Make this easy homemade apple butter in the Instant Pot to serve alongside cheese, in a bowl of yogurt, or spooned over ice cream. This Instant Pot Apple Butter recipe is Quick, Easy, Naturally vegan, and healthy too. Also makes a fantastic edible gift for friends and family!
About this Easy Homemade Apple Butter
We are lucky to have a Paradise Apple tree in the garden and they have been producing plenty of sweet and pleasant apples this year. I do make Apple sauce and Apple butter with store-bought Bramley apples, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honey or Gala apples once a year and stash them in the freezer.
Apple Sauce made with Bramley apples are lighter in color, which is how its traditionally made in the UK. They are served as a component in the Christmas spread.
This year I decided to make no peel apple butter with homegrown apples. The recipe comes together pretty quickly with a handful of ingredients in my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
Instant Pot helps in cutting down the cooking time by pressure cooking and no babysitting needed. It is definitely faster than a crockpot and homemade apple condiment is ready in just under 1 hour.
Why you’ll love this recipe?
No-Fuss and Easy to customize the recipe!
No Peel Apple butter is a fantastic way to preserve the fruits of apple trees. Great way to include extra fiber in the recipe.
Healthy – This naturally vegan apple butter is healthy as it uses no added sweetener or very little if necessary.
Cooks in less than 1 hour – Our Instant Pot Apple butter comes together in less than one hour and requires minimal babysitting. Old fashioned apple butter requires a little effort but is slow-cooked for nearly 12-14 hours in the crockpot.
Minimal preparation – Don’t peel, but wash core, and quarter the apples.
Edible gift – This homemade apple butter makes a delicious Christmas present for friends and family.
Easy to Double or Triple or even half the recipe
Dietary needs – Vegan, Gluten-free, Paleo-friendly
Ingredients
You’ll need the following to make the No Peel unsweetened Instant Pot Apple Butter recipe. This recipe does use sugar. However, if you like it sweeter, add 1 Cup of dark brown sugar.
- Apples – Any variety of apples can be used to make Apple butter. Typically a sweeter variety of apples like Gala Apples are used to make this recipe.
- Spices – I’ve used Ground Cinnamon & Ground Nutmeg in the recipe.
- Vanilla – I’ve added a tablespoon of vanilla bean paste. You can swap for the same proportion of Vanilla extract too.
- water/apple juice – Either of them are great in the recipe. I’ve added just 1/2 a cup of water, which is just enough for cooking in the instant pot.
- Juice of 1 lemon
- sugar ( optional ) – When the apples are tart, I prefer to add about 1 cup of dark brown sugar. You can use granulated white sugar as well, but this can affect the color of the apple butter.
How to make Quick & Easy Unsweetened Apple Butter in the Instant Pot step by step?
Add all the ingredients – Apples, water, spices, vanilla extract, and lemon juice to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
Pressure Cook High for 10 minutes – Close and secure the instant pot lid to the locked position. Check to make sure the vent is turned to SEAL. Press Pressure Cook and set the timer for 10 minutes. Natural pressure release.
Process smooth – Process the Apple butter to a smooth velvety butter consistency using a hand blender. Alternatively, allow the apple mixture to cool down and then transfer to the blender and process.
Saute – Press SAUTE. Cook covered with a glass lid on and allow the mixture to boil for at least 20 minutes or until the apple butter has reached the desired consistency.
Optional – If you find your apples are not sweet enough or if you like your apple butter sweet – add 1 -2 cups of dark brown sugar at the saute stage.
What flavors go well with Unsweetened Apple Butter?
Most apple butter is plain or flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. There are plenty of ideas to flavor the apple butter.
Use Warming spices – Allspice powder or a combination of Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cloves
Apple pie spices – So easy to make at home. All you need is 2 Tbsp Cardamom, 3/4 Tsp cardamom, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of allspice. Mix them together and store them in a cool dry place. Use 2 Tbsp of Apple Pie spices in this recipe for a variation.
Pumpkin pie spices – Very similar to the Apple pie spice recipe. Use 3/4 tsp of ground cloves instead of cardamom.
Serving Suggestions
Apple butter can be enjoyed immediately. Homemade Apple Butter is delicious on toast, in a bowl of yogurt, swirl it into oatmeal, or even spooned over ice cream.
Delicious when served alongside cheese.
If you find your apple butter a bit tart – serve like apple chutney!
Apple Sauce Vs Apple Butter
Apple butter is a super concentrated form of Apple sauce, by cooking for a longer time. The longer cooking time lends the caramelized color and richness to the apple sauce. Apple butter has no butter, but the name is given because of the velvety, smoothy, buttery texture.
Apple sauce is cooked briefly until the apples have softened and gently processed until smooth/chunky. It has a lighter color and a saucy consistency.
Frequently asked questions
How to make speedy apple butter from apple sauce?
As you know using unsweetened apple sauce in the recipe, is half the job done. Measure out the apple sauce, add in sugar if desired and flavors with your favorite autumnal spices, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Quick and easy Apple butter is ready in minutes.
How long does homemade apple butter last?
Apple butter will keep well for at least 3 weeks in the refrigerator. It will store well for up to 1 year in the freezer. Once a container is opened, it must be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks.
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HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
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Ingredients
- 2 kg Apples (4.5 lbs) washed, cored, and sliced
- 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¾ Tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- ½ Cup Water/ Apple Juice
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients – Apples, water, spices, vanilla extract, and lemon juice to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.2 kg Apples (4.5 lbs), 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon, ¾ Tsp Ground Nutmeg, Juice of 1 Lemon, ½ Cup Water/ Apple Juice, 1 Tbsp Vanilla
- Pressure Cook High for 10 minutes – Close and secure the instant pot lid to the locked position. Check to make sure the vent is turned to SEAL. Press Pressure Cook and set the timer for 10 minutes. Natural pressure release.
- Process apple butter to a smooth velvety butter consistency using a hand blender. Alternatively, allow the apple mixture to cool down and then transfer to the blender and process.
- Press SAUTE. Cook covered with a glass lid on and allow the mixture to boil for at least 20 minutes or until the apple butter has reached the desired consistency.
I made this yesterday and it is simple and delicious. We had it with hot biscuits. Yum!
Thanks for the recipe.
So delighted to see your homemade apple butter in the Instant Pot community. It looked fabulous!