Instant Pot Apple Butter is so easy to make and ready in less than an hour using 5 simple ingredients. A deliciously warm spread, flavoring, or filling. You will never again have to buy apple butter at the store! It’s vegan, healthy, and uses no refined sugar.
Nothing says “Fall” like warm biscuits topped with delicious homemade apple butter. Toss in a hot cup of coffee and it’s pretty much heaven on earth. Apple butter has long been one of my favorite spreads. And, I’m so excited to share this amazing, and healthy, recipe with you!
The process of making homemade apple butter is pretty involved, to say the least, and very time-consuming. Typically, it’s made on the stove or slow cooker and canning is almost always involved. But, thanks to the Instant Pot you can now make pressure cooker apple butter in a fraction of the time and it’s perfect!
Ready? Let me show you!
What Is Apple Butter
First, there is no butter in apple butter. It’s basically just spiced concentrated apple sauce. You simply cook the apple sauce until the sugar in the apples caramelizes. And, what you are left with is a sweet, buttery, and decadent spread.
How To Make Instant Pot Apple Butter
Using the Instant Pot for this recipe drastically cuts down on the cooking time. It would take HOURS cooking this on the stove or in a slow cooker. But, with the Instant Pot, this pressure cooker apple butter recipe takes less than 30 minutes! Yes, 30 MINUTES!
- First, choose your apples. I prefer Gala, but feel free to use apples you would normally eat. Then, either core and cut them in quarters or simply cut around the edge then quarter. Be sure and leave the peels on the apple. The skin is very nutritious and aids in the thickening process. They also help to deepen the color as well.
- Now, all you have to do is toss everything into the Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, release the pressure, then use an immersion blender to blend the apples until they are smooth.
- Finally, you will use the “slow cooker” function for thickening the apple butter. Don’t worry it’s super easy. (Full instructions are down below in the recipe card)
How Do You Use Apple Butter
Put this Instant Apple Butter on a party tray and use for dipping crackers, fruit, pretzels, or anything else you desire. But, I love using it as a topping on these amazing recipes…
- Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
- Homemade Vegan Biscuits
- Oil-Free Granola
- Vegan French Toast Casserole
- Vegan Belgian Waffles
Pro Tips
- How To Store? Instant Pot Apple Butter can be stored in a mason jar with a lid and kept in the fridge for about 3-4 weeks. You can store the apple butter safely in the freezer for several months, up to a year. Once it is thawed out, it should keep it in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
- Thickening: The longer you cook the apple butter the thicker it will get. And, since this recipe does not use refined sugar it will take a little longer. This recipe is best once it has a chance to set up in the fridge for several hours or overnight. You can enjoy it immediately after cooking, but it will be more like applesauce. But, hey, homemade applesauce ain’t bad either.
- Give It Away: Because it makes such a large batch it great to give away as a gift.
More Vegan Instant Pot Recipes
If you make this recipe let me know. Be sure and leave a comment below with a star rating. And, share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Total Time45 minutes
- Yield2 pints (roughly) 1x
- DietVegan
Instant Pot Apple Butter is so easy to make and ready in less than an hour using 5 simple ingredients. A deliciously warm spread, flavoring, or filling. You will never again have to buy apple butter at the store! It's vegan, healthy, and uses no refined sugar.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds apples, cored and quartered
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup maple syrup (sweetener is optional but it will help in the thickening process)
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash and core the apples then place onto a cutting board, and cut into quarters with peels on. If you don’t want to core, simply cut around the core.
- Place the apples into the Instant Pot and add water, spice, maple syrup, and salt(optional). Close and lock the lid and set the valve vent to SEAL.
- Set the timer for 15 minutes and press START or MANUAL.
- When the timer is finished, let the pressure release naturally for about 15 minutes. Then, do a manual pressure release for any remaining steam. Remove the lid and stir in the lemon then use an immersion blender and blend until the apple mixture is completely smooth. At this point, the apple butter if fully cooked and ready for consumption but it would be more like applesauce. If you would like for it to thicken up continue through steps 5 & 6.
- Set the Instant Pot to the pressure cooker setting and use the +/- button to set it to “More”. If using a different pressure cooker with a slow cooker function or an actual slow cooker set the heat to low. Now, set your timer anywhere between 30 mins. up to 3 hours and cook uncovered stirring occasionally. This is what helps in the thickening process. You can enjoy it immediately after blending but it will be more like applesauce.
