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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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I just tried this today, and it’s literally sitting in my fridge now. Didn’t have time to go to the store, so I went into my pantry and improvised! Used cloves instead of nutmeg. That’s what I get for using it all in my most recent pumpkin pie, haha. Flour worked nicely still, as I was also out of cornstarch.
I tried it while it was warm and it was so divine and delicious. I can’t wait to make a pie with this apple filling. I think my boyfriend is going to LOVE it. Thanks so much Dorothy for this wonderful recipe! I will have to get my nutmeg and cornstarch for next time.
After you freeze it how do you cook it in the pie crust? Do you thaw it out first?
So easy and so good!
This recipe is on point!. Love it. It was easy to make. My family enjoyed it. Makes for a wonderful pie. Ummm good!
I absolutely love how this recipe came out! We needed to get rid of a bunch of apples and I figured a pie would be a good way. This recipe is simple and very easy to make yielding great results. Seriously, a bite of the filling and I’m debating whether it’s actually going to make it to the pie.
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