Easy Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe for Fall (Perfect for Canning!)
If you’re craving a cozy, homemade fall treat, this Instant Pot apple butter is just the thing. Made with fresh apples and warm spices, it’s rich, velvety, and comes together quickly—no endless stirring required. Whether you’re spreading it on sourdough toast or preserving a big batch for canning, this easy recipe brings the comforting flavors of autumn right into your kitchen, no matter the season.
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Autumn: My Favorite Time Of Year
Fall is an amazing time of year. Leaves turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold, temperatures finally begin to cool after the heat of summer, and warm, familiar aromas of pumpkin, apples, and spices fill the air.
It is the season of harvest when gardens are put to rest and the rewards of a year’s work are gathered, preserved, and stored away for the months ahead. Jams, jellies, sauces, and baked goods all become part of the rhythm of a cozy kitchen preparing for winter.
Apples are especially abundant this time of year, and many people look for simple, comforting ways to use them while they are in season. Apple butter is one of the most beloved ways to preserve that harvest flavor, rich, spiced, and perfect for spreading all season long.
Health Benefits of Apples
You can read more about the health benefits of apples here.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
All you need is fresh apples and a few basic pantry staples to make this recipe.
Apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and lemon juice are the only ingredients needed to create this yummy butter.
Utilizing the Instant Pot shortens the cook time and makes cleanup a breeze.
From prep to finish, this recipe only takes about 45 minutes and when finished, you can easily throw the pot in the dish washer.
I promise you if you love this apple butter, you will also love my cozy homemade pumpkin butter, sourdough pumpkin muffins or you could try my reader’s favorite recipe, quick sourdough cinnamon rolls. They all celebrate the warm spices of the season that make everyday even more cozy and inviting!
What is Apple Butter?
Apple Butter Vs. Apple Sauce
They both start with apples, but the texture and flavor are very different.
Apple butter is cooked low and slow for a long time until it becomes thick, smooth, and deeply caramelized. The long cooking process concentrates the flavor and creates a rich, spiced spread.
Applesauce is cooked for a shorter time, leaving it lighter, often slightly chunky, and much less concentrated in flavor. It’s usually served as a side dish or snack rather than a spread.
Why is it called butter?
Apple butter doesn’t contain any butter at all. The name simply refers to its smooth, spreadable texture similar to soft butter. It spreads easily on toast, biscuits, and bread.
Ingredient Notes for Easy Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Fresh Apples ( I use a mixture of Red Delicious and Gala but you can use other types as well)
- Brown Sugar– This caramelizes with the apples giving it a gorgeous flavor and a beautiful deep brown color.
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla Extract- This adds a gorgeous creamy apple pie flavor to the spread. Feel free to swap in vanilla bean paste or a scraped out vanilla pod if you like.
- Salt-A pinch of salt balances the sweetness of the apples and enhances the flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Allspice
- Lemon Juice
How To Make Apple Butter Using the Instant Pot
- Slice your apples (no peeling required!) and add them to the Instant Pot along with sugars, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and lemon juice. Stir to coat the apple slices.
- Place the lid on your Instant Pot and turn the seal to vent. Pressure cook for 15 minutes.
- When the timer is finished, allow the apples to natural release for 10 minutes before opening the vent (BE CAREFUL! The steam will be very hot!)
4.Puree the apples with your blender of choice. If you are transferring the apples, use caution as they will be very hot. I use an immersion blender for this step. If you still have apple peels left, discard them.
5.Next, continue to cook for 5-10 minutes on the Saute mode of your Instant Pot. Stir often and cook until you get the consistency that you prefer. Let fully cool before adding it to your jar.
Easy Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe for Fall (Perfect for Canning!)
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Apples (I used Gala and Red Delicious) Cored and sliced. No peeling required.
- 4 TBSP Brown Sugar
- 4 TBSP Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 TSP Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 TSP Salt
- 1/2 TSP Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 TSP Nutmeg
- 1/8 TSP Allspice
- 1 TSP Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Slice the apples, removing the seeds and core. Slice into quarters.
