A Grateful Meal

Snack

Vanilla Overnight Oats Recipe

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These Vanilla Overnight Oats are creamy and silky with a classic vanilla flavor and make for the perfect easy and quick breakfast. They can be topped off with your favorite toppings.

Overnight oats have become a big thing in the last several years, and I can see why. Breakfast is a meal most of us struggle with, especially those of us (including me!) that aren’t morning people. I love taking my time with breakfast on the weekends, but I often need and want something a little quicker during the week. These Vanilla Overnight Oats are literally just assembly, no cooking or heating required. The liquid is soaked up in the oats overnight, doing the work to soften the oats that cooking them on the stovetop in the morning would normally do. I like to eat them cold, but if cold breakfasts aren’t your thing, you can certainly microwave it a bit in the morning just to take the chill off.

An overview of the top of the vanilla overnight oats with berries on top and a napkin and spoon on the side and oats scattered around.

Ingredients

Vanilla kefir: Kefir is a probiotic (healthy bacteria) drink that is essentially fermented milk. It is similar to a drinkable yogurt (which you can substitute if you have trouble finding kefir). However, kefir typically contains a lot more probiotics than yogurt. I love the vanilla flavor since I can really customize my toppings for the overnight oats, but feel free to try a different flavor if you’d like.

Old-fashioned rolled oats: This is my preferred choice for oats. You can use other types, but there are drawbacks. Instant oats may get too soggy, and steel-cut may remain a little chewy. The rolled oats are the perfect middle ground. Oats are also a great source of fiber, which is a prebiotic – more on that later.

Vanilla extract: This obviously will give it just a touch more vanilla flavor. As always, use the real stuff; the imitation version may give it a slightly off-flavor.

Honey: This is optional if you have a very sweet kefir. I find most kefir to be pretty low on the sweetness, so I like to add a touch extra sweetness for flavor and satisfaction.

Toppings: For the photos I used berries, but feel free to customize. I like to make sure that my breakfast has a combination of carbs, protein, and fats for adequate satiety and satisfaction to fuel my day. The kefir has some protein, but you can boost this by adding nuts or nut butters like peanut butter, almond butter, etc. Nuts are a great source of fat as well. The oats have fiber-rich carbs, but I like to round it out a bit more with some fresh fruit.  You can also add in some other fun ingredients for toppings like chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or jam (like this chia seed jam, which is rich in omega-3s and fiber).

A jar of vanilla overnight oats with berries on a top and on the side on a wooden cutting board and a white and blue napkin on the side. White subway tile is in the background. A spoon is resting on top of the jar with oats and a blueberry on the spoon.

Benefits of Combining Probiotic and Prebiotic Foods

One of the best things about this recipe is that it combines probiotic (healthy bacteria from the kefir) with prebiotic foods (fiber from the oats). We need good bacteria to populate our guts for a healthy immune system and digestion, and prebiotic foods like the fiber from the oats help feed the good bacteria. Both of these can help keep our digestive systems regular and functioning well. Probiotics and prebiotics are the perfect symbiotic relationship.

A jar of vanilla overnight oats with berries on a top and on the side on a wooden cutting board and a white and blue napkin on the side. White subway tile is in the background.

How to Make Vanilla Overnight Oats

This section will be short and sweet because there isn’t much to it. Simply mix all of the ingredients in a container. I like to use old jars with lids. Then refrigerate overnight. In the morning, top off with your favorite toppings, and off you go. It’s okay to leave the jar for an extra day or so; just know that it’ll be a little soggier, but then again, it is oatmeal, and that’s basically its texture. If it looks a little dry when you remove it from the fridge, you can always add a little bit of milk or more kefir and stir it up until it is your preferred consistency.

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Vanilla Overnight Oats

A jar of vanilla overnight oats with fruit and a spoon on a wooden cutter board and a white and blue napkin along with white subway tile in the background.

These Vanilla Overnight Oats are creamy and silky with a classic vanilla flavor and make for the perfect easy and quick breakfast. They can be topped off with your favorite toppings.

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours
  • Yield: 1 jar or container 1x
  • Category: breakfast, oats, overnight oats, brunch
  • Method: no-cook

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup vanilla kefir (or yogurt drink)
  • ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. honey (optional)
  • Toppings: fruit, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, seeds, nuts, and/or nut butters

Instructions

  • In a jar or container with a lid, mix together all of the ingredients except for the toppings.
  • Refrigerate overnight (or at least a few hours), then serve cold with your favorite toppings. 

Keywords: breakfast, oats, vanilla overnight oats, brunch

Edible Brownie Batter

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This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This Edible Brownie Batter is so rich, creamy, and packed with fiber and protein to keep you satisfied thanks to its secret ingredient – black beans! It’s also much safer to eat than regular raw edible brownie batter!

Brownies are known for the super rich, fudge-like texture and creaminess. Licking the spoon always seems to always be a must when making brownies. Black bean brownie recipes are so popular, and the black beans help increase the fiber and protein content of the brownies, making them more satiating than a regular brownie alone. (Not that I’m opposed at all to eating regular brownies, which I often eat as well!)

I thought I’d try my hand at making an edible brownie batter with black beans – similar to my Chickpea Cookie Dough that turned out so well. And, wow, this recipe turned out great too. Once refrigerating this brownie batter, it almost turns into fudge icing, which I was definitely not mad about that. The chocolate flavor is rich and deep and makes for a great snack. I like dipping in fruit, especially strawberries. And I also dipped in some pizzelle cookies – the brownie batter would make a great icing to go between two thin cookies to make a sandwich cookie!

A jar full of edible brownie batter with a white spoon and chocolate chips and strawberries on the side on a white subway tile background.

Ingredients

Black beans: I wouldn’t substitute any other bean. Black beans are perfectly creamy and blend well with the chocolate. I like to opt for the low sodium and give them a good rinse under cold water so that the dip isn’t too salty.

Cocoa powder: You’ll want to get the unsweetened baking cocoa powder.  

Maple syrup or honey: Use whatever you have on hand. If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can opt for maple syrup instead of honey. You can also substitute drier sweeteners like white sugar or brown sugar if you’d prefer.

Vanilla extract: Get the real deal – it has so much more flavor when it’s not the imitation variety.

Coconut oil: I like using coconut oil in this recipe since it gives just the slightest coconut flavor, and it helps smooth the mouthfeel out, making the batter silky smooth.

Salt: Just a pinch will do to add a little contrast to the sweetness.

Chocolate chips: I used mini chocolate chips; if you use regular, just double up the amount since fewer chips would fit into the measuring spoon. They add a pleasant crunch in the silky smooth batter.    

Optional: fruit or graham crackers to dip into the batter. Although, I’ve definitely been known to eat the batter by the spoonful!

How to Make Edible Brownie Batter

How to make edible brownie batter is so easy! You simply blend all of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and dippers, of course, in a food processor or blender until silky smooth. Then you’ll transfer the batter to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips. And that’s it! Dip in your favorite fruit or crunchy snack like pretzels.

Two images of blended and unblended edible brownie batter in a food processor.

How to Serve Edible Brownie Batter

Strawberries are definitely my favorite to dip in the batter, but all sorts of other fruit would be delicious as well. You can treat it like “fondue” and see how creative you can get with what you dip in the chocolate! Pretzels would be really great if you like a salty and sweet combination.

As with most of my clients, I encourage everyone to combine more than one type of food together for a snack. Adding fruit or a starch like pretzels is perfect. I recommend striving for snacks (most of the time) that have protein and/or fiber, and this Brownie Batter has both protein and fiber, so whether you eat it as a snack or as dessert, it’s a win/win in the taste AND nutrition categories!

An overview of a jar of edible brownie batter with strawberries and chocolate chips on top with a plate of strawberries on the side on a white background.
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Edible Brownie Batter

A close up of a jar of edible brownie batter with two strawberries in the middle and white spoon next to more strawberries and a bowl of chocolate chips.

This Edible Brownie Batter is so rich, creamy, and packed with fiber and protein to keep you satisfied thanks to its secret ingredient – black beans! It’s also much safer to eat than regular raw edible brownie batter!

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
  • Category: snack, dessert, chocolate, brownie batter

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 can (15.5 oz.) of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. of coconut oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1–2 heaping tbsp. of mini chocolate chips (double if using regular chips)
  • Optional: fruit, pretzels, or graham crackers to dip  

Instructions

  1. Blend all of the ingredients except for the chocolate chips and dippers until smooth in a food processor or blender. 
  2. Transfer batter to a bowl and fold in chocolate chips. Enjoy with your favorite foods to dip into the batter!

Keywords: snack, dessert, chocolate, brownie batter

Chickpea Cookie Dough

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This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This Chickpea Cookie Dough so delicious and packed with fiber and protein to keep you satisfied. It’s also much safer to eat than regular raw cookie dough!

Who doesn’t love eating raw cookie dough? If it has eggs in it (which are the vast majority), then eating raw cookie dough isn’t safe, especially if you have a compromised immune system. My husband is a kidney transplant recipient, so I try to keep food as safe as possible in our house.

Not only is this Chickpea Cookie Dough delicious and safe to eat, but it’s also packed with nutrition thanks to the chickpeas that provide fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals like folate and phosphorus. When you combine it with peanut butter, it’s a nutritional powerhouse. You can eat this for dessert, but my favorite way is to roll it into balls and eat it for a snack. I’ve also been known to just straight up grab a spoonful on my way past the fridge.  

Plus, if you have celiac disease, this is a gluten-free cookie dough that you can enjoy.

A layout of ingredients for chickpea cookie dough including chickpeas, cinnamon, honey, vanilla extract, salt, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and oats on a white background.

Ingredients

Chickpeas: Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. I used canned ones because canned is so convenient and equally nutritious.

Peanut butter: I recommend smooth, so you can really try to replicate the consistency of cookie dough. If you prefer chunky and want to try it, let me know how it turns out!

Honey or maple syrup: Use whatever you have on hand. If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can opt for the maple syrup instead of the honey.

Oats: Oats help absorb some of the excess liquid. I just used regular old-fashioned oats.   

Vanilla extract: Get the real deal – it has so much more flavor when it’s not the imitation.

Salt: It wouldn’t be good cookie dough if there weren’t salt to balance out the sweetness. If you’re like me and love a good salted cookie, try sprinkling a little extra on top at the end.  

Cinnamon: The smallest bit goes a long way, but it gives that warm, baking spice smell to the cookie dough.  

Chocolate chips: I like big chunky, dark chocolate chips, but feel free to use your favorite. If you want to make this vegan, opt for your favorite vegan brand.   

A white bowl of chickpea cookie dough on a white background

How to Make Chickpea Cookie Dough

This is one of the best parts of the recipe; it’s so easy. You’ll just need to put all of the ingredients in a food processor, except for the chocolate chips, and puree until smooth. You’ll want to keep pureeing until the “dough” starts to form a ball. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down about halfway through to ensure everything gets incorporated and your “dough” is super smooth.

Once it’s smooth, you’ll transfer it to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips.

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Chickpea Cookie Dough

Bowl of chickpea cookie dough in a white bowl with a white spoon.

This Chickpea Cookie Dough so delicious and packed with fiber and protein to keep you satisfied. It’s also much safer to eat than regular raw cookie dough!

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: dessert, snack
  • Method: food processor

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter 
  • 3 tbsp. honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp. oats
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • ½ cup of chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Place all of the ingredients except for the chocolate chips in a food processor. Puree mixture until completely smooth and it begins to pull away from sides into a ball. Pause a couple of times to scrape down the side of the processor bowl. 
  2. Transfer mixture into a bowl and fold in chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Keywords: chickpea, cookie dough, dessert, snack

White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake

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This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake is the perfect sweet loaf cake! The caramelized white chocolate paired with the tart sweetness of the raspberries makes this recipe a keeper! It’s a great addition to a breakfast, snack, or dessert.  

Loaf cakes are some of the easiest and fool-proof ways to bake. Banana bread, zucchini bread, etc., are some of my favorite things to bake. They require very few utensils and don’t require me to use an electric mixer. And then you pop it in a loaf pan and can walk away for about an hour. The hardest part about baking a cake is letting it cool enough so that it doesn’t fall apart when you take it out of the pan. I tend to want to dive right in.

This kind of cake doesn’t require any sort of icing to be delicious. I topped this loaf cake with extra white chocolate chips, which formed this super delicious and caramelized crust on top. I think it might be my favorite part!

