A Grateful Meal

Fall

Potato, Leek, and Kale Soup

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This Potato, Leek, and Kale Soup is the perfect creamy comfort food to warm you up on a cold, blustery day.

One of my all-time favorite meals is potato soup. Creamy and rich, it’s comfort food in a bowl. This recipe uses golden potatoes, leeks, and kale for a super creamy and comforting bowl of soup on a cold, blustery day. Let me walk you through how to make it!

Close up of potato, leek, and kale soup with sour cream, bacon, and chives on top.

Ingredients for Potato, Leek, and Kale Soup

Bacon: The bacon is used as a topping, and some of the bacon fat is used for sauteing the vegetables.

Onion:I used a medium yellow onion for this soup.

Leeks: As leeks grow, they can get a lot of sand and dirt stuck inside. I give them a good wash before chopping, and I also rewash them in a strainer after chopping to get any remaining bits of dirt cleaned off.

Garlic cloves: You can use fresh garlic from either the garlic bulb or buy the pre-minced variety.

Golden potatoes: Gold potatoes have a lot more flavor and a creamier texture than some other types of potatoes. Their skin is pretty tender as well, so I don’t bother peeling these. The skins get pureed into the soup anyway, so it’s also easier.

Stock: I prefer chicken stock myself, but feel free to use vegetable stock if you prefer. One of my favorites is Kitchen Basics.

Milk: I’ve only tested this with cow’s milk, so 1%, 2%, or whole would be best. If you’re feeling extra, you can use half and half or heavy cream. Skim milk won’t give any creaminess because it has no fat. I have not tested it with any plant-based milk, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work as long as it’s unflavored.

Kale: I usually buy kale pre-chopped, but you can chop it yourself too. If I chop it myself, I usually got with a fine chop so that the kale cooks and wilts faster.

Extra toppings: The sky is the limit, but the go-tos would be crumbled bacon, minced chives, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), and cheese – specifically cheddar cheese works well.

Two bowls of potato, leek, and kale soup on a white background and a blue and white napkin on the side. There is also a pot of the soup next to the bowls.

How to Make Potato Leek Soup

First, you’ll cook the bacon until super crispy (so it can be crumbled later) in a large stockpot and save about 2 tbsp. of bacon fat to saute the vegetables: onions, leeks, garlic, and potatoes.

After sauteing the vegetables, you’ll add the stock and allow the potatoes to thoroughly cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.

You’ll add the milk and use an immersion stick blender to puree the soup. If you don’t have an immersion stick blender, you can transfer the soup into a regular blender to puree. You may have to work in batches, and you’ll need to transfer the soup back into the stockpot.

Once the soup is pureed, you’ll turn the heat to low if you haven’t already and add in the chopped kale. Let the soup cook with the kale in the stockpot for about 5-10 minutes or until the kale is cooked and wilted.

When you serve the soup, serve with your favorite potato soup toppings. As I mentioned above, I like bacon, minced chives, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

Can You Freeze Potato Soup?

Unfortunately, potato soup and dairy containing soups don’t freeze that great. When they defrost, it may be separated, or the texture may be off. I don’t recommend it, but if you want to make this soup in advance and freeze it for later. You can make the soup up to step 3 and puree the soup without the milk and the kale. Then, freeze for up to 3 months. When you rewarm the soup, you can add the milk, cook until slightly thickened, add the kale, and cook for additional 5-10 minutes.

Overview of a bowl of potato, leek, and kale soup with sour cream, bacon, and chives on top on a white background.
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Potato, Leek, and Kale Soup

Two bowls of potato, leek, and kale soup on a white background and a blue and white napkin on the side.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
  • Total Time: 45-50 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
  • Category: soup
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 slices of bacon
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 large leek, cleaned and chopped
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 lbs. golden potatoes (about 4 larger golden potatoes), chopped
  • 4 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 4–6 cups of fresh kale, chopped
  • Salt + pepper
  • Extra toppings: chives, sour cream or Greek yogurt, cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook bacon in a large stockpot until crispy. Drain bacon on towels and set aside. Leave about 2 tbsp. of bacon fat in the stockpot. Add onion and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Saute 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and golden potatoes and saute for an additional minute. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium to simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
  3. Reduce heat to low, add milk, and puree using an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender to blend in batches if needed.
  4. Stir chopped kale into to pureed soup in the stockpot and keep warm on low heat for additional 5-10 minutes or until kale is wilted.
  5. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Notes

To freeze this soup:

You can make the soup up to step 3 and puree the soup without the milk and the kale. Then, freeze for up to 3 months. When you rewarm the soup, you can add the milk, cook until slightly thickened, add the kale, and cook for additional 5-10 minutes.

