This spiced Instant Pot apple butter recipe is ready in just 20 minutes and it’s made without cornstarch. This easy homemade recipe with pecan pieces has many uses.
The aroma of a home where apple butter is being made is HEAVENLY!
I feel like fall is in the air because of the aromas of pumpkin spice, apples and pecans come wafting through my kitchen when I am making it.
Trust me, apple butter in the Instant Pot is the most aromatic and delicious fall recipe ever!
Tips for making it
- Use organic granny smith apples in this recipe. They are free of pesticides and other harmful elements.
- This recipe can be made with or without the apple peels.
- If you remove the apple peels, you can put them in compost or check out these post on it’s many uses.
- Use lemon or lime juice to coat the apples so that they don’t turn brown.
- Instead of white sugars, I prefer using dark brown sugar. If you want to make an Amish version, you can use sucanat instead.
- The sugar amount will vary depending on the tartness of the green apples. Taste it after you open the Instant Pot. Add more sugar at that time, if needed.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can add ½ tsp nutmeg and 1½ tsp and ground cinnamon.
- You can actually make your life easy by making the brown sugar syrup separately. Add it to this recipe and storing remainder for future use.
- Pecan pieces are optional, but, I highly recommend you use them in this recipe. It adds a nutty and delicious flavor to the apple butter.
- Wait for the Instant Pot to fully cool down before opening the lid.
- Store the apple butter in a glass jar and refrigerate.
What is apple butter?
Apple butter is apple that is cooked to the point that it becomes a pulp. Along with warm spices, apple butter is a fragrant, spreadable condiment. It’s different from applesauce because it has spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Smooth vs chunky texture
I have always been a fan of chunky texture when making apple butter. I like the roughness of the apple butter and it’s easy to spread.
But, if you are a fan of smooth texture, it’s easy to do so. When you open the instant pot, use an (affiliate link) immersion blender to smooth the apple butter.
Do you prefer smooth or chunky apple butter?
Answering common questions
Yes, apple butter is easy to make stove-top. The only problem is that it takes a long time to tenderize the apple. On stove-top, I think it takes about 60 minutes to cook the apples fully.
I prefer making apple butter in Instant Pot because it is so much faster than any other method.
Yes, homemade version should be refrigerated because it doesn’t have any preservatives. Store in a glass container with a tight light
Once refrigerated, it can last for about 2 weeks. Or, can it and it will last a long time. The Hillbilly Kitchen has a step-by-step video on how to do it.
The slow cooker is also a perfect gadget to make it. Cook the apples in it for about 3 hours.
No, this recipe is much better with corn starch. It’s more natural without it.
Apple butter is a more concentrated version of applesauce. Just like apple butter, canning applesauce is very easy.
Types of apples
- Granny smith apples
- Fuji apples
- Macintosh apples
- Empire apples
- Honeycrisp apples
- Gala apples
Granny Smith apples, AKA, green apples is the best apple type to use in this recipe. It’s tart enough that it will retain a little bit of it after it’s cooked, giving it that signature sweet and tangy flavor.
One thing I love about gala apples is that they cook well in both the Instant Pot and Air Fryer. I made these stuffed air fryer apples using gala apples and it was delicious.
It’s many uses!
- Use it as a marinade – I marinated tofu in it and it was delicious!
- As a dip – I drizzled it over cream cheese and then dipped crackers in it.
- Put it into baked goods – like cakes, muffins, breads and pies.
- Great in smoothies – perfect for fruit smoothies.
- Spread it on toast – regular toast or those thick toast pieces.
- Can be a dip for chips – I tried it on potato chips and beet chips too.
- Make awesome cocktails out of it – Burrata and Bubbles makes an eye-popping Bellini!
Ingredients
- Butter
- Granny Smith apples
- Dark brown sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Pecan pieces
This is just a quick look at the ingredients. See the recipe card for details on how to make it.
How to make apple butter
- Peel and chop the first apple.
2. Add lime juice and coat the apples with it. Set aside.
3. Peel and chop 2 more apples. Be sure to coat them with lime juice too.
4. Open the Instant Pot lid and set it to saute.
5. Add butter to the Instant Pot.
6. Add the chopped apples to the Instant Pot.
6. Add dark brown sugar to the apples
7. Add pumpkin pie spice
8. Add pecan pieces (optional)
9. Mix well. Make sure that all the ingredients are coated well
10. Close the lid and remove the saute option. Then, choose “Pressure Cook” option, set it to 5 minutes and remove the “keep warm” option.
