Easy Homemade Applesauce (refined sugar-free) + Pressure Cookier & Stovetop Instructions

Put your Instant Pot to work and have homemade applesauce in no time! This Instant Pot Homemade Applesauce is easy as can be and produces the creamiest and tastiest applesauce with an incredibly short and wholesome ingredient list. Make it as a side dish for a quick weeknight dinner, to have on hand for snacking, or for little ones to enjoy!

Recipes like this one are really where your appliances shine. You do a bit of prep by removing the core and slicing or chopping the apples, and then your Instant Pot and blender do all the heavy lifting! No time spent over a hot stove, no mashing by hand. All you have to do is enjoy fresh, flavorful applesauce. Mmm! I love filling Reusable Food Pouches with homemade applesauce because it makes it so easy for my kiddos to enjoy a healthy snack mess-free.

Is Homemade Applesauce Better Than Store-Bought?

YES! Once you've tried both, I think you'll see there is no comparison. Homemade applesauce shines with pure apple flavor, and it's so thick and creamy. You can totally customize the sweetness and cinnamon levels to your liking, and I don't think I've ever seen a store-bought sweetened applesauce that is 100% free of refined sugar. You can also use your favorite type of seasonal apples, whether you pick them yourself or find them at the grocery store!

Using Imperfect Apples for Applesauce

This is the perfect way to use bruised, slightly mushy, or otherwise imperfect apples! I sometimes even keep apples that my kids haven't finished while snacking (sometimes even saved in a freezer bag!) and use that for applesauce. Since it gets cooked and blended down, it doesn't matter if they're a little browned or yucky-looking. Put those apples to use!

Apple Nutrition

Apples are full of powerful disease-fighting nutrients and health benefits! They keep you hydrated because of their high water content, they're low in calories, fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free, and full of fiber and vitamin C. Vitamin C helps keep your gums and teeth healthy, so they keep the doctor and the dentist away! For more information check out this article that I wrote about the health benefits of apples in The Washington Post a couple years ago. Fun fact: the vast majority of an apple's nutrients are in their skin! I love that this recipe leaves the skin on without sacrificing that creamy, perfect applesauce texture.

Ingredients in Homemade Instant Pot Applesauce

This recipe has just four ingredients (and one of them is water!). You likely already have everything you need to make a fresh batch of applesauce today!

• Three pounds of apples, core and stems removed, sliced or chopped. I suggest leaving the skin on! You won't notice it in the applesauce and it keeps so much of the apple's nutrition.
• Filtered water
• Pitted Medjool dates - These are optional and just add a bit of sweetness!
• Ground cinnamon, also optional. You can adjust the amount of cinnamon you use to your personal preference!

How to Make Homemade Instant Pot Applesauce

1. Start with a bit of apple preparation! Wash and cut three pounds of apples, removing the stems and cores but leaving the skins on.
2. Add all ingredients to the bowl of your Instant Pot and cook it for 3 minutes on manual high pressure. Let the steam release until the valve naturally drops, then remove the lid. I've seen a lot of recipes that cook apples for much, much longer than this, but I actually found that the minimum cooking time produces the best and tastiest applesauce!
3. Pour everything into a high-speed blender and bled until smooth, about 10 seconds. You can pulse it until it reaches your desired consistency if you like a chunkier applesauce!

Storing Applesauce

This Homemade Instant Pot Applesauce can be stored for up to a week in a Mason jar in the fridge. It tastes best once it's had a chance to cool and thicken up in the refrigerator for a bit!

More Apple Recipes

Easy Apple Nachos

Vegan and Gluten-Free Apple Cake

Instant Pot Refined Sugar-Free Apple Butter

Creamy Vegan Cinnamon Vanilla Fruit Dip for Raw Apple Slices

Apple Arugula Salad with Candied Walnuts, Dates, & Feta

Vegan Apple Pie Smoothie

Print

• Apple
• Dates
• Fall
• Hanukkah
• Gluten-Free
• Nut-Free
• Paleo
• Refined Sugar-Free
• Vegan
• Instant Pot
• No-Bake
• Easy
• Food Gifts
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick