This Easy Apple Butter recipe is tremendously velvety, smooth, spiced, and tasty. Perfect for spreading on toast, muffins, pancakes, crackers, etc. It’s pure apple goodness at its best. Pressure cooker and slow cooker instructions included. Plus, step-by-step photos and lots of tips.
Quick & Easy Apple Butter Recipe Highlights
If you’re an apple lover, you are going to FLIP over this Apple Butter recipe!
After our last trip to the orchard, I figured that I should use the 123lb of apple my kids picked – Okay… I am exaggerating, but it was a humongous number of apples – before they go bad. So, this apple butter recipe was born.
If you are not familiar with apple butter, It’s basically like pumpkin butter — but with apples! And despite its name, there is no butter or any other kind of fat in Apple Butter. It’s pure apple goodness at its best.
This quick and easy Apple Butter is sweet (but not cloyingly), spiced, and incredibly comforting. It is just the perfect thing for spreading on toast, muffins, pancakes, crackers, biscuits, and my personal fave, pair it with cheese.
Since I wanted to make it quick, I decided that the Instant Pot would be the way to go. It only took 8 minutes to cook and then a few more minutes to thicken. And I love that my homemade version has nothing artificial, no preservatives, and nothing weird. It’s just all goodness.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Amounts are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down). You’ll need:
- Apples: I used Fuji apples. They’re a sweeter variety, making them perfect for this recipe. Do not use a firm, tart apple like Granny Smith. For this apple butter recipe, stick with softer, sweeter apples, such as Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Cortland Apples, Honeycrisps, Gala, or McIntosh. A combination of apples works, too! Keep your apple pieces small and try to make them similarly sized so they cook evenly.
- Apple cider: I like to use apple cider for extra flavor, but if you don’t have any, you can substitute it for water. Make sure NOT to confuse apple cider with apple cider vinegar.
- Light brown sugar: You can adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of your apples.
- Apple pie spice: Apple pie spice is a spice blend made out of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. If you do not have apple pie spice, you can make your own by mixing together ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Cinnamon stick: For extra warmth and richness!
- Vanilla extract: For extra flavor! For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Pressure Cook the Ingredients
Place all the ingredients into the Instant Pot. Select “Manual” mode and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. When the time is over, natural release the pressure for 8-10 minutes. Carefully turn the vent to “Venting,” just to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Then remove the lid. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard.
Step 2 – Blend It Up
Use a blender, immersion blender, or food processor to blend the apple mixture until smooth.
Step 3 – Reduce It
Select “Sauté” and adjust to LESS. Simmer the mixture for 10 – 15 minutes, or until thickened to desired consistency. Press “Cancel”.
Step 4 – Cool & Store
Cool completely. Transfer to a glass jar; there should be around 2 cups. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze in small containers for up to 3 months.
Recipe Tips
I have not canned this IP apple butter, but you can see this post to read more about canning.
You can use this from anything applesauce is used! You can also use this pressure cooker apple butter in baked goods, smoothies, marinades, and more.
If you do not have apple pie spice, you can make your own by mixing together ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
You can adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of your apples.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store
Leftovers can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3 weeks. I like using mason jars as they’re easy to keep airtight.
Freeze
Place the apple butter into airtight containers or freezer bags and keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
My favorite apples to use for apple butter are Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Cortland Apples, Honeycrisps, Gala, or McIntosh. You want to make sure you use a sweet apple variety. If you use a tart variety, your apple butter will come out tart.
Apple butter doesn’t actually contain butter! The name refers to how buttery the apples get. Apple butter is thick and spreadable like softened butter!
The main difference between applesauce and apple butter is that apple butter is caramelized, which is why it is darker in color than applesauce. Applesauce is not usually seasoned as well compared to apple butter.
Absolutely!
More Eggless Apple Recipes You’ll Love!
