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Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe – this easy recipe takes just a few minutes and tastes so much better than canned pie filling – tender apples in a thick cinnamon sauce – they’re perfect as a side dish, in an apple pie, or to use anywhere that calls for a can of pie filling. You never need to buy that can of pie filling again!
Homemade Pie Filling is Best!
Learn how to make apple pie filling from scratch – It will taste better, be fresher, and you can use it in so many recipes (like the best apple strudel recipe or apple crisp).
This easy recipe is a cooked easy apple pie filling, made on the stovetop, and is perfect to use immediately, eat over the week, or freeze for later. It’s perfect for any recipe that calls for a can of pie filling – not just making apple pie!
Apple Pie Filling Ingredients
- Apples: I used Granny Smith apples because the tart/sweet combination is great, plus they’re more sturdy and can hold up to cooking. You can also use honeycrisp if you want.
- Cornstarch: This is what thickens the pie filling
- Sugar: Granulated, for sweetness – but you can swap brown sugar if you prefer in equal amounts.
- Water: Gives the liquid to the filling – you could substitute apple juice or apple cider, but you’d want to reduce the sugar.
- Lemon: Adds a brightness to the flavor
- Spices: Cinnamon and Nutmeg are perfect for apple pie, you can also use pumpkin pie spice!
How to make Apple Pie Filling
- Peel and slice or chop your apples bite size – your choice.
- Whisk dry ingredients in your saucepan then add water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
- Once the mixture boils, boil it for two minutes.
- Add the apples, turn to a simmer, and cover. Cook until the apple soften.
Variations
- Slice or chop your apples – thickness and size will alter cooking time.
- Use brown sugar instead of white sugar for a more caramel flavor.
- Add pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Best Apples for Pie Filling
I prefer using Granny Smith Apples for all my apple pie recipes. However, you can use any apple you love (I also love using Gala or Fuji), but I would steer clear of Red Delicious. This recipe will be better with a firmer apple – and cooking time will be less the softer the apple.
Ways to use Apple Pie Filling
This recipe can be used in place of one 20 ounce can of pie filling – wherever that is called for you can use this recipe to make it homemade.
How to make apple pie: this recipe is perfect when baked into my All Butter Homemade Pie Crust. Place the pie filling in a 9-inch pie plate and pile it high (or use a deep dish). Cover with a double crust, lattice, or crumble topping. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake until pie crust is cooked through.
Make a completely no bake apple pie using my graham cracker crust!
My favorite way to use pie filling is as a topping for apple cheesecake or in French toast casserole or as a topping for really anything, like a lush dessert.
It’s also amazing as a topper for waffles, oatmeal, pancakes – or just over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I even use it on yogurt!
Storage, Freezing, Canning
- Do not can this recipe – it’s made with cornstarch and you cannot can anything thickened with cornstarch.
- Store the recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It’s great to make ahead because it needs to cool before using, and lasts several days.
- You can freeze pie filling for later – I prefer freezing in plastic containers – but just store in freezer for up to a few months.
Apple Pie Filling Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups apples peeled, cored, and diced
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 3 cups (711ml) water
- 1 ⅓ cups (267g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (42g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Place apples in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.
- Place water, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine then bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Once the mixture boils, boil it for two minutes. Add the apples, turn to a simmer, and cover. Cook, stirring often, until the apples soften, about 5-8 minutes.
- Pour into jars to cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate. The mixture will thicken more as it cools.
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Yum! I love apple pie but never make it. This just might be the thing that gets me to make one. Love the spatula too 🙂
It has never dawned on me to make my own pie filling since I hardly ever make pies lol.
But seriously this does look so much better than the store bought kind (and yes the apple pieces in there are way too big! I think they’re trying to prove to us they use real apples or something)!
I found that i had already saved this recipe and someone has already asked the freezing questoin back in 2013 and come to find out canning with the corn starch is not a good idea. So please disregard my question above. duh my bad. But i am still going to make this as it sounds so yummy and simple. Thanks for cranking out the yummy recipes which by the way I have tried plenty of. 🙂
Clear-Jel is cornstarch that is made for canning. I’ve used it for apple pie filling and it works great. I’ve never seen it in stores. I buy it online after googling for the least expensive one.
This sounds good to me. Why cant you just can it? As long as your jars and lids/rings are hot then you should be able to can this. We have a short cut technique that works rather well. No putting in fridge or freezer. I actually cooked apples one year and jarred them and they were still good the next year. Have you given that a go? If not and if you want the instructions then please just let me know. I would be happy to share that with everyone. But i am so going to give this a go. But when I did my apples i didnt think to add corn starch to thicken the liquid so it was runny. I have also done pears, and tons of other stuff too. Thankfully my husband doesnt mind getting the hot part of the job. haha tough hands.
yes i would love to learn how to can the apples
Oh YUM. Love this, Dorothy! In a jar like that what a great hostess gift, too. I just want to eat it by the spoonful!
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