Instant Pot Apple Sauce With Cinnamon
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.This delicious, homemade, instant pot apple sauce with cinnamon is easy to cook and is ready in just 20 minutes! With just 5 simple ingredients, this warm, sweet applesauce is the perfect healthy snack or dessert. Super kid-friendly but great for adults too!
Healthy applesauce is one of my favorite side dishes. It’s smooth, sweet, and satisfying, plus you can enjoy it year-round! But many store-bought applesauce brands aren’t that good for you!
Most are packed with added sugar and preservatives to keep them shelf-stable. Sometimes they have so much added sugar it’s as much as a candy bar! But apples are naturally sweet – there’s no need to add a ton of sugar to this recipe!
Which is why, last season after apple picking, I decided to make my own applesauce from scratch at home. I was determined to create a homemade applesauce recipe that tasted just as good as (or better than!) store bought, but was must healthier for you.
This Instant pot apple sauce has become a new family tradition whenever we have too many apples! It is easy to make and so delicious! There’s no need to buy it from the store, especially if you have a pressure cooker or instant pot! This is the brand of electric pressure cooker I have, and I’m seriously obsessed with it.
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👩🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup
- Use unpeeled apples for a nutrient-boost
- Pressure cooking simplifies the process
- Perfect for apple season, but great all year round.
- A healthy snack for picky kids!
- Super easy recipe
- No need to babysit the stove
- Use your favorite apples
- The smell of apples is heavenly
- The best applesauce in just 40 minutes!
🥘 Ingredients
This low calorie applesauce requires only five simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store. For the full recipe and nutrition information, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Apples: I used Fuji Apples but you can use any type of apples you like! Most apple varieties work well, but sweet apples require less added sugar. Fuji apple, Gala, McIntosh, and Golden Delicious are great options. Pink Lady or Granny Smith apples are both tart apples. I like to use a combination of apples for the best flavor! For a chunky applesauce recipe, use a slightly firm apple like Fuji or Honeycrisp apples.
Water: Water heats the fruit until they get soft. It will give you the right thickness too. For a sweeter dish, replace the water with apple juice or apple cider.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is optional but highly recommended! The warmth of the cinnamon pairs so well with this recipe, plus it’s packed with antioxidants! I used ground cinnamon but you could also just throw in a cinnamon stick if you don’t have the ground variety.
Honey: For a small amount of sweetness! For a vegan option, white sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup work too.
Salt: A pinch of salt accentuates sweetness!
📖 Variations
- Sugar Free Apple Sauce: One tablespoon of honey adds 2.8 grams of added sugar per serving. For a sugar free applesauce recipe, omit the honey!
- Vegan Apple Sauce: Replace the honey with maple syrup.
- Cranberry Applesauce: Add 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries and 1/4 cup of sugar. Cranberries are rather tart!
- Strawberry Applesauce: Add 3 cups of diced strawberries to the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
- Peach Applesauce: Add 12 ounces of frozen peaches to the pot with the apples.
- Spiced Applesauce: Replace the cinnamon with apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
- Variety of Apples: Different apples will give this recipe different levels of sweetness! Use a mix of apples for a sweet yet tart flavor combo!
🔪 Instructions
This homemade applesauce recipe is a breeze to make! Here’s how:
Prep: You can peel the apples, but it’s not necessary. The peels are loaded with immune-boosting vitamins A, C, and K. Cut them into even-sized chunks.
Place in Instant Pot: Dump the apples into the instant pot and sprinkle with cinnamon and salt. Pour in the honey or maple syrup, and one cup of water, then stir well.
Cook: Place the lid on the pressure cooker. Set the pressure cook valve to sealing. Set it for 5 minutes on high pressure.
Release Pressure: Once the cooking time is up, allow for natural pressure release for 5 minutes.
Then turn the valve to venting to do a quick release and allow all of the pressure to release.
Mash: Carefully open the lid away from your face so the steam doesn’t hit you. The easiest way to mash the cooked apples is with a potato masher — keep mashing until you reach the desired consistency.
For chunky applesauce texture, only partially mash. For smooth applesauce, blend with an immersion blender.
Serve: Enjoy this easy instant pot applesauce recipe warm or chilled!
❓ Recipe FAQs
Is instant pot applesauce kid-friendly?
Absolutely! Kids LOVE this delicious applesauce, and when you make it at home you can control how much added sugar ends up in this recipe. Sometimes when I make this for my kiddos, I don’t add any honey. I combine apples and ripe pears (for some natural added sweetness), then I add cinnamon and nutmeg and cook it all together in the Instant Pot. It turns out great and they think it’s dessert!
What can you serve with this instant pot apple sauce recipe?
Applesauce is so versatile – you can eat it on its own or enjoy it with breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Here are some fun ways to use applesauce:
– As a topping for oatmeal in place of sugar, or as a topping for pancakes/waffles instead of syrup!
– Paired with potato pancakes
– Added to a smoothie or stirred into plain yogurt
– Paired with a tangy cheese like Manchego or Sharp Cheddar
– As a replacement for butter to lighten up baked goods!
How should I store IP applesauce?
Cinnamon applesauce will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also can the applesauce in a water-bath canner. Canned applesauce is good for up to one year. Store it in a cool, dry place.
