This honey and cinnamon applesauce is easy to make in the Instant Pot. It's sugar free, and I promise that you won't even miss the sugar!
When we came to the farm the first time, we were thrilled when we drove past a mature orchard. The previous owners loved to cook and canned foods, so they planted an orchard.
They planted several types of apples, peaches, plums, and pears in the orchard. Since she loved to cook, they planted several varieties so that they could make applesauce, pies, and have apples that were perfect for eating plain.
They didn't believe in using any chemicals, so the 200 tree orchard is all natural and organic. I've had a lot of fun using the fruit to try new recipes in the last six years since we moved here.
I got an Instant Pot almost two years ago, and it's been invaluable in the kitchen. I thought it was going to be just another appliance that took up space in my already too small kitchen, but I was wrong.
I use it at least four times a week for dinner or for dinner prep. I wanted to find a way to use it for food preserving, so I started making Instant Pot applesauce with honey.
Since we try to eliminate excess sugar, I made my applesauce with honey so it's sugar free. Depending on the type of apples you use, you may not need to use any sweetener.
I have a food mill, so making applesauce has always been fairly easy. When I was growing up, my grandma used to get boxes and boxes of apples from an orchard. Applesauce making day was a family event, and we all used to work together to make applesauce for the family for the next year.
I don't know what kind of apples she used, but she ended up with pink applesauce. She didn't add any sugar or color, but it was plenty sweet and a pretty pink color.
When David started eating solid foods, I wanted to make baby food, including applesauce. Applesauce is pretty easy to make with a food mill, but now I think I like this Instant Pot applesauce recipe better.
When I made applesauce before, I would quarter the apples and put them in a stock pot and cook them until they were soft. I didn't add water, so I had to watch them the whole time.
When they were soft, I ran them though the food mill and either froze it or canned it.
I love my food mill, but it's a messy device. If you're spending most of the day making applesauce, it's worth it. But for small batches like this Instant Pot applesauce recipe, it's really not worth it.
You can can or freeze the leftover applesauce in this recipe. If you're going to can it, you should add 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice per pint of applesauce and process for 20 minutes.
I normally freeze my applesauce. I have a stand up freezer, but I still have more shelf space than freezer space. I try to can most foods, but applesauce tastes better when frozen versus canned.
Frozen applesauce tends to be sweeter and firmer than canned applesauce. I will can one batch of applesauce each year to save some freezer space. I can it unsweetened and without any cinnamon and then use it in place of oil when I'm cooking.
For the best Instant Pot applesauce, start with the best apples. Any apple variety will work, but some are better than others for sauce.
The best apples to use for sweet applesauce are:
When we came to the farm the first time, we were thrilled when we drove past a mature orchard. The previous owners loved to cook and canned foods, so they planted an orchard.
They planted several types of apples, peaches, plums, and pears in the orchard. Since she loved to cook, they planted several varieties so that they could make applesauce, pies, and have apples that were perfect for eating plain.
They didn't believe in using any chemicals, so the 200 tree orchard is all natural and organic. I've had a lot of fun using the fruit to try new recipes in the last six years since we moved here.
I got an Instant Pot almost two years ago, and it's been invaluable in the kitchen. I thought it was going to be just another appliance that took up space in my already too small kitchen, but I was wrong.
I use it at least four times a week for dinner or for dinner prep. I wanted to find a way to use it for food preserving, so I started making Instant Pot applesauce with honey.
Since we try to eliminate excess sugar, I made my applesauce with honey so it's sugar free. Depending on the type of apples you use, you may not need to use any sweetener.
Instant Pot Applesauce With Honey
I have a food mill, so making applesauce has always been fairly easy. When I was growing up, my grandma used to get boxes and boxes of apples from an orchard. Applesauce making day was a family event, and we all used to work together to make applesauce for the family for the next year.
I don't know what kind of apples she used, but she ended up with pink applesauce. She didn't add any sugar or color, but it was plenty sweet and a pretty pink color.
When David started eating solid foods, I wanted to make baby food, including applesauce. Applesauce is pretty easy to make with a food mill, but now I think I like this Instant Pot applesauce recipe better.
When I made applesauce before, I would quarter the apples and put them in a stock pot and cook them until they were soft. I didn't add water, so I had to watch them the whole time.
When they were soft, I ran them though the food mill and either froze it or canned it.
I love my food mill, but it's a messy device. If you're spending most of the day making applesauce, it's worth it. But for small batches like this Instant Pot applesauce recipe, it's really not worth it.
Canning or Freezing
You can can or freeze the leftover applesauce in this recipe. If you're going to can it, you should add 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice per pint of applesauce and process for 20 minutes.
I normally freeze my applesauce. I have a stand up freezer, but I still have more shelf space than freezer space. I try to can most foods, but applesauce tastes better when frozen versus canned.