Keywords: potato soup

Apple Cider Hot Toddy

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This apple cider hot toddy will warm you up during the cold fall and winter months. Made with honey, apple cider, cinnamon, and bourbon, it tastes just as good as it feels to cozy up with a hot toddy.

‘Tis the season for warm beverages. Hot tea, coffee, cocoa, I just can’t get enough. I also like to make a nice hot toddy when I need something extra cozy and boozy.

My fall allergies were flaring up last week, so I thought an apple cider hot toddy sounded really good. Obviously, it didn’t clear up my allergies (I’ll leave that to my Allegra), but it tasted and felt so good. I love a good hot toddy, not only when I’m feeling poorly, but it makes a great festive cocktail. The first time I had a hot toddy was a few years ago at Thanksgiving. My brother made a round of hot toddies that evening to sip on while watching rest of the Thanksgiving football games.

Overview of two apple cider hot toddy with a pot of honey with a spoon and towel on the side on a white countertop.

What is a Hot Toddy?

Hot toddies have been around for centuries. They’re usually drunk as nightcaps on cold evenings or when someone is feeling under the weather. They’re typically made from whiskey, hot water, and honey as a basic recipe, but I’ve seen variations using apple cider (like mine) or even tea as well.

Overview of a apple cider hot toddy with an apple slice and cinnamon stick on a white countertop.

Does a Hot Toddy Help with Cold-like Symptoms?

There’s no clinical evidence that hot toddies will cure or shorten the common cold or other ailments. There is potential harm in mixing alcohol with certain medications, including those used for cold and flu symptoms. So always check with your doctor or pharmacist before drinking alcohol while on medication. Antidotally, they soothe my symptoms (which could be a placebo), but so do most warm beverages when I’m feeling under the weather. If you have a healthy relationship with alcohol and you’re not taking medications that could interfere, then you do you.

Ingredients for the Apple Cider Hot Toddy

Apple cider: Apple cider screams fall and winter, so it’s natural to use to sweeten this hot toddy.   

Honey: While you could use other sweeteners, there is a tiny amount of evidence that honey may suppress a cough. It is also traditional for a hot toddy recipe to use honey.    

Bourbon: There are other whiskey types you could use, but I’m a little partial to bourbon. My favorite bourbon is from my favorite local Charleston distilleries – Cannon and High Wire.  

Cinnamon stick: I like using a cinnamon stick because the bourbon and hot liquid will extract the flavor without overpowering the drink. I wouldn’t use ground cinnamon because it would be too much, and it won’t dissolve very well. You can find cinnamon sticks just about everywhere, but you can also get them on Amazon.

Two apple cider hot toddies with a pot of honey and spoon on the side with a tea towel on a white countertop.

How to Make Hot Toddy with Apple Cider

It’s a simple recipe. You’ll need to heat your apple cider on the stovetop or in the microwave. It needs to be hot enough to dissolve honey. After the cider is hot, you can add the honey and pour it into a mug or heatproof cup (one that you won’t burn your fingers when you try to hold it). Then you’ll add the bourbon, cinnamon stick and fill the remainder of the cup with hot water. After stirring, I added a slice of apple, but that’s optional for aesthetics mostly.

Obviously, you’ll need to cozy up under a blanket and maybe even by the fireside for the complete aesthetic. 😊

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Apple Cider Hot Toddy

Apple cider hot toddy with a slice of apple and cinnamon stick with a towel and little jar of honey on the side with a yellow spoon on the side. In the background is another cocktail and sliced apples with a knife on the side.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving 1x
  • Category: cocktail

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup apple cider
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 – 1 ½ ounce of bourbon
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ – ½ c hot water
  • Apple slices, optional

Instructions

1. Heat apple cider on the stovetop or in the microwave to the desired temperature (should be hot enough to dissolve honey). Add honey to apple cider and stir until honey is dissolved.

