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There’s nothing better than a fresh loaf of sourdough, warm out of the oven and spread with some melty butter. Unless it’s fall and you have some freshly made apple butter to slather on top of that bread. This easy apple butter made in a pressure cooker – the instant pot is one of my favorite fall recipes. Spread it on english muffins, warm sourdough toast or replace it for raspberry jam in these sweet crumb bars. However you use it, you’re going to love this easy recipe for apple butter in an instant pot pressure cooker.
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Why You’ll Love Easy Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Rich Apple Flavor: When you reduce the apples in this recipe the flavor comes through and tastes delicious!
- Quick & Easy: Using an instant pot pressure cooker makes it so easy to mix up this apple butter.
- Perfect Fall Accompaniment: Add this instant pot apple butter to a focaccia board or another fall spread for some seasonal flavors that pop!
Important Ingredients
- Honeycrisp Apples – I like to use honeycrisp because they have such a delicious flavor. However, you can substitute for any apples that you love the flavor of. Leave the skins on. Core and chop apples to fit in your pressure cooker – I use an instant pot.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar – A mix of brown and white sugar sweetens this apple butter nicely.
- Spices – A combination of cinnamon, salt, and allspice make for some deliciously seasoned apple butter.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla balances the flavors and adds a subtle depth of sweetness.
How to Make Easy Instant Pot Apple Butter
Prepare Apples
Prepare to make apple butter by washing 6.5 pounds of apples. Core and chop apples into 1-2 inch pieces. Leave the skins on. Add chopped apples to the instant pot insert. If you are using an 8 quart instant pot your apple chunks can be larger. For a 6 quart instant pot, apple pieces need to be chopped smaller so they will fit.
Cook in Instant Pot
Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, allspice and vanilla to the instant pot on top of the chopped apples. Stir to combine.
Cook apple butter by setting the instant pot to manual for 90 minutes on high pressure. Make sure the release valve is in the closed position. Cook apples for 90 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10-20 minutes before opening the release valve. If you open the release valve too early, be prepared as HOT liquid and steam may shoot out of the opening.
Blend & Reduce
After the pressure is released, transfer the cooked mixture to a blender. Blend until your mixture is completely smooth. This may take a couple of batches depending on the size of your blender. Pour the apple butter back into instant pot and set to sauté.
Using the sauté feature on the instant pot, cook the apple butter in the instant pot, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. During this time, the apple butter will reduce quite a bit and thicken.
Watch for the apple butter to thicken to your desired consistency. If you want thicker apple butter, cook longer. Remove from the heat and let cool. Enjoy!
Amy’s Recipe Tip
I love making this apple butter and freezing it in small portions to use over a couple of months. This is not a recipe formatted for canning. If you want to can apple butter, make sure to follow a specific canning recipe and guidelines.
Substitutions
- Lemon Juice: For a little hint of brightness, add a squeeze of lemon juice after you make the apple butter.
- Apples: I love the flavor honey crisp apples bring to this apple butter, but any apples that you like the flavor of will work: Fuji, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, etc…
How to Store Leftovers
Apple butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. After that it should be frozen for a couple of months for freshness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No. That’s one of the great things about this recipe. Because you are going to blend the apples in a blender, there’s no need to peel them. Just core, chop and stick in the instant pot.
Yes. Cook down and soften the apples on the stovetop. Then blend and reduce. Directions are in the Recipe Notes section of the recipe card.
I have an 8 quart instant pot that I make this apple butter in. You can also use a 6 quart instant pot – chop the apples a little smaller if needed to fit them all in the pot.
Apple butter is used like a jam or preserve – spread it on sourdough, top pancakes with it or enjoy it on a sourdough bagel.
Yes! If you only want 4 cups of apple butter, cut all the ingredients in half. If you only want 2 cups, only make 1/4 of the recipe, using just a pinch of the spices.
Easy Instant Pot Apple Butter
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Equipment
- pressure cooker I use an instant pot
Ingredients
- 6.5 lbs honeycrisp apples, chopped, see recipe notes
- 200 grams brown sugar, about 1 cup
- 150 grams granulated sugar, about 3/4 cup
- 8 grams ground cinnamon, about 1 Tablespoon
- 1 gram salt, about 1/4 teaspoon
- 1 gram allspice, about 1/4 teaspoon
- 4 grams vanilla extract, about 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Wash, core and chop apples into 1-2 inch pieces. Leave the skins on. If you are using an 8 quart instant pot your apple chunks can be larger. For a 6 quart instant pot, apple pieces need to be chopped smaller so they will fit.
- Place apples in the instant pot. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, allspice and vanilla on top of the apples. Stir to combine.If your pressure cooker often has the "burn" warning come on without enough liquid in the pot, add 1/2 cup apple cider or water to the instant pot along with the other ingredients.
- Set the instant pot to manual for 90 minutes of pressure. Make sure the release valve is in the closed position. Cook apples for 90 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10-20 minutes before opening the release valve. If you open the release valve too early, be prepared as HOT liquid and steam may shoot out of the opening.
- After the pressure is released, blend the warm apple butter in a blender until it's completely smooth. This may take a couple of batches depending on the size of your blender. Pour the apple butter back into instant pot and set to sauté.
- Sauté the apple in the instant pot, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. During this time, the apple butter will reduce quite a bit and thicken.
- Once the apple butter has thickened to your desired consistency (cook longer for thicker apple butter), remove from the heat and let cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or two. For long-term storage place in an airtight container and freeze for up to a couple of months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This has been a huge hit with fiends and family! I have never made apple butter but this was easy and I highly recommend!
So glad you love the recipe – thanks for your review!
Thanks for the recipe! It’s very tasty and super easy. I scaled the recipe ⅔ because I only had about 4.5 lbs of apples. For spices, I used ½ tablespoon of ground cinnamon and ½ tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. For reducing the mixture, I found I needed much more time. The saute setting sputtered too much, so I mostly used the slow-cook setting. I think it ended up cooking for around 20 hours to get to my desired consistency (which was fine because it only needed an occasional stir).
Thanks for your feedback and review!
So delicious, thanks for the recipe Amy.
Have you made sourdough bread with this apple butter as an inclusion?
I haven’t – just spread it on the toasted sourdough, but I think it would be delicious. Glad you loved it!
I love this easy apple butter. I freeze individual portions so I can enjoy them throughout the year. It tastes delicious spread on homemade sourdough english muffins!