Ingredients for White Chocolate Loaf Cake laid out on a white background including vanilla extract, eggs, sugar, flour, greek yogurt, white chocolate chips, and vegetable oil.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: This is obviously the base of the cake. You can also use whole grain flour, but if you do, I would do a 50/50 blend with all-purpose. Or you could also try a whole grain pastry flour, which would give a softer texture than regular whole grain flour. I like the basic all-purpose for this cake. Not only was the flour used for the base of the cake, but I also used a little bit (about 1 tbsp.) to dust the raspberries before adding them to the batter. I’ll tell you why below.

Baking powder: This is the leavening agent needed to make the cake rise. Make sure it’s fresh and not expired, or you might end up with a flat cake.

Salt: This is needed for leavening purposes, but salt in baked goods gives the sweetness a little more sharpness because of the contrasting flavor.

Sugar: I used plain, white granulated sugar. I don’t recommend anything else for this recipe as most other sweeteners (like brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.) would alter the cake’s moisture ratios causing it to potentially fall apart. And, if you’ve followed my blog and Instagram for a while, you know that sugar is sugar, and there is nothing wrong with using good, old-fashioned white sugar in baking. 

Greek yogurt: Getting Greek-style yogurt is important for this recipe because of the consistency. Greek yogurt also adds a tang and helps keep the crumb of the cake tender. It works similar to buttermilk in recipes.

Vanilla extract: This is a must for most sweet baking recipes for that warm, delicious vanilla flavor.

Milk: I needed just a little bit of milk for the consistency of the batter. I used 2% cow’s milk, but I don’t think it matters what kind you use.

White Chocolate: You can use mini or regular-sized chips. The recipe is for regular-sized chips; if you use the minis, I would cut the amount back to ½ cup or so.I really liked adding some white chocolate chips on top – it made the most delicious topping when it caramelized in the oven.

Raspberries: They are one of my favorite fruits. I used fresh and have not tested this recipe with frozen raspberries. If you want to try frozen, I can’t promise the end result, but I do strongly recommend not letting them thaw before adding them to the batter. Add them frozen. And don’t skip the dusting in flour trick that I explain below!

A container of raspberries with a bowl of flour used to toss the berries in.

Important Cooking Tip

One big tip that I have when you’re adding fresh or frozen fruit into your baking is to coat it in flour before adding it to the batter. This does two things. One, it helps absorb excess water given off from the fruit. This is especially important if you use frozen fruit because the freezing process damages the fruit’s cell walls, causing it to spill all of its juice or liquid much more easily. This is why frozen fruit can be off in texture when eating it by itself, but it’s also important to note that freezing only impacts the texture, NOT the nutritional profile. Frozen fruit is just as nutritious, if not more than fresh fruit. (Note: I did not test this recipe with frozen raspberries.)

The raspberries and chocolate chips in the batter of the White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake with a blue spatula and yellow bowl.

And two, it may help all the fruit from completely sinking to the bottom of the pan. Some of the fruit still did sink to the bottom, but there were definitely pockets of raspberry throughout the loaf cake.

A loaf pan of the White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake batter.

How to Serve White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake

This cake is good any time of day. I eat with breakfast, as a snack, or as dessert. You can top it with some butter and eat it like bread, eat it plain, or even spread some of your favorite yogurt or hazelnut spread like Nutella on top.

Another fun way to eat it would be to break it up into a small mason jar, and layer in yogurt and more fruit for a fun take on a trifle.

TBH though, I mostly eat it plain, standing in my kitchen. I can’t usually wait to put it on a plate, make any fancy preparation, or let alone sit down to eat it. It’s that good.  

The White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake on a cooling rack sliced with a small bowl of raspberries on the side with subway tile in the background.
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White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake

The White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake on a cooling rack sliced with a small bowl of raspberries on the side.

This White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake is the perfect sweet loaf cake! The caramelized white chocolate paired with the tart sweetness of the raspberries makes this recipe a keeper! It’s a great addition to a breakfast, snack, or dessert.  

