This no peel instant pot apple butter recipe is perfect for an autumn breakfast or snack! It’s a super easy instant pot apple butter, small batch or a bit larger for giving as gifts!
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And if you're looking for more apple treats, try my Instant Pot Pear Applesauce, my Apple Cider Donut Cake, or my Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie!
Best Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe
This instant pot apple butter brings back so many great memories for me! I grew up spreading apple butter on toast, biscuits, and pancakes throughout the fall, and it was always a treat! So I'm so excited to be able to make my own now! It's so easy in the Instant Pot, and the perfect topping for all your breakfast and snacktime goodies!
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No Peel Instant Pot Apple Butter
The best part is that this is a NO PEEL instant pot apple butter recipe! So there's no need to peel your apples before adding them to the instant pot, which is definitely going to save you time! Because we're pureeing our apple butter during the cooking process, we'll pulverize all those apple peels so they blend in perfectly. But you can definitely still peel your apples if you like, and it'll help the apple butter to come out a bit smoother, but I like the added nutrients and simplicity of leaving them in.
Is apple butter actually butter?
No, and this is a very common question! Apple butter is a fruit spread made of apples, sweetener, spices, and sometimes other flavorings like vanilla. So if that's the case, why is apple butter called apple butter? The name comes from its texture. It's thick and smooth like butter, so it's called apple butter!
What do you put apple butter on?
I like to enjoy apple butter on toast and other breakfast breads like English muffins, biscuits, scones, and croissants. This apple butter recipe would be amazing on my Cinnamon Scones with Spiced Orange Glaze! Apple butter is also a fantastic baking ingredient, providing a rich, caramelized apple flavor and a thick texture that's perfect as a cake filling or a seasoning for savory meats like pork and chicken.
Ingredients
- apples - I used a mix of Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Gala apples for this recipe. You can peel them if you like, but no need! You will need to core and divide the apples, and for that I used this apple corer.
- apple cider - we're adding a little apple cider to help prevent a burn notice in our Instant Pot, and it also gives even more amazing apple flavor!
- light brown sugar - I love the deep flavor that brown sugar adds to this apple butter!
- spices - gather some cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, or in a pinch just throw in some apple pie spice or Pumpkin Spice Blend.
- salt - helps to bring out all these flavors!
- lemon juice - brings out the tartness in the apples and offsets the sweetness a bit.
- vanilla extract- be sure to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract. Or better yet, check out my post on how to make vanilla extract at home with just 2 ingredients!
Equipment
This super easy instant pot apple butter only requires a few tools -- first of which is your Instant Pot! Then you can get an apple corer/divider to make the prep easier, and an immersion blender to smooth out the apple butter once it's mostly done cooking.
Tips and F.A.Q.
Apply jelly has a thinner, jelly-like consistency and a milder flavor than apple butter. Apple butter is denser and more boldly flavored.
Here's an easy way to check if your apple butter is done: spoon some out, and turn the spoon upside down. If it sticks to the spoon, it's ready. If not, let it keep cooking to cook off some of the liquid.
Yes it will -- as your apple butter cools, the texture will further set up and get a bit thicker.
Apple butter is so delicious, but I wouldn't consider it a health food. Because the flavor is so concentrated, it's fairly high in sugar. On the other hand, it is low in fat and this recipe is vegan and gluten-free, so depending on your dietary needs it can fit well into your diet. Nutrition Disclaimer
This super easy apple butter will stay fresh for up to three weeks in the fridge. If you want to keep it longer, pop it in the freezer for up to a year.
More Apple Recipes You'll Love
- Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
- Apple Chips
- Instant Pot Pear Applesauce
- Pumpkin Blondies with Apple Cider Glaze
📖 Recipe
Equipment you may need
- pressure cooker
- apple corer/divider
Ingredients
- 4 lb apples - cored and divided
- ½ cup apple cider
- 1 ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Core and cut apples into 8 sections.4 lb apples
- Add apples, apple cider, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt to the Instant Pot.½ cup apple cider, 1 ½ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice, 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Set Instant Pot to cook at High pressure for 1 hour. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then turn dial to quick release.
- Purée cooked apple mixture with immersion blender until smooth.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté setting on High. Cook apple mixture an additional 20-40 minutes, stirring often, until desired thickness is reached. Stir in vanilla extract. Allow to cool to room temperature.2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Transfer to canning jars and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Last Updated on September 6, 2025 by Chenée Lewis
Apple Butter Lover says
This is the best apple butter recipe I’ve tried. Easy to follow the instructions which yielded delicious results. Thank you so much!
Chenée Lewis says
Thank you so much for the feedback!
Alyssa says
Trying this today! I'm hoping to freeze some in cubes for my daughter to pop some in yogurt or oatmeal when she gets bigger! Or enjoy with some homemade icecream, so versatile! I was out of apple pie spice so I actually used pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon 😋
Chenée Lewis says
Hi Alyssa! Those are great ideas!! 🙂
Crystal Lund says
Can this recipe be canned?
Chenée Lewis says
I haven't tried canning it yet, so I'm not sure, sorry!
Biana says
What a great idea to use Instant Pot to make apple butter. Will be great on a slice of toast or with cake.
Chenée Lewis says
Absolutely! I put this apple butter on everything!
Mirlene says
I love apple butter on toasts! It's definitely my go-to for a quick snack since I'm always on the go!
Chenée Lewis says
It's such a great topping! 🙂
Serena says
I love how simple this is to make! And it's so quick in the IP
Chenée Lewis says
Yes I love using my instant pot for this apple butter!
Alison says
This apple butter is perfect! I had a huge batch of apples after going apple picking and was looking for a large batch recipe, this turned out great!
Chenée Lewis says
I'm so glad you liked it! This is my favorite apple butter!
Kechi says
This apple butter is call my name! Love that you made it in the Instant Pot. Thanks for sharing!
Chenée Lewis says
It's definitely a fall MUST! 🙂