Instant Pot Applesauce

While you can’t beat the taste of homemade applesauce, most of us don’t want to stand over the stove and stir it all afternoon. This insanely easy recipe speeds things up by using the instant pot, so you can be eating warm, fresh applesauce in under an hour.

We like our applesauce on the tart side, so we’ve chosen to add only a few tablespoons of brown sugar to the apples while they cook. If you’re concerned that your applesauce won’t be sweet enough, relax– you can always stir in more sugar at the end. On the other hand, if you’re worried it will be too sweet, reduce the sugar or leave it out entirely. It’s your applesauce, so make it the way you like it.

Read on for more tips on this easy instant pot recipe. Looking for more ways to use up those apples? Check out our some of our other favorite apple recipes.

What are the best apples for applesauce?

We love Granny Smith apples– they have that gorgeous tart flavor that we love so much!-- but honestly you could use any apples that have a smooth, firm texture. Just keep in mind that apples such as Gala or Fuji are sweeter and may not require any added sugar to be sweet enough.

Can you overcook applesauce?

Actually . . . yes. The texture won’t necessarily suffer, but the flavor will: the more you overcook them, the less of that tartness the apples will retain. Don’t worry, though– if you follow the 5-minute timing directions in this recipe, you’ll be just fine.

How smooth should this applesauce be?

How smooth do you want it to be? Seriously, the texture of your applesauce is completely up to you. We leave ours fairly chunky, but if you want yours to be smoother, you can let it cool a bit and then blend it in the blender or the food processor until it’s your desired texture.

Can I cook my applesauce in a crockpot?

Absolutely! A crockpot works very differently from an instant pot, though, so if you want to use your crockpot, we highly recommend you check out our favorite Crockpot Applesauce recipe, which has been created and tested with that specific piece of equipment in mind.

What can I do with leftover applesauce?

So much! You can use it to make apple barbecue sauce, or bake it into these easy applesauce muffins. Our favorite? Serve it alongside these homemade latkes for a delicious festive treat.

Made this? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Editor's Note: The introduction to this recipe was updated on August 1, 2022  to include more information about the dish.