2. Pour honey cider mixture into a mug or heatproof cup. Add bourbon, cinnamon stick, and fill the remainder of the cup with hot water (about ¼ -½ cup). Top with an apple slice if using. Stir and serve immediately. 

Keywords: cocktail, hot toddy, bourbon, honey, drink

Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Recipes [Crockpot or Instant Pot]

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These recipes are the best ground turkey slow cooker recipes for using up any ground turkey meat you may have hanging around your fridge.

 Who doesn’t love a good slow cooker recipe? It’s basically set it and forget it. I thought I would highlight a few recipes, so I’ve rounded up a few easy and delicious ground turkey slow cooker recipes all in one spot.  

The Best Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Recipes Round-up

Taco Soup: This recipe doesn’t call for ground turkey specifically, but it is recommended in the recipe. You can use any type of ground meat – and that’s generally true of most of these recipes, but this recipe uses simple pantry recipes to bring together a cozy, one-pot, slow cooker meal! Bonus – this recipe also tells you all the details on how to freeze the soup properly if you want to have leftovers that you can pull from the freezer when you’re short on time.

Ground turkey slow cooker recipe with a taco soup with avocado and tortillas on top on a white background with spoons and a blue towel on the side.

Pumpkin Chipotle Chili: Um, hello, yes, please. It’s no secret around here that I’m a huge fan of pumpkin and chipotle peppers. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapenos in a smokey, adobo sauce. Putting those together with pumpkin and ground turkey sounds like a perfect chili to me.

Ground turkey slow cooker recipe with chipotle pumpkin turkey chili on a gray background with a white napkin and gold spoon

Turkey Green Chili: Chilis are usually made with crushed tomatoes, but this chili has no tomatoes. Instead, it relies on jalapenos, chicken broth, spices, ground turkey, and hominy. Hominy is coarsely ground corn that is used to make grits. It gives this chili a unique texture and flavor.  I also love the idea of topping it with pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds).

picture of ground turkey slow cooker recipe with a green turkey chili on a dark background

Slow Cooker Turkey, Lentil, and White Bean Chili: This chili is similar to classic chilis, but I don’t usually see lentils and white beans together in chili. I love them both, so it’s nice to see them packed in along with the ground turkey as an additional source of protein.

Ground turkey slow cooker recipe with a turkey, lentil, and white bean chili on a burlap background with an orange napkin and spoon.

Why should I choose ground turkey over any other meat? Is turkey “healthier” than other ground meats?

Ground turkey is milder in flavor than ground beef or pork. It’s very similar in taste to ground chicken, but a little more game-like. If you’re making something with a lot of lighter flavors that you don’t want to conflict with by using beef, turkey may be the way to go (like in the green chili above).

As far as nutrition goes, it depends on your goals and what kind of turkey you choose. People often choose chicken or turkey, thinking it has less saturated fat (saturated fat is linked to high cholesterol). However, if you’re comparing lean turkey (93% lean, 7% fat – labeled on the package) to lean beef (93% lean or higher and 7% or less fat), that might not be the case. There isn’t any reason to avoid one or the other if you’re choosing lean ground meat and want to watch your cholesterol, so personally, I choose a lean cut either way and go with the one that would compliment the flavor profile in the recipe the best.

Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze, Pepitas, and Cranberries

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These Smashed Brussels Sprouts are roasted until crispy, drizzled with balsamic glaze, and topped with pepitas and dried cranberries. It’s the perfect side for any fall-inspired meal or holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas.  

 If you had asked me to try brussels sprouts when I was a kid, I would have fought you tooth and nail never to allow those cute little sprouts to cross my lips. Now, as an adult, I think brussels sprouts are underrated! Especially when they’re roasted to crispy perfection.

