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Home » Ninja Foodi Recipes » Pressure Cooker Apple Butter ~ Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot Recipe

Pressure Cooker Apple Butter ~ Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot Recipe

August 23, 2020 By Louise 22 Comments

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apple butter in a small jar next to sliced apples and some apple butter spread on crusty bread

Really good Apple Butter can be hard to find... but no worries because it is super easy to make at home right in your pressure cooker!

apple butter in a small jar next to sliced apples and some apple butter spread on crusty bread

I don't know about you, but I find the store-bought apple butter to be way too sweet and not that applely! While it will do in a pinch, I usually just stayed away from apple butter unless it my Mom's homemade!

I'm not sure why I never made it myself until recently, it's so easy! Especially in the Ninja Foodi. or the Instant Pot!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you can apple butter?

Yes, BUT this recipe is NOT a canning recipe. I compared my recipe to the one in the Ball book for canning and I don't use near the amount of sugar they do, so this is not a recipe that should be canned. You can use this technique and an approved canning recipe though.

How long will the apple butter last in the fridge?


It will last several months in the fridge. You can even freeze it and it will last much longer. I'll give you tips for freezing later in this article.

Can I use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar?

Yes! This can definitely be tailored to use as little sugar as you want. In fact, you can leave all sweeteners out and just reduce your apples until they are the consistency you want.

If you are going to skip the sugar, add in about ¼-½ cup of water before pressure cooking because the sugar does add to the liquid used to create the steam to go under pressure.

What Apples are Best for Making Apple Butter?

Any kind you want! The type of apples you use is completely up to you. I always mix a few varieties because I think it gives the apple butter a nice balance of flavors.

The softer the apple, the quicker they cook down, but since we are pressure cooking them, this simply doesn't matter! Pick your favorite apples and it will be wonderful.

My favorite combination is Gala and Granny Smith apples. Fuji and Granny Smith would be a nice combination as well.

granny smith and gala apples used in apple butter

Granny Smith might not be typical in apple butters, but since I don't like overly sweet apple butter, I like to use them because they give the apple butter a tiny bit of tart flavor that balances the sweetness and spices perfectly!

What Spices Do I Use in Apple Butter?

Cinnamon is top of the list. I don't think I've ever had an apple butter without cinnamon in it, but if you don't like cinnamon, you certainly don't have to use it!

You can get as creative as you want, it's your apple butter. I use a combination of spices and include one that is not common at all; cardamom.

There is something about cardamom that brings something extra to the table when it comes to apple butter. It's slightly herbal, but also a little citrusy and I think it balances out the sweetness perfectly.

spices in a clear bowl
spices I used in my apple butter

Of course, you don't have to use it. You don't have to use any of the spices I use. That's the beauty of making apple butter, you can make it however you like.

If you wanted to experiment with spices, don't add them in during the PC time. Instead, gradually add the spices when the apples are cooking down. Don't be heavy handed, you can always add more spice, but it's much harder to take it out! That is especially true for cinnamon. More is not always better with a strong spice like cinnamon, so start out with no more than 1½ teaspoons if you decide to omit the other spices.

How Do I Know When the Apple Butter is Done?

Apple butter is different from jams, jellies, and preserves because you don't have reach a certain temp for it to set up. You don't need any pectin because apples are high in pectin and you will get a thick apple butter simply from reducing it.

I think the sugar also helps thicken it, so if you opt out of the sugar, your apple butter might be slightly thinner.

There is no magical timing for apple butter, you simply cook it down until it deepens in color and is the consistency you want. It will thicken as it cools, so keep that in mind.

I use the scrape test to judge when my apple butter is done. I simply run my spatula across the bottom of the pot and when the mixture stays apart for 30 seconds or so and it's a rich brown color, I know I am done.

Here is a short video showing me doing the scrape test.

When testing this recipe, I was a little too impatient during the second test and didn't let it reduce enough. It was still delicious, but not as thick.

