Instant Pot Apple Butter
This instant pot apple butter tastes fantastic and is so quick and easy to make!
I know we're reaching the tail end of apple season, and sliding right into all things pumpkin, but I definitely can't let apple season pass without sharing this amazing apple butter. We've had a wonderful fall season so far, and my family has picked apples at a local orchard not once, but twice this year! My kids tried some apple butter at the little farm store at one of the orchards, and they haven't been able to talk about anything else since. I didn't grow up eating apple butter, so it's never really been on my radar, but since my kids loved it so much, I figured we might as well give it a try at home with our abundance of apples.
I used golden delicious apples for mine, but I think any sweet apple would do well with this recipe. I got the recipe from A Bountiful Kitchen, and she's one of those tried and true bloggers that I turn to frequently when I need a really good recipe that I know will work. I really liked that I didn't have to peel the apples (ain't nobody got time for that), and it's made in the Instant Pot, so it's really quick and simple to make!
My apple butter was still a little pale and watery after I pureed it, so I just cooked it on sauté mode in the instant pot for about 15 minutes until it thickened. I will warn you that if you do the same, be prepared for the apple butter to bubble and splatter a bit (and protect your clothes/hands accordingly). I had to wipe down my counters afterward, but it was worth it for such completely delicious apple butter!
The apple flavor in this apple butter is so concentrated and delicious, with just the right amount of sweetness, and the pumpkin pie spice adds the perfect touch. My family has been eating it on toast, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, and even just by the spoonful! The recipe makes around 5 - 6 cups of puree, and it will keep in the fridge for a week or two, or in the freezer for several months. You will definitely want to put it on just about everything!
Instant Pot Apple Butter
4 pounds apples (about 8-10 medium apples)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Wash the apples (leave the skin on!) and cut them into quarters or eighths, discarding the core. Place them in the instant pot, then pour the water over the top. Add the pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar, and toss slightly to coat the apples. Place the lid on the pot, turn the knob to seal, and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest. Using an immersion blender, blend the apple butter until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice. If the apple butter is still too liquid (more like applesauce), turn on the sauté function of the instant pot and cook, stirring regularly, until the apple butter darkens in color and is thick and smooth. The apple butter may splatter as it cooks, so use a long handled spoon and be careful!
adapted from A Bountiful Kitchen
Read more..