I’ve talked a lot about how roasting vegetables does something magical to them. It’s not really magic; it’s merely that the carbohydrate found in vegetables (yes, all plant-based foods contain some degree of carbohydrates, and it’s not to be feared) goes through a process called caramelization. We tend to think only of pure sugar (carbohydrate) going through this process to make caramel candies, but this actually can happen to all carbohydrates. Since there is a small amount of carbohydrate in the brussels sprouts, roasting them makes them slightly sweeter and caramelized. That’s why roasted vegetables taste so good. I wish I had more vegetables prepared this way when I was younger. I may have actually appreciated vegetables a little bit more.

Close up of smashed brussels sprouts in a bowl with pepitas, cranberries and balsamic glaze with serving spoons.

Anyway, back to these brussels sprouts – I went a step further on the flavor profile and topped them off with a little bit of balsamic glaze, crunchy, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and tart, dried cranberries. The combination of crunchy, sweet, tart and salty is simply heaven.

Why would you smash your brussels sprouts?

It’s because there is more surface area to caramelize. This can apply to roasting any other vegetable as well. When you flatten the vegetable, you’re more likely to caramelize a larger amount of the vegetable. Obviously, brussels sprouts are round and hard, so they have to be parboiled first, then blanched in cold water to stop the cooking process before you can smash them into round disks using a large, heavy-bottomed cup or glass. It’s challenging to get sprouts that are all the same size, so don’t be alarmed if you can’t get some of them as flattened as others.

Ingredients for Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Fresh brussels sprouts: When you buy fresh brussels sprouts, you can buy them on the stalk or already chopped from the stalk. Most of the time, you will find the latter. Make sure they are firm and don’t give much when you press on them. After washing, make sure to trim the ends. Also, remove any blemished outer leaves, if necessary.

Olive oil: Since we are roasting these brussels sprouts on high heat in the oven, I recommend using the “light tasting” olive oil, which is much lighter and more gold in color than the extra virgin. The lighter colored olive oil has a higher smoke point, so it won’t burn at high heat as extra virgin would.

Parmesan cheese This will give the brussels sprouts a salty and savory flavor. I used some on top before roasted and topped the sprouts with more after roasting. More cheese = more happiness, right?!

Balsamic glaze: You can find this in most grocery stores now. It’s just a more concentrated, thicker, and sweeter version of regular balsamic vinegar. If you’ve never used it before, you’re missing out.

Roasted pepitas: Again, most grocery stores carry these now. Pepitas are pumpkin seeds. They used to be harder to find. I chose the salted to help balance the sweetness from the balsamic glaze, but you can get unsalted if you prefer. If pepitas aren’t readily available, you can use any type of nut for some added crunch.

Dried cranberries: The tartness from the dried cranberries is really great. You can also sub in dried cherries – they would have the same effect. Dried cranberries seemed very seasonal for this fall-inspired dish.  

Close up of smashed brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze, pepitas, and cranberries on a white plate.

How to Make Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Like I mentioned above, you start by parboiling the sprouts and then blanching them in an ice bath, which stops the cooking process. You don’t want to boil them for so long that they are completely cooked; you want them a little raw still.

After you blanch them, make sure that they are very dry by patting them with a kitchen towel. The more water left on the sprouts, the less caramelization you’ll get. The water will end up steaming them rather than the dry heat caramelizing the sprouts.

You’ll then use a heavy-bottomed cup or glass to press the sprouts on the baking sheet gently. Be careful; they can be slippery if you aren’t able to get them super dry. The smaller ones are very easy, but a couple of the bigger ones might require you to make a little slit in them with a knife in order to press them down. They don’t have to be completely flat.

After they are pressed, you’ll toss on the sprouts in the olive oil, parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper, and pop them in the oven for roasting. After they’ll fully roasted, serve them with the drizzle of balsamic glaze, pepitas, and dried cranberries. And of course, you can always add a little extra parm on top!

How to Serve

This makes a great side dish for the fall and winter months, as that is when brussels sprouts are in season. You can serve them with anything, but they would make a great Thanksgiving side dish or as part of your Christmas dinner. You can serve them right off the sheet pan, but I put them in a serving bowl so that I can fully coat the sprouts in the glaze for more flavor.