- Eggless Baked Apple Oatmeal Muffins
- Eggless Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Eggless Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Eggless Apple Maple Spice Cake
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Recipe Card 📖
Easy Apple Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 – 7 apples , peeled, cored, and chopped (I used Fuji – about 1.5 lb – 720 g)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider (see notes for susbtitute)
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice (see notes for substitute)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
PRESSURE COOKER:
- Place all the ingredients into the Instant Pot.
- Select “Manual” mode and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. When the time is over, turn it off and let the pressure release on its own, this will take about 8-10 minutes. Carefully turn the vent to “Venting,” just to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Then remove the lid. Remove cinnamon stick and discard.
- Use a blender, immersion blender, or food processor to blend apple mixture until smooth.
- Select “Sauté” and adjust to LESS. Simmer apple butter for 10 – 15 minutes, or until thickened to desired consistency. Press “Cancel”.
- Cool completely.
- Transfer to a glass jar. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze in small containers for up to 3 months.
SLOW COOKER:
- Place all the ingredients into the slow cooker.
- Cook in slow cooker on LOW for about 10 hours, stirring occasionally. After that time, remove the cinnamon stick and discard it.
- Use a blender, immersion blender, or food processor to blend apple mixture until smooth.
- Turn the slow cooker on to low heat and cook another 2 hours uncovered, occasionally stirring, to reduce and thicken. The apple butter should be thick and dark brown.
- Transfer to a glass jar. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze in small containers for up to 3 months.
- I have not canned this IP apple butter, but you can see this post to read more about canning.
- You can use this from anything applesauce is used! You can also use this pressure cooker apple butter in baked goods, smoothies, marinades, and more.
- If you do not have apple pie spice, you can make your own by mixing together ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
- You can adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of your apples.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This recipe was originally published in October 2017. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information have been added to the post in September 2022 to make it as helpful as possible!
Nutrition Label does not indicate the serving size. What is the serving size for the “85” calories?
Hello Nanci! 85 cal for 2 tablespoons.
Nevermind! Amazing how much clearer the recipe is when you re-read it at any other hour than 6 a.m. !
Hello Barbara! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
Can’t wait to try this recipe! One question though as I don’t think I saw this anywhere …. do you peel the apples and cut them up before putting them into the pot?
Hello Barbara! The apple has to be peeled, cored, and chopped.
Holy spatter! during the “saute” stage. I ended up dumping it into a pan on the stove where I could regulate the heat better.
Now I have to wipe down my cupboards, my backspash, my toaster, m y iPad….
The apple butter was good tho.
Hello Sharon! I am sorry to hear that you had too much spatter but I am happy you like the apple butter. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?
Thank you for this great recipe. We came home this weekend from the Georgia Apple Festival with 7 pecks of beautiful fresh apples and I needed something to preserve that great fresh apple taste. These are the substitutions I used to make 7 cups of silky apple butter: Mutsu apples, a large, sweet and tangy green apple, peeled, cored and sliced (10 cups sliced 10-12 apples whole), 2 cups of Truvia Brown Sugar substitute, 2 cups fresh apple cider, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, amaretto liquor, and a dash each of ground cloves, ground ginger and ground allspice. I followed your cooking instructions, and cooked on high for 10 minutes. After the first cooking I whizzed it up with the immersion blender and it was so silky and perfect I didn’t feel a need for the second cooking. I may simmer it a bit before canning to remove more of the moisture if it starts to separate overnight, but to me it’s perfect as is.
I’ll pack this in 6 (yes we ate some) half pint jars (8 oz) then process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. They should be good to store for up to 12 months but we’ve never had one of our fruit preserves stay on the shelf for more than 6 months.
Hello Viv!! Truvia Brown Sugar is a great option for those how to want to reduce the sugar amount. And the amaretto sounds like a great addition too. I will try your recipe next time. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?
I came looking for a pear butter recipe but this was lovely! Made the following adjustments based on availability: Swapped the apples for pears, subbed the sugar for less than 1/4 cup of honey, and used mulling spice in lieu of apple pie seasoning. Depending on the texture of your fruits’ peel, you may consider removing them first. Yum!
Hello Ariel! I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?