Why I Love This Applesauce
First of all, why is homemade applesauce so good?! Ugh. It’s so good.
It just hits right every time. There’s just enough texture to be interesting, with a naturally amazing sweetness, and the old-school, comforting feeling you get from sitting down with a warm – or cold – bowl of this is unrivaled.
We’ve made this so many this fall, and exactly no one is sick of it yet! My girls are still asking to make it every single week.
Speaking of which, this is hands-down one of my favorite recipes to make with my kids. The process is – dare I say – actually enjoyable. I cut the apples, and they tumble them into the pot. Someone does the cinnamon sticks, someone does the water, and it’s done in about 10 minutes. A perfect, warm, naturally sweet snack. For this season of life, this is the ideal level of kid recipe.
(But, like, “for the kids”, ya know?)
How To Make Applesauce In The Instant Pot
1
Cut the apples.
Hot take: I don’t peel them! Apple peels are delicious. I just cut the apples into quarters or chunks and toss ’em in the Instant Pot.
2
Add cinnamon and water.
I do two cinnamon sticks (or, in this case, some shards of cinnamon stick left at the bottom of the bag) and 1/2 cup water.
3
Cook and mash.
I cook the applesauce for 5 minutes – then it’s a quick hybrid mash/blend with the immersion blender.
4
You’re done! Yum.
This is just such a delight in our household. Eaten warm, cold, with a meal, or on its own. Simplicity for the win!
Easy Instant Pot Applesauce
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 5–6 servings (usually gone in 24 hours in our house) 1x
Description
My go-to method for homemade applesauce! Just apples, water, and cinnamon. A perfect kid recipe for an afternoon snack!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 7–8 apples (any kind works! I like Honeycrisp, of course)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Cut your apples into chunks, discarding the cores. Place apples in the Instant Pot.
- Add cinnamon sticks and water; cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before releasing the steam. Stick an immersion blender into the Instant Pot and give it a few whizzes, alternating with some gentle mashing, to get the texture that you want.
- You’re done! Enjoy your homemade applesauce!
Notes
Too much blending creates more of a puree, which isn’t my favorite. I like some texture with this. So I just blend enough to break apart any larger pieces of the peel, and then mash it the rest of the way. You don’t *have* to blend it – you could just mash it up and leave those chunks of peel intact! (Or peel the apples ahead of time if that bothers you.) Lots of options!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: applesauce, instant pot applesauce, healthy snack, homemade applesauce
Frequently Asked Questions For This Applesauce
Yes – you can cook this over medium heat for 20-30 minutes until the apples are soft.
Yes – you can cook this on high for 4 hours in a slow cooker.
Any will do, but I prefer Honeycrisp!
This will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge.
Yes! Sub in 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon instead.
