You open your fruit bin in the refrigerator and you find apples.
Many apples that you intended to eat, but never did.
Some have soft spots, or the skin might be wrinkled, and there’s no way you want to munch on these.
Don’t waste those apples, instead turn them into easy-to-make applesauce.
As I am more natural and simple when it comes to my cooking style, you will note how easy this is to make.
Really, this is ideal for anyone who wants natural tasting food with no additives.
I’ve delivered that to your digital doorstep with this fantastic applesauce recipe that is natural and yummy.
Create this recipe in an Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Dutch Oven or a covered pot on the stove.
The fastest and most efficient process for this applesauce is in the Instant Pot.
For those of you who have not tried your Instant Pot, crack it out of the box, this is your starter recipe.
Now, it’s time to use those apples and make Instant Pot Applesauce.
Apples & Applesauce
When your apple drawer is exploding with too many apples that are beyond their crunchable moments, it’s time to take action.
Applesauce is not about a specific apple, instead, it is how you cook that apple down that makes the difference.
I have yet to make a batch of applesauce with any particular apples, I just toss in whatever I have in the crisper.
Peeling and Washing Apples
Always wash all of your apples before peeling.
You really never know what dirt or germs are on those skins.
What I am saying is nothing new, but it is important to do so.
Also, once you peel the apples, rinse them before slicing.
Your hands have touched the peels and the apples, so just clean them off.
One last note on peeling. I am never a perfection artist when I peel
Which means you don’t have to take off every stinking piece of apple skin.
It too will become so soft once cooked it will blend and puree well.
Peeled Now Cut The Apples
Once the apples are peeled, you will chunk slice them off the core.
Again there is no right or wrong way to cut up the apples.
Instead, just leave the bare minimum of the apple attached to the core.
Slice as much off as you can.
Chunks, slices, pieces, however, and whatever you do, is fine.
Set them aside.
Instant Pot Applesauce Prep
The water that I use in this recipe is bare bones.
Apples have a lot of liquid in them already, so adding more water will take away from the thickness you may desire.
Please note, if it is too thick for you after, they are cooked in the Instant Pot, Pot on the Stove, or Slow Cooker, you can add water.
I barely cover the bottom of the Instant Pot with water, and once the apples are in, I add a few drops more.
Trust me, I am stingy with the water.
Cinnamon is really an important flavor in applesauce.
Do decide how much ‘cinnamony’ taste you want.
For instance, adding more cinnamon in or less when you are prepping for cooking.
My family prefers the taste of cinnamon without choking on it, so I lightly cover 3/4’s of the apples as you can see with a generous sprinkle.
There’s no need to mix the cinnamon or apples together, it will flavor all the apples as it cooks in the Instant Pot.
To get the best taste, of course, I use a cinnamon stick as well.
Instant Pot Applesauce – What You Need To Know
Making Instant Pot Applesauce is a quick process.
In reality, it will take longer for the steam to build than the actual prep and cooking process.
Let the Instant Pot cool about 20 minutes to 30 minutes after the timed cooking ends.
Natural Release is what you will be using.
After it is cooked, you can use an emulsifier, blender or potato masher to achieve desired chunkiness or smoothness.
Last, my final word of advice. If you added too much water, or hate runny applesauce and somehow messed this up (I don’t think you can), use Xanthan Gum.
If you know anything about Xantham Gum, you know NOT to use that much or it will be totally disgusting.
You’ve got this. From start to finish, you are actively involved in washing, peeling and cutting and then mashing.
Consider that about a 10-minute project.
The Instant Pot does the brunt of the work and cooks these down in minutes.
While the natural release allows them to further materialize into those soft, pieces that mush into delicious applesauce.
⇓⇓⇓ Print the Instant Pot Applesauce Recipe Here ⇓⇓⇓
Instant Pot Applesauce
Apples & Applesauce
Ingredients
- 8 Apples Up 10 apples
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon up to 2 Tablespoons
- Cinnamon Stick
- 4 Tablespoons water
- Up to 3/4 Tsp Xanthan Gum optional
Instructions
- Rinse Apples
- Peel Apples
- Rinse Apples again.
- Cut apples
- Add 2 -3 Tablespoons of water to Instant Pot Liner
- Place cut apples in Instant Pot
- Snug cut apples around the cinnamon stick (center)
- Sprinkle apples with cinnamon
- Add a tablespoon more of water.
- Seal Instant Pot
- Program Manual, High and 3 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, press Cancel and allow it to cool between 20 & 30 minutes.
- Natural release lid at 30 minutes.
- Remove contents to blender, emulsifier or into bowl and blend.
- If you are adding in Xanthan Gum*, do so in the blender so it does not clump.
- Be frugal with your Xanthan Gum, adding the least amount possible or your texture will be terrible.
- You can add additional cinnamon into the Applesauce at this point as well.
- Serve or refrigerate