This delicious low-sugar Paleo apple-pluot butter is made with seasonal apples and pluots - perfect for enjoying on biscuits, pancakes or breads. It's a Paleo recipe since the sweetener is coconut sugar. If your fruit is very sweet, you might find you prefer to leave the sugar out.
Last year I made apple butter using some “imperfect” Jonathans I had bought from Ela Family Farms. The Jonathan is still my favorite for apple butter, with macintosh a close second. But once you have made your own fruit butter, you realize almost any fruit will work, such as my peach butter.
And, you want to have some of this spiced treat around for those breakfasts or brunches that need just a little fruit garnish.
The flavor is very similar to apple butter but there is a certain silkiness from the stone fruit. Plus, it's a little easier to pour, as when we tried it on pancakes.
I missed the big boxes of Jonathans this year because I just recently returned to Denver from Honolulu, and I was in quarantine for two weeks with others shopping for me. We didn't get to the Farmer's Market until last week!
What I did have were some Honeycrisp and Empire apples that needed to be made into a recipe - plus the pluots - and this was it.
I know people seem to like the Honeycrisp, but I'm not wild about it as an eating apple. Would they would be tart enough for the apple butter? Rather than risk a bland fruit butter, my solution was to add a tart fruit, in this case pluots.
Is there butter in apple butter?
Fun fact: There is no butter in fruit butter. The name comes from the fact that the apples are cooked down to make a spread that is the texture of butter. I have had a passion fruit butter spread that did contain butter, though - boy, that was good.
What's the difference between apple butter and applesauce?
Applesauce is a stage on the way to apple butter; apple butter is cooked longer. And apple butter, like this apple-pluot butter, is more likely to have spices added, like cinnamon or cloves.
How long does it take to make fruit butter?
Pressure-cook process: about 1 ½ hours
The high slow-cook setting on your Instant Pot: about four hours.
Be sure to add the recommended amount of water if you pressure-cook so that you don’t get a “burn” message on your Instant Pot. You may need to simmer to reduce it later, but it may turn out thick enough.
Then I strongly recommend using an immersion blender right in the pot to puree your cooked fruit and spices. If it's not thick enough to mound up in the spoon or on pancakes, set the Instant Pot on slow-cook (I use medium) for about a half hour to evaporate some of the water.
What apples are best for Paleo apple-pluot butter?
Tart apples: Jonathan, Braeburn, Granny Smith
Medium-tart apples: Empire, Gravenstein, McIntosh
Taster’s comments
There was not as much plummy flavor as apple in this product, tasty though it was on our pumpkin pancakes. Next year I will make this recipe with some of the earlier plums that tend to be more tart - I can’t wait!
This recipe was included in an extensive collection of recipes using apples in the Instant Pot:
Beth
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #amealinmind on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with. Thank you so much!!
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Apple Pluot Butter in the Instant Pot - Vegan and Paleo
Ingredients
- 2 pounds unpeeled organic apples 5 or 6
- 2 pounds pluots or plumcots or plums (4 or 5
- 1 scant tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar optional, for overall sour fruit (I do not use any with Jonathans but did here)
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice more for very sweet apples
Instructions
- Wash the fruit.
- Core and cut the apples into slices or chunks.
- Cut wedges away from the pluot seeds.
Place the fruit, spices, water and vinegar or lemon juice into your Instant Pot. Then follow one of these two methods:
- Instant Pot Pressure-Cook Method: Cover and cook on the Pressure-cook or Manual setting for 15 minutes. When timer is finished, let pressure in pot release naturally for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the Instant Pot off, turn the dial to the Vent position and let any remaining steam release.
OR:
- Instant Pot Slow-Cook Method: Cover and slow-cook on high heat for 3 hours.
- Remove the lid, and drain any water that has collected in the lid into the sink (*see note).
- Puree with an immersion or stick blender. If you don’t have a hand-held blender, allow the apple-pluot butter to cool for about 30 minutes, then transfer it in batches to a standing blender. Puree until lumps are gone.
- If you want it a little thicker, and it’s still in the IP, let the Instant Pot sit open on medium heat for another 30 minutes or more, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If not, pour it back in.
- When the apple butter is thick enough, it should mound up when you dip a spoon into it. Or, when you drag a fingertip through it on the spoon, the apple-pluot butter should not fill in the space. Careful - wait until the spoonful is cool enough to touch before you try this!
- Taste your apple-pluot butter and adjust the sweetness or acidity by adding more coconut sugar or apple cider vinegar, and stir well. The amounts of both depend so much on how sweet or tart your fruit is, plus your own taste preferences.
Notes
Please pin for later!
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Amy
This looks absolutely delicious! Love the use of pumpkin spice and cinnamon sugar which I'm sure just makes it even tastier! Bookmarking this recipe as stone fruits are not in season yet for me. But it will be soon!
Beth
Thanks, Amy, it's the perfect recipe when I can't make up my mind between apples and stone fruits.
Shelley
My family used to have a big family reunion, centered around spending the day stirring a huge outdoor cauldron full of apple butter, while everyone laughed and talked and caught up on each other's lives. So much fun, but the Instant Pot sure makes that whole process a heck of a lot quicker and easier when I don't happen to have 30 or 40 of my nearest and dearest close by (or a huge outdoor cauldron lol)! Delicious idea to add to the flavor complexity by using pluots, too!
Beth
Shelley, thanks for sharing that memory - I can imagine what wonderful apple butter that was! I used to cook my apples down in a big pot on the stove and I have to say it really made the house smell wonderful, even if it took longer.
kerri
I've made so much Apple Butter in my life but never considered adding Pluots! Such a great twist on a classic!
Beth
Thanks, Kerri, the pluots really add a tang that's worth trying.
Andrea
My family loves pluots so this is a really unique way to eat even more of what we love! I really like the idea of making it in the instant pot as well. Makes it so easy and convenient. Thank you!
Beth
We love pluots too - they are such a great hybrid, and this fruit butter is great with them.
veenaazmanov
I just cant wait to check this out. I am drooling. Combinations yummy. Thanks for such a lovely recipe.
Beth
Veena, these fruit butters make this fall season so special!
Leslie
This is one of those recipes I MUST try this fall! What a cozy, comforting recipe!
Beth
Thanks, Leslie, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Neha
I adore apple butter and have to admit I never got a chance to try this out in instant pot. Thanks for this recipe, I am so giving this a go.
Beth
Hi, Neha, this is a nice variation on apple butter and the instant pot makes it so easy.
Debra
Delish and so easy. I used pink lady's because that's what I had and I didn't include the sugar. I thought it came out great. A bit tart---which I liked a lot---and perfect for spreading on apple muffins.
Beth
I'm glad for the information about using pink lady apples, as I haven't tried those. Happy you liked the no-sugar version - I love it.
Marisa F. Stewart
Eery year I make apple butter and the family is getting a bit tired of it. I found your recipe and tried it with the pluots -- they loved it. I'll be using your recipe from here on out.
Beth
Thanks for letting me know that, Marisa. We also loved the slightly different flavor, so glad you did too.
Nicoletta
That apple pluot butter looks so good! I can just imagine how it is on pancakes. Also love the final color!
Beth
Thank you, Nicoletta - pancakes are my favorite way to enjoy it.