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60-75 minutes
  • Total Time: 70-85 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf cake 1x
  • Category: Baking, Dessert, Snack, Breakfast
  • Method: Baking

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + extra 1 tbsp. 
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 container (6 oz.) of fresh raspberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients – 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients – Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. 
  3. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just incorporated. Fold about ¾ of the white chocolate chips into the batter. Save the remainder of the chips for the top of the cake.  
  4. Toss the container of raspberries in 1 tbsp. of all-purpose flour. Gently fold in raspberries to the batter until evenly distributed. Pour batter into the loaf pan and top with remaining chocolate chips. 
  5. Bake for about 60 -75 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from pan and slicing. 

Keywords: White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake, Baking, Snack, Dessert, Breakfast

Vanilla Mug Cake

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This vanilla mug cake is perfect when you just need one serving or don’t want to fuss with making a big dessert. This recipe can easily be doubled if you need extra!

I really love to bake – at least sometimes I do. Other times, I just want a piece of cake. And part of intuitive eating, I’ve learned to honor my hunger and satisfy my cravings. Unfortunately, I can’t always have everything I want when I want it. Sometimes, I forget to put certain things on my grocery list. Other times, it’s just not reasonable to satisfy a craving at that moment, or I don’t want to go through the work (like baking or going back to the store) to satisfy.

I love this mug cake recipe for that reason – I can truly satisfy my craving with minimal effort. It’s a mug cake made with ingredients that generally go into larger cakes (and none of that cardboard tasting diet-y stuff), and it’s easy. (Side note: it’s not diet-y to use some substitutes for ingredients that I mentioned below if you’re opting for a more plant-based eating pattern or adapting for an allergy like celiac disease. I’m referring to the substitutes just for the sake of low calorie.) While this “serves 1,” it’s okay if you need more – intuitive eating teaches us that no one else knows our own hunger or desires, so it can be easily adjusted to give you the right amount for you and what you want.

Close up of the vanilla mug cake with whipped cream and mixed berries on top.

Ingredients for the Vanilla Mug Cake Recipe

Butter: I love the taste of real butter in cake, but if you’re plant-based or vegan, you can use your favorite buttery spread.  

Sugar: Plain old white sugar is best to use. You can sub in brown sugar, honey, or agave nectar, but it might change the texture.   

Milk: I used 2% milk because it’s what I had, but again feel free to use a plant-based milk if you want. Vanilla-flavored plant-based milks might give a little extra vanilla kick for more flavor.  

Vanilla extract: Do yourself a favor and always buy the 100% vanilla extract, not the imitation – the flavor is so much better.  

Baking powder: No swaps here – baking powder is needed to make it rise.   

Salt: Just a tiny pinch is all you need. Salt makes the flavors more pronounced.

Flour: I used all-purpose flour. You could go with cake flour also, but if you’re gluten-free, I would try a gluten-free baking mix of flours or this one here.

Toppings: My favorites are whipped cream, mixed berries, and/or sprinkles, but you do you – top with whatever you like!

Close up of a bite of the vanilla mug cake with the cake in the background on a white surface.

How to Make a Vanilla Mug Cake

Mug cakes are the easiest thing to make on the planet. Just like making a regular cake, you’ll mix your wet ingredients separate from your dry ingredients and then mix them together until smooth. I used a large ramekin for mine, but all you need to “bake” the cake is a large coffee mug. You’ll microwave the mug cake about 60 seconds, then top with your favorite toppings.

Overview of the vanilla mug cake with a white spoon on a white surface with whipped cream and mixed berries.
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Vanilla Mug Cake

Overview of the vanilla mug cake with a white spoon on a white surface with whipped cream and mixed berries.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 4 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 minute
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: microwave

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp. butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup + 1 tbsp. flour
  • Toppings (optional): whipped cream, mixed berries, sprinkles, etc. 

Instructions

  1. Whisk butter and sugar into a small bowl with a fork. Add milk and vanilla extract and whisk again. In a separate small bowl, whisk together baking powder, salt, and flour.
  2. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until no lumps remain. Add batter to a large mug or large ramekin.
  3. Microwave for 60 seconds. Allow to cool (or serve warm if preferred). Top with favorite toppings like whipped cream, berries, or sprinkles.

Keywords: dessert, mug cake, cake, snack

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