Smashed brussels sprouts in a bowl with pepitas, cranberries and balsamic glaze with serving spoons.
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Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Drizzle, Pepitas, and Cranberries

Smashed brussels sprouts in a bowl with pepitas, cranberries and balsamic glaze with serving spoons.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: vegetable, side dish
  • Method: roasting

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs. of fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic glaze
  • ¼ cup of roasted pepitas
  • ¼ cup of dried cranberries

Instructions

  1. Fill a large stockpot with enough water to submerge the sprouts. Add 1 tbsp. of salt to the water. Bring to boil and carefully add brussels sprouts – cook for 15 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 425. While sprouts are boiling, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Once sprouts are done, submerge sprouts into an ice bath and allow to cool for 1 minute. Drain sprouts and pat dry on a kitchen towel.
  3. Transfer sprouts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper With the bottom of a heavy-bottomed cup or glass and gently press down on each sprout until slightly flattened. You may need to cut a small slit in the top for larger sprouts so that it flattens easier—toss sprouts with olive oil and parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Roast for 10 minutes, remove from oven and flip each sprout – roast again for another 5 minutes.
  5. Once done cooking, drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with pepitas and dried cranberries. 

Keywords: brussels sprouts, vegetable, side dish, fall, thanksgiving, christmas

El Diablo Cocktail

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The El Diablo cocktail is exactly what you need for Halloween. It’s simple and the perfect drink to for any fall gathering or to sip on while sitting the porch handing out candy, which is exactly my plan. (Don’t worry, this year the candy will remain at the end of my driveway for adequate social distancing!) I mean how can you not have a cocktail named “el diablo” on Halloween.

Overview of an el diablo cocktail with limes and blackberries on the side on a white countertop.

This classic cocktail is just slightly sweet and a little spicy thanks to the addition of ginger beer and creme de cassis. To give the drink an extra tang, make sure that you use a good quality ginger beer that will give you the spice required for this drink. I recommend Fever Tree or Q Mixers ginger beer – I have used both with great results in the past. The creme de cassis adds a deep earthy sweetness as it is a liquor made from black currant berries. It adds a nice deep reddish/purple hue that just screams Halloween. The drink hits all the key flavor points of a quality cocktail (at least in my book): slightly sweet, a tad spicy, and a good bit tart.

You can serve the drink on the rocks or neat in a champagne coupe for a little extra drama. Top it with an extra lime wheel and some blackberries, and you’re golden.

Close up of an el diablo cocktail garnished with a blackberry and lime with a bottle of tequila in the background.

Ingredients

Tequila: I use white tequila or “blanco” for this cocktail. Sometimes this tequila is called “silver” tequila. Either way, it’s unaged and does best in cocktails vs. the darker tequila (amber tone, not the one colored with caramel color that looks gold) is aged and does better for shots.

Crème de cassis: As I mentioned, this is a liquor made from black currants. They have a strong berry flavor. It typically hails from France and is a key ingredient in another classic cocktail, Kir – which is white wine topped with crème de cassis. For a Kir Royale, you swap the white wine for champagne.

Limes: Fresh lime juice is always best in cocktails and gives a fresh punch of acidity, which works so well in this cocktail.  Keep a few wedges or wheels of lime for garnish or extra squeezing on top.

Quality ginger beer: As mentioned, Q Mixers or Fever Tree are my favorite high-quality ginger beers. A higher quality ginger beer will let the ginger flavor come through more for a sweet and spicy kick.

Blackberries: This is optional but is a nice touch. Black currants are hard to find for garnish so blackberries are a good sub. Tip: If you freeze the berries in advance, you can use them as ice cubes.  

Picture of two el diablo cocktails on a white background with a bottle of tequila, limes, and blackberries on the side

How to Make an El Diablo Cocktail

All of the ingredients except the ginger beer and garnishes go into a cocktail shaker with ice. After shaking them all up, you strain the cocktail in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice (or champagne coupe for neat) and top with the ginger beer. Don’t put the ginger beer in the shaker – you might end up with a huge mess by shaking up something with carbonation!

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El Diablo Cocktail

Close up of an el diablo cocktail garnished with a blackberry and lime with a bottle of tequila in the background and blackberries and limes on the side.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
  • Category: cocktail

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tbsp. (or 1.5 oz) tequila blanco
  • 1 tbsp. (or 1/2 oz.) creme de cassis
  • 1 tbsp. (or 1/2 oz.) lime juice
  • 6 tbsp. (or 3 oz.) quality ginger beer (such as Q Mixers or Fever Tree)
  • Extra lime wedges or wheels and blackberries for garnish

Instructions

  1. Pour tequila, creme de cassis, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake, then strain into a glass filled with ice for on the rocks or without ice for neat. Top with ginger beer.