You can see the comparison in the picture below.

showing both batches of apple butter on a plate, one is darker and thicker, the other one is lighter and thinner
Comparison of two batches of apple butter. The one on the right wasn't reduced as long

Both apple butters taste amazing, so it really doesn't matter if you get impatient and don't reduce it like I did on the left.

I will say that the apple butter on the left has a richer flavor though.

How to Freeze Your Apple Butter

The most important thing to do before freezing is to let it cool all the way. I would put it in the fridge for at least a day to make sure it is cooled completely.

Then, you can transfer it into any sealable freezer container and it will last a year or so in the freezer.

I would suggest using smaller containers and leave a little bit of room for expansion as the apple butter freezes.

Zip lock freezer bags work perfectly because you can squeeze all the extra air out.

Simply pull out a container or a bag when you need more apple butter and let it thaw in the fridge.

Can I Really Pressure Cook Without Any Liquid?

Yes, you can. Almost every recipe out there in internet land will call for some kind of thin liquid when using the pressure cooking function.

That is because you have to have a thin liquid to build steam to bring the pot under pressure. However, sometimes that liquid is in the non liquid ingredients and you do not need to add additional liquid.

Pressure cooking 101 graphic

A perfect example is this recipe for Easy Ratatouille. The vegetables give off the needed liquid and I don't add any in this recipe. The same is true with tomatoes. They have so much liquid in them, you don't need to any if you are making a spaghetti sauce from scratch. Unless you add pasta and that is a whole different concept.

I go into more detail about this in the article below.

If you want to read more about pressure cooking, here is an article I wrote: Pressure Cooking 101

I do use 1-2 Tbsp of juice from an orange in this recipe, but even if I skipped that, the pot would still come to pressure and I'll explain how.

When you select the pressure cooker function and turn the valve to seal, the heating element in the bottom engages and begins to heat the food inside. This is no different from heating apples and sugar on the stove.

As the heat increases, the sugar begins to combine with the juices from the apples and that becomes our liquid. The pot continues to heat and cook the apple/sugar mixture during the time to pressure and as that liquid begins to boil, steam is produced.

Once enough steam is produced, the weight of that steam pushes against the pin and the pin pops up, sealing the pot and putting it under pressure.

If not adding any liquid to this recipe makes you too nervous, go ahead and add ¼ cup of water, apple juice, or apple cider. It will be fine, but you will have to reduce the apples longer after the pressure cook time to evaporate the water out of the mixture.

Do I have to Make Any Changes if I'm using an Instant Pot instead of the Ninja Foodi?

You shouldn't have to make any changes to the recipe if you are using an Instant Pot or any other brand of pressure cooker.

There are so many different models of pressure cookers that I can't be sure if the lids work the same when using sear/sauté, so that might be the only adjustment you have to make.

On the Ninja Foodi, I can put the lid on and turn the valve to vent and use the sear/sauté function to reduce the apple butter. This comes in handy because the apple mixture is really going to sputter and spit while it is reducing.

I think you can do the same with the IP's, but if you can't, simply use another lid and offset it a bit so the steam escapes.

How to Make Apple Butter in a Pressure Cooker

The first thing I do is zest an orange and squeeze the juice into the inner pot. This way when I add my apples, there is some acid in there to help them not turn brown. If you don't want to use an orange, just use 1-2 tsp of lemon juice.

zesting and juicing the orange into the inner pot

Peel and core your apples. It really doesn't matter how small or big you make the slices because we will use a blender or immersion blender to get the apple mixture smooth after we pressure cook.

If you do not have a blender or an immersion blender, no worries, just cook your apples longer. I would probably pressure cook for 15-20 minutes and this will really soften them and then you can just break them up with spatula or a potato masher.

If you are using a blender, you will want to let your apples cool some before blending. I like the immersion blender because I'm impatient and don't want to wait! The immersion blender I use is listed below. I love that it comes apart and the stainless end is so easy to clean!

Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender 

Add the apples to the inner pot and then the sugars. Stir the mixture.

adding apples and sugar to inner pot

Next, add in your spices. You can use the ones I did or experiment with your own seasoning blend. If you aren't sure which spices you want to add, don't add any until after the PC time. This way you can start out with small amounts and increase to taste.

Stir to combine the spices with the sugar and apples.

adding spices to the apples in the inner pot

Put the lid on the pressure cooker and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. When the time is up, do an immediate release.

The apples will still look like they are whole, but trust me, they are very soft and will break apart easily.

Use your immersion blender to puree the mixture until it is a smooth consistency. You can use a blender, but make sure to let the mixture cool before blending.

If you don't have a stainless steel inner liner, then transfer the mixture into a large bowl or another stainless steel pot that is deep enough. You don't want to use your immersion blender in the ceramic coated inner liner unless there is a guard on it and even then, be careful not to scratch the pot.

Once the mixture is nice and smooth, you will see that it is pretty runny. You could stop here and refrigerate the mixture and have a nice applesauce, but let's continue on and make some delicious pressure cooker apple butter!

using an immersion blender to puree the apples and showing the thin consistency
The immersion blender makes quick work of puréeing the apples!

Now we need to thicken it up. There are several ways you can do this. You can put the pressure lid back on and turn the valve to vent and slow cook on high for about 6 hours and that will reduce it OR, if you are impatient like me and want to get it done, we use the sear/sauté function.

There are several ways you can use the sear/sauté function to reduce your apple butter, but the way I start is to put the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi and turn the valve to VENT. Use the sear/sauté on medium for about 10 -15 minutes.

Don't worry if your pin pops and seals the lid, as long as the valve is vented, you are not going under pressure. However, when the pin is up, the lid is sealed. So, if this happens (it did for me), just reduce your heat to low-medium and the pin will drop again.

If you want to keep your heat at low or low medium, you can do that as well. There isn't any right or wrong way to reduce the mixture, you simply have to let the liquid burn off.

The only reason I don't do it with the lid off is because it sputters and spits so much. You can use a different lid, but make sure it's offset a bit so the steam escapes.

After about 10 minutes, I like to check on the apple butter to see how it is coming along. You don't want to let it go too long on the medium sear/sauté or you could scorch it and that won't taste very good.

Once you check on it and stir it around, you can either put the lid back on with the valve vented or just sit the lid on top without locking it in place and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes.

I can't stress this enough, there is no magic time here. It could take 20 minutes or it could take 35 minutes to get to the consistency you like. If you keep the heat on low, it could take 40-45 minutes.

Just keep an eye on it every 10 minutes or so and do the scrape test that I talked about earlier in this post. You can make it as thick as you want. As long as you don't let it scorch, it will be delicious!

Here is a picture of me doing the scrape test and this apple butter was the perfect consistency! Remember, it thickens more as it cools.

scraping the bottom of the pot to see if the apple butter is thick enough

Once the apple butter is reduced to the consistency you like, turn off the heat and let it cool a few minutes.

I like to put mine in canning jars even though I'm not canning the recipe. I just find them so easy to store in the fridge.

Filling glass jars with apple butter

The amount of apple butter will vary depending on how long you let it reduce. I was able to get about 5 cups from my thinner batch, but only 3 cups from the thicker one.

Let it cool on the counter for about an hour and then chill it overnight.

Serve & Enjoy!

I LOVE to serve my apple butter with these homemade biscuits! You can also check out my recipe for orange marmalade, it's so easy and yummy!

