This Instant Pot apple butter is thick, smooth, and full of cozy fall flavor. You only need 5 ingredients: apples, apple cider, maple syrup, lemon juice, and apple pie spice. There’s no peeling, and most of the cooking time is hands-off. Pressure cook the apples, blend them right in the pot, then let it simmer until it’s thick enough to spread.

We take the kids apple picking every fall and always come home with way more apples than we can eat. This is my favorite way to use them up, no matter what kind of apples we picked. A jar of this in the fridge means toast, oatmeal, and apple butter cookies all week.

A spoon is dipped into a jar of homemade healthy apple butter. There are red apples in the background

A Quick Look At The Recipe

  • Recipe Name: Instant Pot Apple Butter {5 Ingredients}
  • Ready In: 95 minutes
  • Serves: 16
  • Main Ingredients: of apples, apple cider (you can also use apple juice or water *), - 1/2 cup maple syrup or molasses (optional), fresh lemon juice (optional), apple pie spice
  • Why You'll Love It: Thick, smooth Instant Pot apple butter made with 5 ingredients: apples, apple cider, maple syrup, lemon juice, and apple pie spice. No peeling needed.

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What Apples Are Best for Apple Butter?

After making apple butter with all kinds of apples over the years, my answer is simple: use the apples you have. The more flavorful your apples, the more flavorful your apple butter will be.

I love a mix of sweet and tart. Honeycrisp and Gala add natural sweetness, and Granny Smith adds a little tartness to balance it out. Using a few varieties also gives you a deeper apple flavor.

But you don’t need to buy three kinds just for this recipe. If you only have one variety, use it. If your apples aren’t very sweet, add a little more maple syrup. If they’re super sweet and the apple butter tastes a little flat, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens it right up.

Top Tips Before You Start

  • Go easy on the maple syrup at first. Apples vary a lot in sweetness, so add less up front and adjust after cooking.
  • Don’t skip the reduction. Simmering after pressure cooking is what makes apple butter thick, dark, and concentrated.
  • Use a splatter screen. Thick apple butter bubbles and splatters as it cooks. Trust me on this one.
  • Taste before adding lemon juice. If your apples are already tart, you may not need it.
  • Use an immersion blender if you have one. It’s the easiest way to blend without moving a steaming-hot pot of apples to a blender.
Homemade Instant Pot apple butter in a glass jar with fresh apples in the background. There is a spoon scooping up a thick dollop of the apple butter.

Do You Have to Peel Apples for Apple Butter?

Nope! This is my favorite shortcut in the whole recipe. I leave the peels on, because no one wants a recipe that starts with peeling 20 apples. Especially not busy moms like us.

Pressure cooking makes the skins very soft, and once everything is blended, I find them practically undetectable. It saves so much prep time when you’re working through a giant bag of apples from apple picking.

If you want an ultra-smooth apple butter, you can peel the apples first. For our family, I don’t find it necessary.

How to Make Apple Butter in the Instant Pot

Scroll down to the full recipe card for the exact ingredient amounts and instructions. First, wash the apples well.

Cut them into chunks and remove the cores.
Cut them into chunks and remove the cores.
Add the apples to the Instant Pot along with apple pie spice, apple cider, and maple syrup. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure.
Add the apples to the Instant Pot along with apple pie spice, apple cider, and maple syrup. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure.
Use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the Instant Pot until smooth.
Use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the Instant Pot until smooth.
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté Less and cook uncovered.
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté Less and cook uncovered.
Stir occasionally until the apple butter reaches your desired consistency.
Stir occasionally until the apple butter reaches your desired consistency.
Taste the apple butter toward the end. Add more maple syrup if you want it sweeter.
Taste the apple butter toward the end. Add more maple syrup if you want it sweeter.

If your Instant Pot doesn’t have a Sauté Less setting, move the apple butter to a pot and reduce it over low heat on the stovetop. Let it cool completely before you store it. It thickens even more in the fridge.

Thick homemade apple butter scooped from a glass jar with a spoon

How to Store Homemade Apple Butter

Keep apple butter in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator, and always use a clean spoon when you serve it.

For longer storage, freeze it. I like to freeze it in small portions so I can thaw only what I need.

This recipe is meant for the fridge or freezer. If you want to can your apple butter, use a recipe and processing method that’s been tested for safe home canning.