How do you thicken homemade apple sauce?
The longer you cook applesauce, the thicker it will get. If your applesauce is too thin, cook it in a saucepot on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Once it reaches the desired consistency, remove it from the heat and enjoy. Alternatively, you can cook it down right in the instant pot. Set the pressure cooker to sauté and cook it down until it’s thick.
💭 Expert Tips
- You can add fresh lemon juice to your applesauce if you’d like! It’s not necessary to preserve the applesauce but it’ll give it a tangy flavor, which pairs nicely with the sweetness of the apples
- If the applesauce is too thin for your taste you can set the pressure cooker to sauté and cook it down to your desired thickness.
- The honey is optional! I use the honey (or maple syrup) when I’m planning to serve it as a dessert, or for a party. If I’m making it at home for my kids – or using it as baby food, I’ll omit the honey altogether.
- Applesauce can also be made in the slow cooker. Place all the ingredients in the crockpot and set it on high for 4 hours. Stir occasionally and then mash once the time is up.
- Delicious homemade applesauce makes great gifts! Make a big batch and place it in decorated jars for a gift.
🍎 More Apple Recipes!
- Chickpea and Lentil Saute with Apples and Curry
- Apple Walnut Salad
- Pumpkin Apple Pie
- Vegan French Toast Casserole (with apples)
- Healthy Vegan Apple Pancakes
- Gluten-Free Apple Tea Cake
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🎥 Watch How to Make It
Instant Pot Applesauce With Cinnamon
This delicious, homemade, instant pot applesauce with cinnamon and honey is one of the easiest things to cook and is ready in just 20 minutes!
Servings: 6
Calories: 89.7kcal
Ingredients
- 5 medium-large apples fuji apples, red apples, gala all work well
- 1 cup water
- ½-1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp honey leave out if you want zero added sugar, increase if you want a more dessert-like flavor
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- Cut the apples into even-sized chunks. You don't have to peel the apples to get a smooth applesauce, especially after pressure-cooking, so I'd recommend leaving the peels on for added nutrition. Place the apple pieces into the pressure cooker / instant pot, then sprinkle in the cinnamon and salt.
- Pour in the honey (if using) and then the water. Give the ingredients a good stir until well combined.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set the pressure cooker valve to Sealing then press Pressure Cook, High and for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time has completed allow to sit for 5 minutes then turn valve to Venting to do a quick release and allow all of the pressure to release.
- Carefully open the lid away from your face. Use a potato masher to mash the applesauce to your desired consistency. For a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth.
- Serve warm or allow to cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- This recipe works well with Fuji, red gala, red delicious, golden delicious, or McIntosh apples.
- You can add fresh lemon juice to your applesauce if you’d like! It’s not necessary to preserve the applesauce but it’ll give it more of a tangy flavor, which can pair nicely with the sweetness of the apples
- Don’t forget the salt! It brings out the flavor of the apples really well – makes for a completely different dish.
- If the applesauce is too liquidy for your taste you can set the pressure cooker to sauté and cook it down to your desired thickness.
- The honey is optional! I use the honey when I’m planning to serve it as a dessert, or for a party. If I’m making it at home for my kids – or using it as baby food, I’ll omit the honey altogether.
- For storage: this applesauce will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week — if it lasts you that long! 🙂
Nutrition
Serving: 0.66cup | Calories: 89.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.9g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 164.8mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 18.7g
so delicious – i’ve never made applesauce and it was so easy!!! and so good!
Yay!! Thanks so much Heather! 🙂
My teenage daughter is obsessed with applesauce and this is SO SO much better than store bought! So glad she found this recipe!
Aw yay!! I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
The cinnamon and honey are so good with this applesauce! So delicious and easy!
Yes!! I know – cinnamon and apples is one of my favorite combinations!
Loved how simple yet tasty this apple sauce is!
Aw thank you so much Sara! Glad you liked it!
I absolutely love this recipe and so do all my friends. Very easy to to make. Thank you so much for posting.
Awesome!! I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
I love the tangy flavour that can be achieved when lemon juice is added to this recipe, I definitely want to try this recipe especially since it’s apple season!
That’s a great point! Lemon just enhances the flavor of the apples! I’m sure you’ll love this! 🙂
I love how easy it is to get this ready! What’s an average one would need to spend to make this for a Family of 5?
I think this entire recipe would cost you about $3 for a family of 5! Super affordable! 🙂
This looks really good … What’s the best recommended way to achieve a great consistency?
Hi Natalia! I’d really recommend using an immersion blender to get that perfect, creamy consistency! I can’t wait for you to try this at home!
This recipe looks really great and easy! I love that it’s a recipe that includes cinnamon, I’m a lover of cinnamon and it’s been proven to be highly medicinal.
Thanks so much!! Yes cinnamon really does have a ton of health benefits and as an added bonus, tastes great too! 🙂
I just got an Instant Pot! I haven’t unboxed it yet but this Apple sauce recipe makes want to pull it off my shelf and get it work!
Yay!! This is definitely a great “starter” recipe! I can’t wait for you to use your Instant Pot for the first time — I was a little hesitant to use mine at first but once I did I couldn’t go back! 🙂