Homemade biscuits on a cooling rack with orange marmalade on one
Homemade Biscuits with Orange Marmalade
apple butter in a small jar next to sliced apples and some apple butter spread on crusty bread
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Pressure Cooker Apple Butter

Recipe by The Salted PepperFollow us on Pinterest!
Simple and delicious apple butter made right in your pressure cooker!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Time to Pressure15 mins
Total Time1 hr 10 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple butter recipe for a pressure cooker
Servings: 48
Calories: 47kcal
Author: Louise

Equipment

  • Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker with TenderCrisp
  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 large orange zest and juice
  • 4 lbs apples
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp fine grind sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Zest and juice the orange into the inner pot. You only need 1-2 Tbsp of the orange juice, but it won't hurt anything if you add it all in.
    Peel and slice your apples (remove the core) and place them in the inner pot.
  • Add the sugar and spices to the pot of apples and stir. Put the pressure lid on and turn the valve to seal. Pressure cook for 10 minutes and do an immediate release.
  • Use an immersion blender to purée the apples. See post for other ways to purée if you don't have an immersion blender.
  • Put the pressure lid back on and make sure the valve is VENTED. Set the sear/sauté to medium and cook for 10-15 minutes. If the red pin pops up and you can't open the lid after 10-15 minutes, reduce the heat and allow the pin to drop.
  • Check on the apple butter and continue reducing until you get the consistency you like. Remember it will thicken more as it cools. This process took me about 25 minutes. You can either put the lid back on with it vented or leave the lid off and stir while it's reducing. The apple mixture tends to pop and splatter, so even if I don't lock the lid in place, I do place it on top to prevent the mixture from splattering out. Keep the lid a little offset so the steam escapes and stir frequently. Reduce the heat as needed. You don't want to scorch the mixture.
  • When the apple butter is to the desired consistency, turn off the heat and let it cool some. Place it in small jars or containers and let it sit on the counter for about 1 hour. Then, refrigerate until chilled.
  • Serve & Enjoy!

Video

https://youtu.be/1-_iGKt8yNE

Notes

There isn't any liquid (except the juice from the orange) in this in recipe by design. It's not an omission or an error, you don't need any. 
 
I used 2 pounds of Gala and 2 pounds of Granny Smith apples, but you can use any apples that you like. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tbsp | Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

ABOUT THE RECIPE AUTHOR, LOUISE LONG

Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.

The Salted Pepper

Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and getting the most out of the Ninja Foodi.

Ninja Foodi 101

Ninja Foodi Fresh & Healthy Meals

Simply Cooking with Louise

Seeing the need for easy, delicious, and high quality recipes, she is focusing all of her efforts creating recipes specifically for the Ninja Foodi. Her recipes are easy for the home cook to follow and provide step-by-step instructions.

Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.

She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE COOKING UP IN YOUR NINJA FOODI! TAG ME @THESALTEDPEPPER ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM WHEN YOU MAKE A DISH!

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SALTED PEPPER RIGHT HERE ⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓

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Next Post: Apple Butter Bourbon BBQ Sauce »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth in Denver

    January 03, 2021 at 8:49 pm

    5 stars
    I made this exactly according to the recipe, no deviation, and cooked it down to 3 cups. I wouldn’t change a thing, the taste is fabulous, and the half mix with Granny Smith apples lends a wonderful tart complexity.

    BEWARE THE VOLCANO! Maybe next time I’ll make it late at night and reduce it on slow cooker HI to spare myself the teasing I took when my husband got a good look at our kitchen ceiling.

    Reply
    • Louise

      January 05, 2021 at 1:09 pm

      Oh no! Yes, it can erupt for sure! I'm so glad you liked it though!

      Reply
  2. Diana

    December 20, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    Could we cut this recipe in half by chance? How would that change the cooking process? Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Louise

      December 20, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      I don't see why you couldn't cut it in half. The only change should be that it takes less time to reduce and/or you need to lower the heat a bit.

      Reply
  3. Melissa

    September 27, 2020 at 9:26 am

    I can’t wait to try this! How much does it make? Also, I don’t have 4 lbs of apples so will cut the recipe in half, should I cook for the same amount of time?

    Reply
  4. Ljensen

    September 24, 2020 at 6:48 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is so gd and easy. I love the cardamom special taste.