Ways to Use Homemade Apple Butter

The hard part isn’t figuring out what to do with a jar of apple butter. It’s not eating the whole thing with a spoon.

One of my favorite ways to use it is in my Apple Butter Cookies. They’re soft, chewy, and taste like fall in cookie form. My kids’ favorite fall breakfast is Apple Butter Oatmeal Bake, which is perfect for meal prep. And Tom’s vote always goes to this moist Apple Butter Coffee Cake.

You can also:

  • Spread it over toast, English muffins, or biscuits.
  • Spoon it over pancakes or waffles.
  • Swirl it into oatmeal or yogurt.
  • Pair it with baked brie and walnuts for an easy fall appetizer.
  • Serve it alongside pork or turkey.
  • Add a spoonful to a fall latte or cocktail.

If you have extra, spoon it into small glass jars, tie on a ribbon, and you’ve got an easy homemade fall gift.

FAQ

What’s the difference between apple butter and applesauce? Apple butter is cooked much longer, until most of the water cooks off. That makes it thicker, darker, and more concentrated than applesauce.

Does apple butter have butter in it? No. It’s just apples, spices, and a little sweetener cooked down until thick and spreadable. This recipe is dairy-free.

Can I make it without maple syrup? Yes. The maple syrup is optional. If your apples are sweet, you may not need any. Taste it after blending and add sweetener only if you want it.

Why did my Instant Pot show a “burn” warning? Some Instant Pots need more liquid. I only needed 1/4 cup apple cider, but you can add a little more. Just plan to simmer the apple butter a bit longer at the end.

Can I use a regular blender? Yes. Blend in small batches so the hot apples don’t overflow, and use an oven mitt to protect your hand.

A slice of toast spread with homemade apple butter on a plate with a butter knife and chopped pecans.

Leave me a comment below and tell me how you’re planning to use your homemade apple butter!

Caramelized and sugar-free apple sauce is being pored into a mason jar

Get the recipe:Instant Pot Apple Butter {5 Ingredients}

Yield: 16
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Thick, smooth Instant Pot apple butter made with 5 ingredients: apples, apple cider, maple syrup, lemon juice, and apple pie spice. No peeling needed.
4.67 stars (3 reviews)
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Ingredients

  • 3-3.5 lbs of apples
  • 1/4 cup apple cider, you can also use apple juice or water *
  • 1/3 cup – 1/2 cup maple syrup or molasses, optional
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional
  • 2 tsp apple pie spice

Equipment

Instructions 

Prep

  • Start with washing the apples thoroughly and cut the apples into chunks and remove the core.
  • Sprinkle apple pie spice over the apples.

Instant Pot

  • Pour the apple cider into the instant pot and then add the spice-covered apples.
  • Add the maple syrup or molasses onto the apples and seal the lid.
    *I recommend not to add too much maple syrup at once. You can add more sweetening to the apple butter once it’s done cooking*
  • Cook the apples on high pressure for 10 minutes. 
  • Slow release for 15 – 20 minutes. Once done releasing, open the lid. 
  • Blend the apple butter until smooth using an immersion blender or a high-speed blender (see notes**).
  • Taste the apple butter, and if desired, adjust the flavor with more sweetener and/or lemon juice.
  • Turn the instant pot to the “sauté less” function. Cook and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
    **If your instant pot does not have a “sauté less” function, you can reduce the apple butter in a pot on the stovetop. I recommend using a splatter screen to prevent apples from splattering**
  • Saute/Simmer for 45 – 1 hour or until it reaches the desired consistency. 
  • Transfer to a container and let it fully cool before storing it (the apple butter will thicken even more once it is refrigerated).

Notes

* Some instant pots may need more liquid to prevent the “burn” warning. I only needed 1/4 cup apple cider. If you need to use more liquid, you will simply need to reduce the apple butter for a longer time in the last step.
**if you use a high-speed blender, blend it in batches so the HOT apple sauce won’t overflow from your blender. Also, use an oven mitt so you won’t burn.
Store it in the refrigerator and always use a clean spoon when serving.
For longer storage, you can also freeze apple butter. I recommend freezing it in smaller portions so you can thaw only what you need.
This recipe is intended for refrigerator or freezer storage. If you want to preserve apple butter through home canning, use a recipe and processing method specifically tested for safe canning.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 146kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 11mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 29g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American