Instant Pot Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe

This easy Instant Pot Cinnamon Applesauce is made with just a handful of natural ingredients and only takes a few minutes to put together. Then let your Instant Pot do all the work while you relax. This homemade cinnamon applesauce is great with pork or chicken or just as a delicious fall snack. And it’s a great way to use up an abundance of apples!

Original post: August 2019 | Updated: November 2024

Why This Simple Recipe Works

• Applesauce is a timeless food  loved by adults and kids alike. 
• We never get tired of this delicious homemade applesauce in our house. Every single time I make a batch, it gets devoured lightning-fast.
• My boys deem this particular recipe the “best ever.” It is so much better than store bought and it could not be easier to make.
• Let your Instant Pot make this applesauce for you in literally just a handful of minutes! 
• Perfect way to use up extra apples you have on hand, especially if you’ve recently been apple picking! 

Applesauce is one of those timeless foods that never ages and is loved by adults and kids alike. This delicious Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce is an easy recipe and the perfect way to use up extra apples you have on hand, especially if you’ve recently visited an apple orchard in the fall!

Let your Instant Pot make this applesauce for you in literally just a handful of minutes! Eat it as a healthy snack, or serve it as a side with any number of great options from waffles to pork chops and everything in between.

My family never grows tired of this recipe and BOTH my boys have deemed this particular recipe the “best applesauce ever.” And I know it’s true because I’ve seen both of them standing in front of an open refrigerator slugging it out of mason jars like you’d drink milk out of the carton.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe Ingredients

This easy homemade applesauce is a simple recipe using fresh ingredients for the best flavor results.

Apples – Use medium baking apples such as honeycrisp, gala, golden delicious, jonagold or granny smith apples. I like a combination of sweeter apples and tart apples.

Lemon – When chopping and peeling the apples, fill a large bowl about half with cool water and squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into it. A little bit of lemon juice will keep your apples from getting brown while you get them prepped for the recipe.

Brown sugar – If you prefer, you can add a more naturally sweet kind of apples and reduce the amount of brown sugar you added. Other sugar substitutes that would be great are maple syrup, coconut sugar or stevia. For a sweeter sauce, throw in some added sugar (up to 1 cup total).

Spice mixture – If you enjoy the spice in the baked apples, additional flavors you could add or exchange are nutmeg, ginger, cardamom or allspice. Start with a half teaspoon each.

How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce

Follow these simple step by step instructions to prepare your ingredients, then let your Instant Pot do the rest of the work for you.

Step 1

Gather all the ingredients. Peel, core, and chop the apples

Step 2

Place all ingredients in an Instant Pot. Stir to combine and place the cover on the pot. 

Set the timer to 3 minutes on high pressure (pressure cook setting). It will take the pressure cooker around 20 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.

Step 3

When cooking time is done, use the natural pressure release and let it release for 5 minutes then do a quick release. 

Remove cover and let cool. 

Depending on the consistency you desire, mash with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a smoother consistency.

Step 4

Pour prepared applesauce into airtight containers. They can be stored in the fridge until ready to serve.

How Long Does Instant Pot Take To Pressurize

The time leading up to actual cook time may seem long and even confusing (“What is going ON in there?!”), but it’s an important part of the process! The Instant Pot is working on building up the appropriate amount of pressure that it will be cooking the food at.

It handles liquids and solids differently and also fresh and frozen foods differently, so the time can vary. Most recipes take between 10 and 25 minutes to build up pressure before the machine actually starts pressure cooking the food.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• If you prefer a slow cooker version, check out this delicious crockpot applesauce!
• Use an apple peeler/corer if you have one to make this process go super fast. If you don’t have an apple corer, use a potato peeler and a knife to get the job done. You’ll need to peel, core and chop the apples. Place them into the water-lemon juice mixture as you work.
• Serve chilled and sprinkled with extra cinnamon over the top.
• Place apples in a bowl of water with lemon juice to keep them from browning.
• For unsweetened applesauce, reduce or omit the amount of sugar called for in the recipe card.
• We enjoy a chunkier applesauce in our house, so I give the mixture a good mash using a potato masher when it’s done cooking. If you prefer a smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender until it has reached the desired consistency.

Best Apples for Applesauce

Use a variety of different apples and at the very least, use one sweet and one tart variety. My favorite combo is Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.

Sweet/Softer Apple Types
Fuji Apples
Honeycrisp
Red Delicious
Golden Delicious
Cortland
Gala

Tart (or a little Sour) Apple Varieties
Granny Smith
McIntosh
Ida Red
Braeburn
Empire
Jonathan

How to Serve Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce

There’s almost no limit to the ways to serve this easy and delicious applesauce. These are just a few of my family’s favorites.

• This applesauce is absolutely perfect paired with Slow Cooker Pork Loin, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, and of course Classic Pan-Fried Pork Chops. Mmmm, pork chops and applesauce.
• I also recommend it as a simple side with some Marinated Steak Bites and a Baked Potato.
• It’s great with some Sloppy Joes and French Fries.
• We love it with Chicken Tenders or Grilled Jerk Chicken and French Fries.
• Serve it alongside your Holiday Ham or Thanksgiving Turkey.
• It also makes a great topping for vanilla ice cream.

How to Store Homemade Applesauce

Once the hot applesauce has cooled completely, ladle into an airtight container or mason jars. Store the jars of homemade applesauce in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How Long Does Applesauce Last In The Fridge

An opened jar of store bought apple sauce will stay fresh for anywhere between 7-14 days  in the fridge.

Homemade applesauce has a shorter shelf life, ranging from 4-6 days.

How to Extend the Shelf Life

1. Refrigerate it! 
2. Keep it out of the door! Food items stored in the refrigerator door are subjected to warmer temps, especially with frequent openings. 
3. Go glass! Transfer the mixture to a glass jar (mason jars work well!) for the best quality and to add a little bit of time to its life.
4. Avoid cross contamination! Always be sure to use clean utensils when scooping this sauce into bowls in order to avoid cross-contamination. A clean spoon should be used every time you dip into the jar.

When Does Applesauce Go Bad

If you find yourself inspecting a bottle of this delicious sweet sauce, trying to figure out whether or not it has been sitting in the fridge for too long, there are a few ways to determine whether you should use it or toss it. Check out my full post on How Long Does Applesauce Last for all my best tips and suggestions.

Can You Freeze Applesauce In Mason Jars

Yes, you can freeze applesauce for up to one year! 

Make sure the cooked applesauce is cooled completely before storing. Transfer the cooled applesauce to clean Mason jars, leaving a little extra room in the jar for expansion. Wipe the top of the jar clean before sealing with the lid. Date the jar and freeze.

Applesauce vs Apple Butter

Apple butter is a thicker spread, almost preserve-like, that can be either chunky or smooth, like peanut butter. It’s great for spreading on toast or pancakes or waffles, topping ice cream, or just eating with a spoon.

You can learn more by checking out my Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe. If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet try my Crockpot Apple Butter recipe.

More Healthy Snack Ideas

Salty Toasted Coconut Chips
Kale Chips
Nutty Granola
Almond Butter Banana Cookies
Easy Healthy Breakfast Muffins

My Best Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Box-Mix Cake Recipe
Instant Pot Chocolate Pudding
Best Instant Pot Cheesecake
Instant Pot Mixed Berry Jam

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