    Reply
    • Louise

      September 24, 2020 at 7:00 pm

      I'm so glad to hear that!

      Reply
  5. Tina

    September 19, 2020 at 9:01 pm

    This was the second recipe I’ve tried in my new Foodi and it is amazing! My husband was totally won over by the scent through the house alone. Eyeing the BBQ sauce next Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Louise

      September 19, 2020 at 10:08 pm

      I'm so glad you liked it! I hope you enjoy the BBQ Sauce!

      Reply
  6. mk

    September 12, 2020 at 10:16 am

    I'm so enthused to find your recipes for apple butter and turning it into a BBQ sauce. My son loves it on his burgers when we go to the restaurant so I've been wanting to try making my own! Sounds like I can. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Louise

      September 12, 2020 at 11:17 am

      That's wonderful! It's so easy to make. Your son has good taste for burger toppings!

      Reply
  7. Denise Assel

    September 11, 2020 at 12:59 am

    I tent to make way too much. Some I give away. Could I freeze some in a mason jar or should I use a plastic container or zip top bag?

    Reply
    • Louise

      September 12, 2020 at 7:16 am

      You can certainly freeze it in freezer jars or bags.

      Reply
  8. Amber Meyer

    September 07, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    5 stars
    What a great way to start September off in Chicago! The addition of the cardamom sent this recipe over the top for me. Absolute perfection! Thank you for another amazing and fun to make recipe! You are the best!

    Reply
  9. Teri Smith

    September 03, 2020 at 12:57 am

    Notice the time!! Started some my first try at thus recipe about noon today. Son came by just as I was getting to the quick release and needed our help with a project. So I took the loud off and turned it off. 8 PM back to finish my apple butter. Easy Peasy - dumped the apples into a bowl so I could blend them, back into ppt on hi, med-hi, med, med-lo - adjusting temp down as it started to plop! My skillet lid gits loosely and I adjusted between med & med-lo not wanting it to scorch. Let it cool for an hour then took hubs a taste. Oh-oh now I need to pop some rolls in the oven so he can have more!! LOL He's from Spencer, Indiana where they have an annual Apple Butter Festival. We always have to hit the local buffet when we go back so he can get his Apple Butter fix - I think this recipe solves the problem if not being able to go back this year!! LOL. Thank you again for another delicious recipe!!

    Reply
    • Louise

      September 03, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      I'm so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  10. Diane Thompson

    August 24, 2020 at 8:00 am

    Being an English follower firstly it’s nice to read your history I too am a nurse. Xx secondly what is apple butter ?? It sounds amazing but on ever had apple sauce before

    Reply
    • Louise

      August 24, 2020 at 8:53 am

      Apple butter is a thickened mixture of apples that is spiced with cinnamon usually. We spread it on biscuits, toast, croissants, just like you would use a jam. It is also great spread on pork or chicken and baked.

      Reply
  11. KJ

    August 24, 2020 at 5:30 am

    Hi Louise, we love your recipes over in the UK and further afield. Would you consider adding a ‘convert to metric‘ button for your recipes? UK cups measurements are different to US cup measurements but a metric weight/ml conversion really help us follow the recipes without any guesswork. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Louise

      August 24, 2020 at 8:55 am

      There is one in the recipe card. Not all of my recipes have it yet because I'm in the process of updating them, but my newer ones do. Where you see US Customary, look to the right and it says Metric. Click that and the recipe will be shown in metric. I spot check to make sure the numbers look reasonable, but it is an automatic conversion so if something looks off, please double check with Google.

      Reply
  12. Penny

    August 23, 2020 at 4:50 pm

    Could this recipe be adapted for the Ninja Hot & Cold blender?

    Reply
    • Louise

      August 23, 2020 at 9:27 pm

      I think so. I would cut the recipe down and you might want to open the middle section of the blender lid to let the steam escape.

      Reply

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