Easy Apple Butter (Small Batch)

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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) and spiced, and incredibly comforting. It is just the perfect thing for spreading on toast, muffins, pancakes, crackers, 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.

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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.

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.

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Recipe Card 📖

Easy Apple Butter

Oriana Romero

This Easy Apple Butter recipe is tremendous velvety, smooth, spiced, and tasty. Perfect for spreading on toast, muffins, pancakes, crackers, etc. Ready in 20 minutes, it’s pure apple goodness at its best. Pressure cooker and slow cooker instructions included.

3.90 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Servings 16 serving (2 tablespoons each serving)

Equipment

• ▢
  Pressure Cooker
• ▢
  Food Processor

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

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. The apple butter should be thick and dark brown. Remove cinnamon stick and discard.
• 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.
• Transfer to a glass jar. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze in small containers for up to 3 months.

Oriana’s Notes

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.

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.

Apple Pie Spice: This is a spice blend found in most American grocery stores. If not available, add ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.

Extra 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.

 

If you’re making this recipe, please read the whole post content to get lots of tips, tricks, variations, frequently asked questions, and step-by-step photos.

 

★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

 

Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate, and it can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 22gSodium: 77mgPotassium: 82mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 30IUVitamin C: 2.6mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 0.2mg

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Course Condiments Snack

Cuisine American

Calories 85

Keyword apple butter easy instant pot recipe

This recipe was originally published on 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!