Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples

When I want the cinnamon apples I order at restaurants without leaving the house, I make these Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples. They pressure cook for four minutes in a thick cinnamon brown sugar syrup, and the slices stay tender instead of turning into applesauce.

I’ve made and remade these over the years, and this is the version I stick with now. It takes six apples, a handful of pantry ingredients, and a cornstarch slurry that thickens the sauce while everything cooks.

We eat them as a side dish with dinner and as dessert on their own. They’re also great over ice cream, in crepes, on pancakes, and stirred into yogurt.

Some links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

Cinnamon Apples Like Cracker Barrel’s, Made in the Instant Pot

I order cinnamon apples every single time I go to Cracker Barrel, and these remind me of theirs. They aren’t quite a copycat recipe, though. I don’t fry anything, and there’s no butter.

You still get soft apple slices in a sticky cinnamon sauce, without standing over a skillet. Since there’s no butter, they’re also dairy-free and vegan, which makes them an easy side to bring when you don’t know what everyone at the table eats.

The Best Apples for Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples

Granny Smith is my favorite apple to bake with, and it’s my first choice here, but you can see that I’ve made this with other apples, too. It’s tart enough to balance the brown sugar, and the slices hold their shape under pressure.

Idared apples work well, too, and they hold their shape under high heat and pressure. Empire apples have great flavor and come out a little softer, but the slices still stay intact.

You can use Cortland apples in this recipe, but they break down the fastest. If you use them, cut the cook time to two minutes.

I use medium apples. Six of them give me about seven cups of slices, sometimes eight, and those cook down to about six cups.

Some apples don’t hold up in the Instant Pot and will turn this into applesauce instead of sliced apples. Red Delicious turns mealy and doesn’t have much flavor to start with, and Gala is too soft and too sweet.

Fuji apples get watery and lose their flavor. McIntosh apples make great applesauce, but they break down more than I like for this recipe, so skip these four varieties.

Why I Leave the Skins On

I don’t peel the apples for this. It’s faster, I like the skins, and they help the slices hold together as they cook.

If you really hate peels, go ahead and peel them. Just know that peeled apples break down a bit more, so your slices won’t be as firm.

I leave the skins on when I make Crockpot Applesauce and Apple Crisp Without Oats, too. Cooking apples softens the skin, so they aren’t as tough to bite into.

What Else You Need for Cinnamon Apples

You need packed light brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for this recipe. I use freshly grated nutmeg because it tastes much better than ground nutmeg that’s been sitting in the pantry and lost its potency.

Fresh lemon juice is better if you have a lemon, but bottled lemon juice works fine here. That’s the case for pretty much any recipe, but this is one where it makes less of a difference.

You’ll also need cornstarch and half a cup of cold water (a cup if you use a larger Instant Pot and be sure to double the recipe). Don’t skip the water, because the Instant Pot won’t come up to pressure without it.

Thicken the Cinnamon Apple Syrup Before You Cook

The Instant Pot needs that water, but I didn’t want soupy cinnamon apples. I thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry in my Instant Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken and Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash, and I use the same strategy here.

When I first made these, I tried stirring the slurry in at the end, but the apples broke apart. Now I stir it in before I lock the lid, and the sauce thickens while the apples cook.

How to Make Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples

Core and slice the apples. An apple corer and slicer does it in one push, but a paring knife works, too.

Look over the slices and cut any thick ones in half so everything cooks evenly. Trim away any seeds or bits of core the slicer missed.

Add the apples to the inner pot of a six-quart Instant Pot. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice, then stir until the sugar coats the apples and none of it sits on the bottom of the pot.

In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch into the cold water with a fork until it’s smooth. Pour it over the apples and stir again.

Lock the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for four minutes, then do a quick release as soon as the timer ends.

Skip the natural release here. The apples keep cooking while the pot sits, and they get too soft and turn into chunky applesauce.

Stir gently so the sauce coats every slice, and serve them warm.

How to Serve Cinnamon Apples

We eat these as a side dish with dinner, and I’m just as happy eating a bowl of them for dessert. Spoon them over ice cream, and you have a quick sundae.

They also make a great crepe filling. If you need a crepe recipe, make my simple Homemade Crepes, and let the batter rest 30 minutes before you cook them..

For breakfast, spoon them over pancakes or stir them into yogurt. This winter, I plan to add them to my morning oatmeal. Doesn’t that sound delicious?

Why Does My Instant Pot Say Burn When I Make Cinnamon Apples?

If your Instant Pot shows the burn message, it’s usually because brown sugar is sitting on the bottom of the pot. Stir the sugar and spices into the apples until none of it settles on the bottom, and make sure you added the half cup of water.

If you have a larger Instant Pot (8-quart or 10-quart) or one of the newer versions, it needs more water than the smaller versions, so use a full cup of water and double the recipe so you don’t end up with watery apples.

If you still get the message, pour the slurry over the top and don’t stir it in. I’ve never gotten a burn message making these in my six-quart Instant Pot.

Why Did My Cinnamon Apples Turn to Mush?

If your apples came out mushy, check to see what kind of apples you used. Soft varieties like Gala and McIntosh fall apart under pressure, so stick with Granny Smith, Idared, or Empire.

If you love Cortland apples, cook them for two minutes instead of four. They break down faster than the others.

Timing matters, too. Four minutes is plenty, and a natural release keeps the apples cooking after the timer ends, so release the pressure right away.

Can You Make Cinnamon Apples in a Bigger Instant Pot?

Yes, but an 8-quart or 10-quart Instant Pot needs a full cup of water to prevent burning (see my note above). Don’t double just the water, though, or you’ll end up with a watery sauce.

Double the whole recipe instead. That gives the bigger pot enough liquid and keeps the sauce thick.

How Long Do Cinnamon Apples Last in the Fridge?

They keep for up to a week in the fridge. Let them cool completely before putting them in a sealed container, or condensation will collect inside the lid. Warm them up before serving or enjoy them chilled.

Can You Freeze Cinnamon Apples?

Yes, and apples freeze really well. I portion them into individual containers with as little air as possible, so I can thaw exactly as much as I want.

They keep in the freezer for up to three months. When you want to enjoy them, put them in the fridge a day before you want to eat them.

Serve them chilled straight from the fridge, or reheat them gently on the stove or in the microwave. Heat them just until they’re warm, as you don’t want to cook them more to where they’ll start to break down.

Are These the Same as Instant Pot Baked Apples?

Not quite. Baked apples are usually whole apples that you core and fill, and these are sliced apples that cook in a cinnamon syrup.

If you’re looking for Instant Pot stewed apples, though, these are exactly that.

More Instant Pot Recipes

If you’re looking for more ways to use your Instant Pot, here are a few more of my favorites. Try my Instant Pot Spanish Rice, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, and Instant Pot Pulled Pork.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Enjoy this article? Please share it and save it for later!