- Once it’s finished spoon the apple butter into glass jars with lids and enjoy!
Notes
The cooking time for the recipe represents the initial cooking process and not the slow cooker part. Simply because that is a matter of preference for most people. So, plan accordingly.
This recipe is NOT about canning. If you are interested be sure and check out a safe and reliable source like this one from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
The longer you cook the apple butter the thicker it will get. And, since this recipe does not use refined sugar it will take a little longer. This recipe is best once it has a chance to set up in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
If you don’t have an immersion blender let the apple butter cool once it initially cooks, add to a regular blender in small batches, and blend until smooth. Place the apple butter back into the Instant Pot or slow cooker and proceed with step 5 in the cooking instructions.
This particular recipe makes about 2 pints.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
- Calories: 43
- Sugar: 8.8 g
- Sodium: 19.6 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.2 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Prep Time: 15 mins.
- Cook Time: 30 mins.
- Category: Dips & Spreads
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Vegan
You should really call this recipe, “Better Than Applebutter!” It is so delicious!
I made this over the weekend and it was so easy and amazing! After the apples had cooked and I added lime juice (all I had on hand) and used the immesion blender, I took out a pint just for applesauce and Vitamix blended the rest. I wanted to see which way I liked the best. Trouble is, I like both ways. The apple butter cooked down to pure heaven, creamy, melt on toast goodness and the applesauce is just as tasty an addition to my overnight oats and so full of what we all love about apples! Added bonus, the house smells like fall, warm and toasty.
I have made this many times and, yeah, it sure does disappear fast when people eat it by the bowlful! Not kidding!
I was wondering if you had ever thrown a bunch of dates into the instant pot in place of the maple sugar. I’d love to know whether it worked out well.
Thank you for ALL your wonderful recipes – you are a gem!
Hi, Pamela! I’m so glad you like it and thanks for the kind words. I haven’t put dates in it but that sounds wonderful. I say go for it!
Delicious! My 13-y.o. daughter and I did this together. I messed up and put the lemon juice in with everything else, and the apple butter still turned out beautifully. Next batch will be even better, I’m sure, since I’ll have followed the directions! 😀
That is so great! And, I love hearing stories of people cooking with their kids. Precious times. Thank you for sharing.
This is absolutely delicious as applesauce and butter! (I tried both ways because why not?!) I was curious how long this will last without canning/stored in the fridge. I’m going to share with friends so I’d like to pass on the info. Thanks!
Made for first time today, awesome! So great on your banana bread!! I don’t have an instant pot, but stuck it all in my ol’ slow cooker for 5 hours. YUMMMM!
Awesome! Adapt and overcome:)
I love this recipe! It’s going to great for breakfast and my boys love it with sweet potatoes.
Thanks, Shane.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. 🙂 Best apple butter I have tried and this will be my go to recipe going forward. I slow cooked for 3+ hours and oh my goodness the thickness of the apple butter is amazing. So worth the wait.
Super excited! But I don’t have pumpkin spice 🙁 is there a way I can make it??
Sure thing. This one by Brandi at The Vegan 8 is my favorite!
Do you mean the slow cooker setting for the second part of cooking?
I am a bit confused too. When using an ip, do I use the pressure cook setting or slow cooker setting in Step5?
Yes.
Perfect timing! Someone gave me two large bags of apples and I plan to make apple butter tomorrow. I don’t have an Instant Pot. Do you have any suggestions for using a large stainless steel stock pot? Also, I don’t have any pumpkin spice seasoning. Cinnamon, nutmeg and maybe some cloves and/or ginger would work, right? I love your recipes, Shane! Thank you!
Hi, Rebekah! Yes, just place all of the ingredients into the pot, bring to the boil, then turn down to low heat. Place the lid on and simmer for about 2 hours and stirring to make sure the apples don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. When they’re finished remove the lid and them for about 20 minutes then blend. And, yes, those spices will work just fine:)
Thank you!
Easy, delicious, healthy, and amazing.
Could you can this in a hot water bath? If so, for how long?
Hi, Teresa. You can water bath can in mason jars. Leave 1/4″ head space and process for about 20 minutes. But, be sure and check with a safe canning resource for information on the proper way to can apple butter.