11. Wait for the valve to drop before opening the Instant Pot. Then, open the lid carefully as there will be steam will be hot.
12. Use a spatula and mix well. If you like it smooth, use your immersion blender in the container. Be sure to unplug the Instant Pot first.
Transfer to a glass container and refrigerate.
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Instant Pot Apple Butter
Equipment
- Immersion Blender optional
Ingredients
- 3 Granny Smith apples use organic apples
- 3 tsp lime juice fresh squeezed
- 1 Tbsp butter grass-fed or vegan
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar see note #1
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 Tbsp pecan pieces optional
Instructions
- Peel apple and cube one of the green apples
- Add 1 tsp lime juice to the cubed apples and coat well
- Repeat the process for the other 2 apples
- Set the instant pot to "Saute"
- Add butter to the Instant Pot container
- Add the cubed apples
- Add the dark brown sugar
- Add pumpkin pie spice
- Add pecan pieces, if using
- Close lid, remove the saute option and choose the Pressure Cooker option, set it to 5 minutes, remove "keep warm"
- Wait for the valve to drop and then, carefully open the Instant Pot lid
- Unplug the Instant Pot, mix well and optionally, use the immersion blender.
Video
Notes
- Use organic granny smith apples in this recipe. They are free of pesticides and other harmful elements.
- This recipe can be made with or without the apple peels.
- If you remove the apple peels, you can put them in compost.
- Use lemon or lime juice to coat the chopped apples so that they don’t turn brown.
- Instead of white sugars, I prefer using dark brown sugar. If you want to make an Amish version, you can use sucanat instead.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can add ½ tsp nutmeg and 1½ tsp and ground cinnamon.
- Pecan pieces are optional, but, I highly recommend you use them in this recipe. It adds a nutty and delicious flavor to the apple butter.
- Wait for the Instant Pot to fully cool down before opening the lid.
- Store the apple butter in a glass jar and refrigerate.
Mmmm I love chunky apple butter and your recipe was great! Love the addition of pecans! Using the Instant Pot definitely is a game changer! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you, Lori
we had so many apples and I was trying to figure out what to do with them. Your recipe was timely and incredibly easy and made some of the best apple butter I’ve ever had!
Thank you, Dennis
Ooh this looks delicious! This spread over toast would be the perfect morning treat.
Thank you, Tammy. I love it over toast.
We just picked SO. MANY. APPLES. and I need all the apple recipes. This apple butter looks easy and delicious – will definitely be making this weekend!
Thank you, Lauren. It’s my favorite way to use apples is this recipe.
I love this recipe and I love the added pecan bits! Yum! I’m with you – I like the chunkier style 😉 So good!
Thank you, Patricia
You know, I tried to make apple butter in my slow cooker one year and it never really turned out (plus it took forever!). I’m going to try your instant pot recipe. We still have so many apples from our tree and I love using them up.
Thank you, Bernice. It’s a great way to use up apples.
This apple butter is the best and so easy to make. I love adding this to anything I can and I love well it stores too. Amazing and delicious fall recipe!
Thank you, Kathryn. I put it on toast this morning and it was so good!
Awesome! This apple butter just looks so yummy! Perfect for our biscuits and bread! The texture makes this enticing and tempting! Loved it!
Thank you Jamie. So happy to hear that you loved it.
I’ve seen many recipes for making apple butter in the slow cooker, but I love this recipe that utilizes my Instant Pot!
Thank you, Sharon. I love making it in my IP too. I am not making it any other way from now on, lol.
This is the best apple butter ever! I’ve always loved apple butter and usually purchase it from the store but never again! This is the perfect creamy consistency and the pecans just put it over the top.
Thank you, Linda! I am so happy to hear that you liked it. I love pecans in it so much. It adds texture and taste to this Apple Butter.
This apple butter was so easy to make, but even easier to eat, LOL! I loved the addition of pecans in this recipe. Definitely a must for apple season.
Thank you, Marta. Haha, It is definitely easier to eat.