Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe made refined sugar-free using coconut sugar and pure maple syrup. This warmly-spiced spread makes the perfect gift for friends and family.
Apple butter is basically mandatory during the fall and winter months. There’s something about the homemade spread using freshly harvested apples that warms the heart and soul!
While I love a traditional apple butter, it is just as easy to make apple butter refined sugar-free as it is to make it with cane sugar. I like using organic coconut sugar and pure maple syrup (or molasses!) for sweetening apple butter. This makes it ever so slightly lower on the glycemic index, and most people tend to process more natural sweeteners better than processed sweeteners.
So what do we need in order to make apple butter? Contrary to the title, apple butter contains no actual butter, making it suitable for dairy-free or vegan eaters.
All we need is apples, coconut sugar, pure maple syrup (or molasses), cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, a squirt of lemon juice, and pure vanilla extract. Badda bing, badda boom! Apple butter magic!
Let’s make it!
How to Make Instant Pot Apple Butter:
Peel, core, and chop the apples. No worries if the chunks aren’t all the same size!
Transfer the chopped apples to your Instant Pot, along with the rest of the ingredients.
Give everything a big stir until it’s well-combined.
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook.” Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Position the steam release valve to “Sealing.” Once the Instant Pot has run its course, allow the steam to release naturally.
Remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Mash the apples using a potato masher if you prefer chunkier apple butter. For creamier apple butter, use an immersion blender, or transfer everything to a regular blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer the apple butter to sanitized jars and refrigerate until ready to use (or serve immediately!)
How to Serve Apple Butter:
Apple butter can be used in numerous ways! You can use it as a spread on any baked good, such as sliced bread, bagels, muffins, scones, etc. You can also use it in place of frosting on cakes and cupcakes, or use it inside of baked recipes, such as cakes and galettes.
I’m thinking this apple butter would be AMAZING on top of Chai-Spiced Paleo Coffee Cake, Morning Glory Quickbread, or Paleo Gingerbread Muffins.
I enjoyed the apple butter on gluten-free toast and on my Paleo Everything Bagels (it may sound strange, but trust me, it works!).
Can I Make Apple Butter in a Slow Cooker?:
You certainly may! For the slow cooker version, simply add everything to your Crock Pot or slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. Use a potato masher, immersion blender, or regular blender to mash or blend the apples once they are cooked.
Recipe Adaptations:
- If you’re fine with cane sugar, replace the coconut sugar and pure maple syrup with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar.
- Double the recipe if making gifts for friends and family.
- Use any type of apple you prefer. I used envy apples, which turned out fabulously!
- Replace the pure maple syrup with molasses, or change up the sweeteners according to how you like your sweets.
Upon what deliciousness will you smear your apple butter?
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If you make this Paleo Apple Butter, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
Instant Pot Paleo Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 3 lbs apples peeled, cored, and chopped
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or molasses
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp sea salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Peel, core, and chop the apples. No worries if the chunks aren’t all the same size!
- Transfer the chopped apples to your Instant Pot, along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Give everything a big stir until it’s well-combined.
- Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook.” Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Position the steam release valve to “Sealing.” Once the Instant Pot has run its course, allow the steam to release naturally.
- Remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Mash the apples using a potato masher if you prefer chunkier apple butter. For creamier apple butter, use an immersion blender, or transfer everything to a regular blender and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the apple butter to sanitized jars and refrigerate until ready to use (or serve immediately!)
Nutrition
This apple butter would be so good in oatmeal!
Can this apple butter be canned?
That’s a great question, Cindy…I’ve never canned it, so I can’t be sure. I would assume it can be, though! xo
Hello! Do you mean 3 lbs of apples BEFORE they are peeled/cored/chopped, or after?
Thanks; I LOVE your recipes; I’ve made so many of them! The Chickpea/chocolate chip/peanut butter bars were especially fun to try, and delicious too, but we make a lot of the zucchini quickbread. =) I like to substitute a teaspoon of maple flavoring for one of the 2 tsp of vanilla in it… 😉 I have the paleo morningglory quickbread in the oven right now!
Hi Rana!
Yes, you nailed it – 3 lbs of apples before peeling and coring. So I just weigh them when I’m buying them at the grocery stores on one of the store’s scales.
I’m so happy you enjoy my recipes! Also psyched you love the chickpea bars…those are one of my favorites! Hope you’re staying well during these interesting times! xoxox
LOL doing my best–definitely gave me an incentive to figure out how to make the best use of my Instant Pot.. 😉
THANKS for the healthy alternatives to the crap food I could be stuffing my face with while working from home! Your work is appreciated by sooo many, I’m sure, and definitely by me. =)
Off to try making apple butter!
Peace, out!
You’re too funny, Rana! And I hear ya on the crap food…I’ve been very inspired to just eat myself into comfort these days, lol. Hope you enjoy the apple butter!! xoxoxo