wonderful older recipe for applesauce from a newspaper. It adds a vanilla bean, scraped into the apples along with the bean (removed when you’re done and before you puree) and a little grated nutmeg as well. I love the taste, and now I can have it cooked in 3 minutes! What can be better! Thank you.

    Reply

    • Hi Alene! I’m so happy that you found this recipe and that you’ll be able to make your recipe in the Instant Pot! The vanilla bean and nutmeg sound delicious 🙂 Enjoy it!

      Reply

  20. Just made this, sans cinnamon, and it’s better than any store bought applesauce I’ve ever had. Homerun for sure!

    Reply

  21. I am a single person and 12 apples is too much.
    If i cut it to 6 apples do i cut all the other ingredients and the water in half?
    Is the cook time still 3 minutes? Is NPR still 15 minutes?

    Reply

    • Hi Jennifer – I usualy make this for myself and eat it throughout a few days of the week – it makes about 1 quart. If you still want to half it, that’s fine too. Yes, I would cut everything in half, only using 1/2 cup water. You could even omit the sweetener if you prefer it to be less sweet. The cook time and NPR will still stay the same. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

  22. Love how simple and easy it is to make homemade applesauce in instant pot in 3 minutes ! I am totally going to try this recipe. How neat !

    Reply

  23. I haven’t read all the comments, so I hope I’m not repeating someone’s comment. I have an applesauce recipe that people wax poetic about! The difference is that it adds a vanilla bean to the pot, after scraping the sides of the bean to get it all in the pot. Then drop the vanilla bean, already scraped, into the cooking pot. I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t do this in the Instant Pot as well, just removing it when everything is finished cooking. You won’t be sorry. It is subtle tasting and delicious.

    Reply

  24. One of our favorite Instant Pot recipes for a quick family pleasing breakfast. thank you soo much for posting such a great quick recipes method.

    Reply

  25. Hi Emily, I just got a bag of apples and wanting to make some applesauce. Your recipe sounds perfect for us! What size instant pot did you use for this recipe? Thank you!

    Reply

  26. Thank you for sharing your recipe I used 8 apples and stead of 12 I use smart water for my filtered water I use coconut sugar and placement of honey and I use clarified ghee.The sauce wonderfuly warm smooth and fluffy:-)

    Reply

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