Instant Pot Applesauce – Gimme Some Oven

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This Instant Pot applesauce recipe is super-easy to make and always tastes so fresh and delicious!

Last month, our toddler learned all about the life cycle of an apple seed at school. (“And when the seed goes into the dirt, it explodes into a huge apple tree, Mom!”) Apparently the grand finale to the lesson was learning how to make homemade applesauce from scratch. So I’ll give you one guess what we’ve been cooking now at home ever since. 😉

Honestly, we go through so much applesauce lately with a baby and a toddler that it’s been fun to mix things up by making some homemade. Although after making a few batches on the stovetop, I quickly switched us over to the Instant Pot version, which works so much better with a toddler’s limited attention span, lol. The prep itself to make pressure cooker applesauce couldn’t be easier. Just chop up some apples (no need to peel!) and toss them in the Instant Pot with water, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Add in a pinch of cinnamon or — my favorite — pumpkin pie spice for a touch of seasoning. Cover and pressure cook briefly until softened. Then mash to your desired consistency and enjoy!

It’s such a fun way to celebrate apple season for little kids and grown-ups alike. So grab your Instant Pot and let’s make this homemade applesauce recipe together!

Instant Pot Applesauce Ingredients

Here are a few quick notes about the homemade applesauce ingredients you will need for this recipe:

• Apples: I recommend a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples when making homemade applesauce. Honeycrisp apples add a naturally sweet, juicy flavor while the Granny Smith apples add a tangy and slightly sour bite to the applesauce. The combination adds the perfect balance of flavor and also give the applesauce just the right amount of chunky texture.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: I prefer adding a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to season applesauce, which includes layers of cinnamon and other lovely warming spices. But you’re more than welcome to just use a teaspoon of ground cinnamon if you prefer traditional cinnamon applesauce.
• Lemon: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds the perfect amount of zing to brighten the flavor of the applesauce and balance out its sweetness.
• Salt: A pinch of salt helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the apples and the flavor of the spices.
• Water: A half cup of water prevents the apples from burning on the bottom of the Instant Pot and adds just the right amount of liquid to thin out the sauce.

Recipe Tips

Full instructions for how to make applesauce in the Instant Pot are included in the recipe below, but here are a few extra tips to keep in mind:

• Use a 1-inch dice if leaving the apples unpeeled. Again, I prefer to save time (and nutrients!) and leave my apples unpeeled when making homemade applesauce. But in order to avoid having large peels in the mix, I recommend dicing the apples into 1-inch chunks before adding them to the recipe.
• Don’t overcook the applesauce. The bottom of the applesauce can burn in the Instant Pot if the pressure is not released at the proper time. So keep an eye on the sauce and use the quick release after 6 minutes.
• Mash or blend to your desired consistency. I like to use an immersion blender to blitz the applesauce a few times so that it’s still a bit chunky. But you can purée it until completely smooth if you’d like. Or you can use a potato masher and just lightly mash the sauce so that it’s super chunky.
• Season to taste. Be sure to give the applesauce a taste before serving to see if you’d like to adjust the seasonings. You can add in more pumpkin pie spice, salt or lemon juice. Or if the applesauce seems too tart, you’re welcome to add in some sweetener too (see note below).

Recipe Variations

Here are a few variations that you’re welcome to try with this homemade applesauce recipe:

• Add sweetener: Add your desired amount of maple syrup or brown sugar to sweeten the applesauce.
• Add vanilla: Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for a hint of vanilla flavor.
• Add ginger: Add 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger or a pinch of ground ginger for more ginger flavor.
• Add orange zest: Add in 1-2 teaspoons of orange zest for an orangey twist.
• Use pears: Use 2 pounds of pears in place of the honeycrisp apples to make pear applesauce.
• Use a slow cooker: Combine the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or until the apples are completely softened. Mash, serve and enjoy!

More Apple Recipes To Try!

Looking for more yummy ways to cook with apples this season? Here are a few of our favorite apple recipes to try:

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