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Instant Pot apple butter makes the process quicker and easier than ever, making a caramelized and delicious spiced spread in 1 hour – perfect with toast & for gifting!
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What Is Apple Butter?
Apple butter is a type of fruit spread (named for its texture) similar to applesauce (like this strawberry applesauce), but usually paired with brown sugar and warm spices, then caramelized, blended, and simmered for far longer, until it thickens into a spread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Cinnamon and apples are so quintessentially ‘fall-coded’ that I fill the season with cinnamon apple bread, vegan apple crumble, easy apple pie cookies, and now this Instant Pot apple butter recipe. Made with apples, cinnamon, cloves, and brown sugar, this spread is so cozy. Plus, pressure cooking it makes it SO much quicker than other methods – A great way to use up apple-picking hauls, and it’s great for holiday gifting!
Just peel, core, and chop the apples, pressure cook them with brown sugar and spices, blend, then simmer to thicken. It’s versatile, too – leave the apples unpeeled, make it sugar-free, play with the flavorings, etc.
Looking for even more vegan apple dessert ideas? Try apple cinnamon pancakes, stuffed baked apples, or a vegan apple pie.
Ingredient Notes
How to Flavor Apple Butter
- Other spices: Nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, allspice, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice would all work in homemade apple butter. Chili flakes or cayenne add spice.
- Vanilla extract: To add warm, dessert-like depth. Stir in off-heat.
- Citrus: Lemon juice preserves color. Add zest for more flavor.
- Pears: Sub some apples for a simple apple pear butter.
How to Make Apple Butter in an Instant Pot
Step 1: Peel (optional), core, and chop the apples. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to your Instant Pot and stir. Seal the lid and cook on manual High Pressure for 15 minutes. Then, let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Carefully, quick release the remaining pressure, remove the lid, and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
Step 3: Use the Sauté function, and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apple butter thickens/darkens to your desired consistency (I like it when it clings to the spoon). Transfer the cinnamon apple butter to clean jars, leave to cool, and enjoy!
To reduce mess, use a splatter guard or tilted lid. Taste and adjust spices at the end.
FAQs
Nope! Blending makes the peels barely noticeable and adds fiber, color, and nutrients.
It’s up to your preferred flavor profile. Granny Smith, McIntosh, and Cortland apples work well for tart flavor. Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp work well for sweet. Or combine sweet and tart for balanced flavor. Note, softer apples break down best.
Absolutely! Simply use naturally sweet apples and omit the sugar for delicious sugar-free apple butter.
Pro Recipe Tips
- When selecting apples: Choose based on your preferred flavor: sweet, tart, or a mix.
- To adjust the thickness: Simmer it uncovered (use a splatter guard or angled lid to avoid mess) to your preferred consistency. Note that it thickens more as it cools.
- Taste & adjust: Since apple flavor varies, taste and adjust the sugar/spices to your liking.
- If you get the ‘burn’ notice: Add enough water/apple cider (about ½ cup) to cover the bottom of the Instant Pot and continue.
Top Apple Butter Uses
Enjoy this sweet, rich pressure cooker apple butter warm or chilled….
- Over vegan ice cream, a plant-based yogurt bowl, or smoothie bowl
- Swirled into overnight oats, stovetop oatmeal, baked oatmeal with berries, or this peanut butter chia pudding
- Over toast, bagels, quick breads (like this vegan pumpkin bread), or muffins (like these vegan apple muffins)
- To fill apple hand pies, vegan cinnamon rolls, vegan pumpkin cupcakes, and other pastries
- Over apple cinnamon pancakes, crepes, apple cinnamon waffles, or vegan French toast
- For sweet-tart marinades/vinaigrettes
- Stir into warm plant milk (like cashew milk or pecan milk) for a sweet, fruity twist
- On a vegan cheese board or vegan charcuterie board
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Let it cool, then store in clean jars for up to 2 weeks (5-7 days if sugar-free).
Freeze: In jars/freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays (then Ziplock/Stasher bags), leaving headspace. Store for 4-6 months.
Thaw: In the fridge overnight or microwave in 20-30 second bursts, stirring between.
More Vegan Apple Recipes
Vegan Breakfasts
Apple Cinnamon Waffles (Eggless)
Vegan Breakfasts
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Vegan Desserts
Easy Apple Monkey Bread
Vegan Desserts
Vegan Apple Cake
If you tried this Instant Pot apple butter recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
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Instant Pot Apple Butter
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Ingredients
- 5 pounds Fuji apples peeled, cored, and chopped
- ⅔ cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar, maple syrup, date syrup, or sugar-free brown sugar. Omit if preferred
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Lock on the lid and set to cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid and blend the apples with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Press the Sauté button and cook uncovered for 20–30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apple butter thickens and darkens to your desired consistency. (Use a splatter guard or tilt the lid slightly to reduce mess.)
- Taste and adjust sweetness or spices if desired.
- Let cool, then transfer to jars or airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- If you get the ‘burn’ notice: Add enough water/apple cider (about ½ cup) to cover the bottom of the Instant Pot and continue.
- To adjust the thickness: Simmer it uncovered (use a splatter guard or angled lid to avoid mess) to your preferred consistency. Note that it thickens more as it cools.
- When selecting apples: Choose based on your preferred flavor: sweet, tart, or a mix.
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