Keywords: cocktail, halloween, blackberries, tequila, creme de cassis

Instant Pot Apple Butter

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This Instant Pot Apple Butter has all the tastes and smells of fall. And with just five ingredients and 20 minutes, it couldn’t be any simpler or quicker.  

Who doesn’t love apples in fall? This is the time of year I usually bring my favorite two apples, McIntosh and Honeycrisp, home with me after visiting my family in Western Pennsylvania. When I get home, the apples that survived the car ride home, I’ll make into festive apple desserts. I could not make the trip this year thanks to corona, but I wanted to make something with spiced apple. Apple butter is probably one of the easiest things to make with apples, and it’s also great to use up bruised or damaged apples that you don’t want to eat raw.

Jar of instant pot apple butter with a spoon resting in the jar with toast and whole apples on the side on a white background.

 What is Apple Butter?

Apple butter is simply cooked, spiced, and pureed apples. Contrary to its name, it doesn’t contain any butter or oil. It is very spreadable and works perfectly in place of jams or jellies. My favorite ways to enjoy apple butter are on my morning toast or swirled into some plain yogurt for a fall twist.   

Apple butter vs. applesauce

You might be asking, so what’s the difference between apple butter and applesauce? Not much. It comes down to how much water is in the puree and how long you cook the apples. Apple butter is a more concentrated version of apple sauce. Since applesauce tends to be more watery, apple butter is cooked longer and has that spreadable consistency I mentioned above. If your apple butter comes out more like applesauce, you can switch the instant pot setting to the sauté feature and let it comes to a boil to evaporate off more of the water. Be careful, though – it will burn quickly on the bottom, so make sure you stir it frequently to prevent scorching.

Apple butter on a spoon above a jar of the instant pot apple butter

Ingredients for Instant Pot Apple Butter

Apples: That’s an easy one.  According to several articles, the best apples to use are softer varieties, such as one of my favorites, McIntosh. However, since you’re using an Instant Pot, which uses heat and pressure to break down the apples, it’s pretty safe to use whatever apple you enjoy.

Water or apple cider: To prevent scorching in the Instant Pot, it is a good idea to add just a little bit of liquid so it doesn’t burn before the apples have a chance to release their juices.  For the best flavor, I prefer to use apple cider or apple juice as the liquid.

Spices: I used a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. If you want to make it super easy, use pumpkin pie spice, which contains all of those fall-like, warming spices.

Overview from above of a jar of instant pot apple butter with whole apples and toast on the side on a white-gray background.

How to Make Apple Butter in the Instant Pot

This recipe is a set it and forget it type of recipe with very little hands-on time. You start by slicing and coring the apples. You keep the peel on the apples. Keep the slices about the same size – about a half-inch across. You’ll then cook the apples on high pressure for 18 minutes in the Instant Pot. Once complete, you release the steam and cool a bit before transferring the apples into a blender or using a stick blender to puree the apples until smooth.

Like I mentioned above, if the apple butter is a little too watery for your liking, you can return the apple butter to the Instant Pot and cook on the saute feature, continually stirring until more water is removed (about 5-10 minutes depending on how much water your apples contained). You can also use a large soup pot on the stove to cook the water out of the apples some.

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Instant Pot Apple Butter

Overview from above of a jar of instant pot apple butter with whole apples and toast on the side on a white-gray background.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 22-28 minutes
  • Yield: 1 large container 1x
  • Category: instant pot
  • Method: instant pot
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs. of apples, cored and cut in large chunks (keep the skin on) – about 10 small apples
  • ¼ cup water or apple cider
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp. cloves

Instructions

  1. Put all of the ingredients into the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes using the manual feature. Quick-release steam valve. Let cool for about 10 minutes with the lid off.
  2. Blend apples with a stick blender or transfer to a regular blender to blend. Serve immediately or keep in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or 1 year in the freezer.

Keywords: instant pot, apples, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, fall