This Instant Pot Applesauce recipe one of our family’s favorite recipes. While tasty any time of the year, this recipe is especially good in the fall when most varieties are in season.
This applesauce is sugar free, Zero WW points, low calorie, and can even be made with the skins on the apples.
Healthy (No Sugar Added) Homemade IP Applesauce
Applesauce in the Instant Pot is a healthy snack that is filled with lots of fiber. You can feel great serving this recipe to your family knowing it’s made with real, clean ingredients.
This recipe is especially healthy becaue it has no added sugar.
You will be amazed at just how good this recipe tastes.
Weight Watchers Applesauce
This applesauce has zero Weight Watchers points per serving so enjoy to satisfaction.
MyWW purple 0 points, MyWW Blue 0 points, MyWW Green 0 points per half-cup serving.
Easy Pressure Cooker Applesauce (with Peel)
Our family loves this applesauce recipe. In the fall, we head out to a local farm and buy bushels of apples. When we get home, the applesauce making begins, along with making several batches of this healthier apple crisp.
All the kids help out and we keep the Instant Pot and slow cooker busy. It’s crazy how many apples go into just a few batches of applesauce.
We eat plenty of it straight. If you haven’t had fresh applesauce, trust me that it’s nothing like the jars you buy at the store. It tastes like a warm bowl of apple pie.
What we don’t eat right away (which isn’t much) gets frozen, and our family always gets excited when I pull out a batch to enjoy with a healthy dinner.
It’s great to have an applesauce recipe that you can feel good about feeding to your family and friends. I know exactly what’s in this recipe, and everyone loves it. Apples are filled with vitamin C and lots of fiber too.
How to Make Instant Pot Applesauce
This delicious recipe makes homemade applesauce quick and easy. We love applesauce made in the pressure cooker.
Step 1: Prepare apples
Gather apples. I used Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples, but any firm apple will work. Don’t use Red Delicious, which tend to get too mushy.
You can use all one type of apples or a variety.
Wash apples. Remove core and cut the remaining apple into quarters (four pieces.) At this point, you can peel the apples as well (especially if you have a peeler/corer/slicer like this one from Amazon).
If not, you can remove the skins after cooking.
Step 2: Pressure Cook
Place apples in the electric pressure cooker pot with water. Sprinkle with spices.
As the apples cook, they will release more moisture allowing the electric pressure cooker to reach pressure.
Pressure cook for 8 minutes, then allow to natural release for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Strain Skins
Remove the lid. If you didn’t remove skins before cooking, use a spider strainer to scoop the peels from the applesauce, tapping the strainer against the inside of the pot to allow any applesauce to return to the pot.
Alternately, you can blend the applesauce in a blender, and the skins will blend with the applesauce.
Store applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Applesauce (Sugar Free, with Peel)
Equipment
- Instant Pot -No pressure cooker: stove top and slow cooker instructions below.
- 1 spider strainer optional
- 1 apple peeler, corer, slicer optional
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith, about 8 medium to large apples
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp cinnamon optional
- 1 dash apple pie or pumpkin pie spice optional
Instructions
- Wash apples. If desired, remove skins. Remove core and cut the remaining apple into quarters (four pieces.)
- Place apples in the electric pressure cooker pot with water. As the apples cook, they will release more moisture allowing the electric pressure cooker to reach pressure.
- Seal the electric pressure cooker with the lid and turn the vent valve to sealing. Program the electric pressure cooker to cook on “manual” or “pressure cook” for 8 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release. (For a smoother applesauce, allow to natural release 10-15 minutes. For a chunky applesauce, do not allow natural release for longer than 5 minutes.)
- Remove the lid and using a spider strainer, scoop the peels from the applesauce, tapping the strainer against the inside of the pot to allow any applesauce to return to the pot. If you don't have a spider strainer, you can also blend the applesauce in a blender (taking care to avoid burns), and the skins will blend with the apples.
- Store applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
WW Information
WW Changes November 2024
The WW program may be changing the Zero point food list. Stay tuned for updated recipe information. -Sara
Notes
Nutrition
Answer to Frequently Asked Questions about Sugar-Free Applesauce
I don’t have an Instant Pot. Can this be made with the stove or slow cooker?
Yes! Here are the directions:
To make applesauce on the stove: Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until apples are very soft. Strain skins if needed. Leave as-is for a chunky applesauce. For a smoother texture, mash with a potato masher.
To make applesauce in the slow cooker: Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Remove from heat and strain skins if needed. Leave as-is for a chunky applesauce. For a smoother texture, mash with a potato masher.
What are the benefits of eating applesauce?
Apples, whether whole or as applesauce, contain fiber and vitamin C. Applesauce naturally contains no fat and few calories per serving if you choose unsweetened varieties.
Livestrong says,
“Because the applesauce also contains fiber in the form of pectin, it’s the healthier option. Dietary fiber keeps your digestive system functioning regularly and supplies a more substantial snack for the same calorie cost. Fiber takes longer to digest and leaves your stomach more slowly; you not only feel fuller when you eat applesauce instead of drinking apple juice, you literally remain fuller. Incorporate a cup of applesauce with your lunches or add a spoonful of it to yogurt for dessert to boost the fiber content of your meals.”
Livestrong website
What kind of apples do you use to make applesauce?
When you are make applesauce, you can use all sweet apples or a mix of sweet and tart apples. Choose apples that will stay somewhat firm after baking.
These apple varieties make the best sauce:
- Honeycrisp
- Granny Smith
- McIntosh
- Corland
- Fuji
- Gala
- Jonathan
- Braeburn
How long does homemade applesauce last?
If you store homemade applesauce in an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator, it will last for 2 weeks. You can also can applesauce and it will last you up to one year. In the freezer, applesauce lasts 3 months.
Do you make homemade applesauce? Let us know in the comments below.
More recipes you will enjoy
Weight Watchers Apple Crisp -Are you looking for a delicious WW dessert that won’t set you back on points? This Low Point Apple Crisp Recipe has only 4 Points Plus per serving. This apple crisp is easy to make for a delicious and healthy family desert.
Weight Watchers Apple Broccoli Salad -If you are looking for a delicious change-of-pace Weight Watchers broccoli salad recipe, you just found it. This WW salad tastes great, looking fantastic, and best of all it’s low Weight Watchers points.
Top 10 Weight Watchers Snack Recipes – All these snacks are 6 or fewer WW points and taste amazing.
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