Frozen applesauce tends to be sweeter and firmer than canned applesauce. I will can one batch of applesauce each year to save some freezer space. I can it unsweetened and without any cinnamon and then use it in place of oil when I'm cooking.
Apples
For the best Instant Pot applesauce, start with the best apples. Any apple variety will work, but some are better than others for sauce.
The best apples to use for sweet applesauce are:
- Fuji
- Cortland
- Crispin
- Golden Delicious
If you want more of a tart applesauce, try:
- McIntosh
- Jonamac
- Gravenstein
I usually mix apples and try to get some sweet apples and some tart ones. I think the best applesauce comes from a mix of apples.
Honey
If you do use sweet apples, you may not need any sweetener. I don't use any sweetener for all sweet apples, but we don't use a lot of extra sweetener anyway.
The first time you make this or if you use a different kind of apple, I recommend making it without any honey and adding the honey after it cooks.
I recommend buying raw honey
. The honey sold in the grocery store can barely be called honey. It's usually processed and has other ingredients added.
. The honey sold in the grocery store can barely be called honey. It's usually processed and has other ingredients added.
I buy a pint of local raw honey for about $10. It's not too much more than what you'd find at the stores, and I'm supporting a local business. I live in a rural area, so I can find local raw honey at most stores.
Makes: 4.25 cups
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (about 5 medium-large) red apples*
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raw honey
, adjust to taste
- large pinch of fine sea salt (or regular salt)
Instructions
Step #1
Peel and core the apples and cut them into 1 inch cubes. Place the apple pieces into the pressure cooker pot then sprinkle in the cinnamon and salt over them. Pour in the honey and then the water.
Stir until the apple pieces are coated with cinnamon, honey, and sugar. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set the pressure cooker valve to sealing then pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
Step #2
Once the time is up, let the Instant Pot naturally release for 5 minutes. Then turn the valve to vent and quick release the pressure.
Step #3
Carefully open the lid away from your face. Use a potato masher
to mash the applesauce to your desired consistency, or you can also use a stick blender to blend until completely smooth.
If the applesauce is too liquidy for your taste you can set the pressure cooker to sauté and cook it down to your desired thickness.
Step #4
Taste and adjust honey if desired.
You can let it cool slightly and serve warm or allow to cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This applesauce will keep fresh in the fridge for about a week—if it lasts you that long.
Yum! This Instant Pot applesauce recipe is so easy to make, and it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Be warned though, this recipe may spoil you and your family. You may not be able to get them to go back to store bought applesauce after eating this.
My kids always balk at sugar-free anything, so I didn't tell them that it didn't have sugar. If I do use honey, I barely use any. What they don't know won't hurt them, right?
This Instant Pot Honey and Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe was originally published at Everything Pretty.
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You can let it cool slightly and serve warm or allow to cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This applesauce will keep fresh in the fridge for about a week—if it lasts you that long.
Yum! This Instant Pot applesauce recipe is so easy to make, and it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Be warned though, this recipe may spoil you and your family. You may not be able to get them to go back to store bought applesauce after eating this.
My kids always balk at sugar-free anything, so I didn't tell them that it didn't have sugar. If I do use honey, I barely use any. What they don't know won't hurt them, right?
This Instant Pot Honey and Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe was originally published at Everything Pretty.
Yield: 17
Instant Pot Applesauce Recipe Sugar Free
prep time: 5 Mcook time: 20 Mtotal time: 25 M
Make delicious honey and cinnamon applesauce in under 20 minutes with an Instant Pot.
ingredients:
- 5 large apples
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raw honey, adjust to taste
- large pinch of fine sea salt (or regular salt)
instructions:
How to cook Instant Pot Applesauce Recipe Sugar Free
- Peel and core the apples and cut them into 1 inch cubes. Place the apple pieces into the pressure cooker pot then sprinkle in the cinnamon and salt over them. Pour in the honey and then the water.
- Stir until the apple pieces are coated with cinnamon, honey, and sugar. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set the pressure cooker valve to sealing then pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
- Once the time is up, let the Instant Pot naturally release for 5 minutes. Then turn the valve to vent and quick release the pressure.
- Carefully open the lid away from your face. Use a potato masher to mash the applesauce to your desired consistency, or you can also use a stick blender to blend until completely smooth.
- If the applesauce is too liquidy for your taste you can set the pressure cooker to sauté and cook it down to your desired thickness.
- Taste and adjust honey if desired.
Calories
50.39
50.39
Fat (grams)
0.12
0.12
Sat. Fat (grams)
0.02
0.02
Carbs (grams)
13.54
13.54
Fiber (grams)
1.83
1.83
Net carbs
11.71
11.71
Sugar (grams)
10.92
10.92
Protein (grams)
0.20
0.20
Sodium (milligrams)
9.23
9.23
Cholesterol (grams)
0.00
0.00
Copyright © Koti Beth 2020. All rights reserved.
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