- Add all ingredients into the Instant Pot and stir well to fully coat the apple slices.
- Place the lid on, turning the vent to the sealed position. Set timer to 15 minutes. Once the timer goes off, allow to natural release for about 10 minutes before carefully opening the vent to release the remaining steam. BE CAREFUL. THE STEAM WILL BE VERY HOT!
- Puree apples with an immersion blender to carefully transfer to your blender of choice. If transferring, take caution as the apple butter mixture will be extremely hot! If any apple skins remain, discard them.
- Turn on the Sauté function on your Instant Pot and cook for 5-10 minutes or until thickened. You may cook longer, if needed, to reach desired thickness. Stir often to prevent burning.
- Allow to cool completely before transferring it to a jar for storage. You may store this in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or it can be frozen for longer storage. If storing in a jar, make sure to leave room at the top to prevent shattering. Instant Pot Apple Butter will expand and it freezes.
How do I serve apple butter?
- Use in milkshakes for an elevated seasonal taste
2. Toast (try it with delicious Sourdough) or croissants
3. Spread it over freshly baked Sourdough Biscuits for an easy snack or quick breakfast idea
4. This creamy apple butter makes a great topping for Ice cream
5. Mix in with homemade yogurt for a fall twist!
How to Store Your Homemade Apple Butter
After fully cooling, use a wide mouth funnel and spoon into a pint sized mason jar or sealable container. You may store this in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage. If using a glass jar, make sure to leave plenty of room at the top of the jar to prevent shattering because it will expand as it freezes.
Canning Apple Butter
You can whip up multiple batches of this recipe and can them for easy long-term storage or give them as gifts!
Following the directions from Morgan’s Farmhouse, canning this recipe is as easy as (apple) pie:
- First sanitize the jars in the dishwasher. You want the jars to be hot when you put the hot apple butter into them, so it’s best to wait until near the end to run the dishwasher.
- Then put the lids in some simmering water for 10 minutes. This sterilizes them.
- Now it is safe to spoon the hot apple butter into the hot jars. Leave ½ inch at the top.
- Next wipe the rim clean and place the lids and rings on the jar.
- Put the jars in a pot of water. If using pint or half pint jars you will boil them for 10 minutes. The water should be about an inch over the top of the jars. The time starts when the water boils.
- Finally, remove the jars and allow them to cool. You may hear the lids pop, which is totally normal.
Instant Pot Apple Butter FAQs
How do you make apple butter in an Instant Pot?
Add peeled or unpeeled apples, sugar, and spices to the Instant Pot with a small amount of liquid. Pressure cook until soft, then blend until smooth and simmer to thicken if needed.
Do you need to peel apples for apple butter?
No, peeling apples is optional. The skins soften completely during cooking and blend smoothly, but you can peel them if you prefer a silkier texture.
Why is my Instant Pot apple butter runny?
It’s normal for apple butter to look thin after pressure cooking. It thickens as it’s blended and reduced using the sauté function or after cooling.
How long do you pressure cook apple butter?
Most Instant Pot apple butter recipes cook for about 15–25 minutes on high pressure, depending on how soft your apples are and how thick you want the final result.
Can you overcook apple butter in the Instant Pot?
You can’t really “ruin” it, but overcooking can make it darker and slightly caramelized in flavor. The texture can still be adjusted after cooking by blending and reducing.
What apples are best for apple butter?
The best apple butter uses a mix of sweet and tart apples such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala, and Granny Smith for a balanced flavor.
How do you thicken apple butter in the Instant Pot?
After pressure cooking, use the sauté function to simmer and reduce the mixture until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Can you make apple butter without sugar?
Yes, apple butter can be made without sugar. It will still be sweet from the apples, but it may be less rich and slightly less shelf-stable if not canned.
How long does homemade apple butter last?
Stored in the refrigerator, apple butter lasts about 2–3 weeks. It can also be frozen for several months or canned for long-term storage.
Do you need liquid for Instant Pot apple butter?
Yes, a small amount of liquid (like lemon juice) is needed to prevent a burn warning, but apples release most of their own liquid during cooking.
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