Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe

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Homemade apple butter is surprisingly easy to make! Despite the name, apple butter does not contain butter, making it naturally dairy-free and vegan-friendly. All you need to prepare apple butter is apples, cane sugar, brown sugar, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. While apple butter can be made on the stove top or in a slow cooker, preparing it in an Instant Pot is a goof-proof method that comes together very quickly.

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toast with apple butter and jars of apple butter Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Things You’ll Need

Instant Pot
3 pounds apples of choice
3 Tbsp water
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt, to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Step 1

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples. Chop the apples into 1 to 2-inch hunks.

Apples on a cutting board Peel, core, and chop the apples Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 2

Transfer the chopped apples, water, sugars, spices, sea salt, lemon juice and vanilla extract (all of the ingredients) to your Instant Pot or pressure cooker.

Apple butter ingredients in an instant pot Add all ingredients to the instant pot Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Stir everything until well-combined.

Apple butter ingredients stirred in instant pot Stir apple butter ingredients together Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 3

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and press 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook.' Set the time for 15 minutes and pressure cook on high. Make sure the steam release it set to 'Sealing.' Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, allow it to naturally release the steam.

Once the steam has released, remove the lid of the Instant Pot.

Cooked apples in an Instant Pot Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 4

Use a potato masher to mash the apples, or an immersion blender to blend the apples to desired consistency. You can also transfer the cooked apples to a blender and blend until smooth (if you go this route, be sure the apples have cooled substantially before blending).

Apples in a blender Blend or mash apples to desired consistency Image Credit: Julia Mueller Apple butter in a blender Blend in a blender or use an immersion blender for smooth consistency Image Credit: Julia Mueller