Homemade Apple Butter is made with simple ingredients, without added sugar and gets ready in just over 30 minutes. Pressure cooker apple butter is a must have recipe for fall.
Delicious apple sauce with beautiful caramel color, rich and earthy flavors and hint of tart and sweet taste is one of the best apple recipes. It reminds you of divine apple pie filling.
Similar to Peach Chutney and Tomato Chutney this recipe is perfect to use and preserve garden fresh produce.
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Favorite Apple Recipes
Apple picking is one of our favorite family activities once the school gets underway. Making a trip to apple orchids and picking up bushels of apples is such a relaxing and refreshing way to get close to nature and family bonding.
So with all those apple hauls, we have to make best use of the delicious fruit. Apple Ginger Chutney, Apple Chocolate Nachos, Mulled Apple Cider, Apple Pie Oatmeal and Vegan Apple Crumble are our family favorite healthy apple recipes.
I also love snacking on apples just by itself, with nut butter and adding it in salads. For something ultra comforting, I love making this Delicious Apple Butter a perfect soul food that is wholesome and comforting.
Easy Apple Butter
You will love this InstantPot Apple Butter recipe since I have taken all the hard work out of making creamy velvety smooth apple sauce butter.
- No – peeling the apple skin
- No – added sweetener or sugar
- No – additional pectin or preservatives
- Yes – rich color, delicious flavors and smooth texture.
What is the difference between Apple Butter and Apple Sauce?
The main difference is the cooking time and thickness that differentiates apple sauce from apple butter. While making apple butter, apples are cooked down to a buttery texture so it’s thicker. Apple sauce on the other hand, is mushy with more watery and pulpy texture.
The flavors in apple butter are more intense since it’s cooked longer. I love to thicken my apple sauce just a tad longer so it nicely caramelizes and thickens.
However you can still spread it like a jam or eat a spoonful. So I am using the term interchangeably. It’s homemade apple creation so it may not fit exact definition anyways. And that’s ok since taste and texture of this recipe is simply heavenly.
Delicious Apple Butter is one of easiest recipe to make in fall or autumn season. It tastes way better than store brought apple sauce.
Apple Butter Serving Ideas
This easy and delicious Homemade Apple butter is good as a simple snack, healthy dessert, or alongside more savory dishes such as this Whole Roasted Cauliflower or Grilled Portabella Mushrooms.
We love to jazz up every day breakfast or dessert using this apple butter. Whenever you crave a little sweet fall flavor, add a spoonful of homemade apple butter. Yummy!!
You might want to put this apple butter in cute fancy jars and give them out as party favors or a hostess gift during holiday season! I can’t tell you how happy my friends and family are to receive such cute and lovely thoughtful gifts.
And it goes beautifully on the fall / autumn theme appetizer platter. You will want to make this platter over and over again for holiday dinner and Thanksgiving hosting.
How to make Instant Pot Apple Butter
You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own apple butter from scratch. Gather few basic ingredients, and toss it in electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot or crockpot and voila !
Your hands off apple butter will be ready without much baby sitting.
If you go by stovetop route, you will have watch out couple times so it’s not scorching at the base. Nothing too complicated though. And the delicious aroma that fills your home will be added bonus.
Basic Steps include :
- Wash and cut the apples.
- Put the apples and spices into the Instant Pot.
- Let it cook while spreading heavenly aroma
- Blend the cooked apples.
- Let it cool down so you can devour
Which Apples to use to make Apple Butter Sauce?
Different apples provide different flavors and textures and taste. So you can use whichever variety suits your taste.
Since I like to make Unsweetened Apple Butter, I prefer to use Gala Apples or Red Delicious Apples. Both these varieties also have nice meaty texture to them so you get smooth and creamy Apple butter.
Lobo, Jonathan , Honey Crisp , Fuji and Mackintosh apples are naturally sweet so you don’t need to add extra sugar or sweetener. If you use Granny Smith or other tart varieties, your apple butter will be bit sour and tart.
Since apples are on dirty dozen list of pesticides , I prefer to use organic apples as much as possible. If you don’t have organic varieties easily available make sure to scrub the apples well to remove waxy residue on outer layer.
Ingredients
The star ingredient of this recipe is of course delicious fresh apples. I like to add dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extra to bring out that perfect comforting wafting aroma, a splash of lemon juice adds refreshing taste. A pinch of salt balances all the flavors.
Exact measurements of the ingredients are listed in the recipe card below. Additionally, you can add or skip using the flavors based on your preferences.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Apple slicer – it cores and slices all at once.
- Instant Pot
- Immersion blender – so that you can blend the cooked apples to smooth puree
- Splatter Control screen – when you are sautéing on heat, it controls the splatters
- Wooden Spatula
- Silicon Mitts
What spices can be used in unsweetened Apple Butter Sauce?
The recipe includes nutmeg and cinnamon – the quintessential favorite pairing . We like our apple butter sauce flavored with pumpkin spice.
I also often add ground ginger, cloves and all spice to this recipe. You can spice yours however you’d like.
Our Popular Instant Pot Comfort Food Recipes
- Vegetable Barley Soup
- Creamy Mushroom Risotto
- Cuban Black Beans
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
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Instant Pot Apple Butter Sauce - No Sugar, No Peel Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 pound Apples cored and chopped about 10-12 apples
- 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup water
- Pinch of salt
Optional Spices
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Wash and dry the Apples. Using the apple slicer or pairing knife, slice the apples.
- Add apple slices, spices, lemon juice and water to the main insert of your Instant Pot. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, set valve to SEALING. Choose MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 15 minutes on high.
- When Instant Pot is done cooking, wait for 10 minutes on keep warm timer and then release the leftover pressure by moving the valve to venting. Open the lid.
- Using the immersion blender, carefully puree the cooked apples and spices together. Mixture will be hot so be extra careful.
- Press the SAUTE button. Place the splatter proof screen or glass cover and in between keep stirring the apple butter frequently for 10-15 minutes.
- Keep sautéing until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. At this point, puree should have thickened substantially. Cancel the SAUTE mode.
- Let the apple butter cool down completely. Transfer it into jars or glass containers. You can store in the fridge for a week, or you can also freeze it in freezer jars for longer time.
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