Sure you can grab the canned stuff, but homemade is SO much better! This easy apple pie filling is so incredible, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to try it.
Grocery List
Making your own apple pie filling is pretty easy with the most challenging part merely being peeling and chopping apples. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Fresh apples – You can use all one kind of apple or a variety. Any kind of apples you’d prefer. Check the section below for tips on choosing the right apples.
- Lemon juice – Not only does this prevent browning, but it also gives some acidity to balance out the sweet.
- Sugar – Although apples have their own sugar, we also add granulated sugar for extra sweetness.
- Brown sugar – And to top off the sweetness, brown sugar adds a nice, rich molasses touch to the mixture.
- Cornstarch – In order to thicken our filling a bit, we use a little cornstarch.
- Seasoning – I use a blend of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and coarse sea salt to bring out the other flavors and provide balance.
Best Apples to Use
There are three elements to be aware of for apple pie filling.
- Taste– Some like tart apple varieties and others prefer sweet, while some in the middle. This is a matter of preference. I like tart apples like granny smith apples with sweet sauce. Use your favorite apples and you will get the best apple flavor.
- Texture– Something that is form and holds its shape will do best to give your baked pie body, while still being tender after cooked. I try to avoid mealy varieties for baking, especially when making my own apple pie filling.
- Availability- This one might be super obvious, but if you just visited your apple orchard and you picked buckets of some sort of apple, then those are the best for your pie filling on that particular day.
Quick Guide to Apples
- Fuji- Dense and crispy with a honey, citrus and pear flavor
- Crispin– big, juicy, crisp with sweet, slightly tart flavor and a lovely hue of green-ish-yellow
- Braeburn- Bi-colored, these are the most popular for cooking because they have strong flavor with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg and hold up well
- Honeycrisp– Sweet and tangy, great for sweet and savory applications because the flavor stays strong
- Granny Smith– Amazingly juicy and puckering- tart, they are firm and great for baking
- Golden Delicious– Sweet and crunchy, not so much tart
Apples that aren’t great for baking: McIntosh (break down too easy), Red Delicious (too mealy), Gala (too mild in flavor), Empire (break down easy), Golden Delicious (too soft- no one likes mushy apples.)
Let’s Make It!
Making this apple pie filing is super easy, the hardest part is peeling.
- If you make a lot of apple pies, invest in a hand crank peeler. Yes, it seems old school, but it is worth it to peel all the apples. Otherwise, use a Y apple peeler or if you are really good with knives, a simple paring knife.
- Decide what size you want. They can be cubes or sliced apples, just make sure they are all a similar, uniform size so they cook evenly.
- Toss apple slices with lemon juice. This prevents browning.
- Stir together sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt along with water and bring to a simmer.
- Add apples and return to a low simmer, cover and cook. Apples should easily pierce with a fork and sauce will have reduced and thickened.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool before using or freezing.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – I do use half of a teaspoon of coarse sea salt to bring out the other flavors of this apple pie filling. If using a different type of salt, keep in mind they measure differently.
- Seasonings – The warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg perfectly complement the sweetness of the apples to give the filling all the fall feels.
- Swaps – Also feel free to omit individual cinnamon and nutmeg and replace with apple pie spice mix, either store bought or homemade. And of course, a homemade pie dough really results in the best apple pie recipe.
- Senses – As this pie filling simmers, the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar wraps around you like a cozy blanket. Each bite bursts with juicy sweetness and a hint of tartness, the apples soft but still slightly firm, nestled in a gooey, buttery glaze that clings to your spoon.
Let’s Use It
You can use this filling for everything from topping pancakes to adding to a homemade pie crust. I personally love adding it to sweet breakfast favorites like yogurt, waffles or oatmeal.
Of course, the most simple answer is to use the best apple pie filling to make your favorite apple pie. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have the ultimate fall dessert.
Storage and Freezing
How to Store
It will also stay good covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I do not can items, but it is ideal for canning following these instructions.
Can I Freeze Apple Pie Filling?
Apple pie filling is freezer friendly, but make sure you wait until it is fully cooled and then transfer to air tight containers or plastic bags. Freeze for 4-6 months. Thaw before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
To thicken apple pie filling, you can use cornstarch, arrowroot or flour to make a slurry. In a small bowl, mix 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch, arrowroot or flour with a small amount of water to create a smooth paste. Stir this paste to your hot apple pie filling until no streaks remain. Cook the filling over low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat right before it hits your desired consistency- it will thicken more as it cools!
This really depends on the recipe you are using. If a recipe calls for apple pie filling, then yes, the apples will be par-cooked. Some recipes call for freshly cut apples and rely on the juices releasing to make the filling while baking.
Peeling apples for apple pie is a matter of personal preference and the type of apple, as some have silky skins while others are more waxy and tougher to chew. Some people prefer to peel them for a smoother texture, while others like the added color and texture of apple skins in their pie (especially when you use a blend!). It’s entirely up to you whether you want to peel the apples or not. Most apple pie fillings use peeled apples. Use a Y-peeler or actual apple peeler to make this task easier.
More Apple Desserts
Here are some of my other favorite desserts that are full of apple flavor to bake all fall long.
Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 9 cups fresh apples , peeled, cored and chopped into uniform sizes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cups white sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the peeled, cored and chopped 9 cups fresh apples with the 2 tablespoons lemon juice. This prevents browning. Set aside.
- In a large dutch oven or saucepan, stir together both the 3 cups white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a low simmer.
- Stir in the apples. Cover and cook for 6-10 minutes. If you cut your apples into bite-sized pieces, it will be closer to 6 minutes, but larger slices will be 10 minutes. Apples should easily pierce with a fork and sauce will have reduced and thickened.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Use after cooling, can or freeze the apple pie filling
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!
Notes
Nutrition
Quick, simple and delicious apple pie filling. I think I’ll be making some hand pies this weekend, yum!
Awesome apple pie filling! Works great more cobbler too!
Never buying store bought again!
The cinnamon and nutmeg are great in this apple pie filling! This is so much better than store-bought!
I recently purchased a home that has a massive apple tree. I have a ton of apples ready to harvest, and this is a perfect way to use up some of them!
What a great recipe – I love the detail down to the type of apples – very helpful indeed!
How fun! I just bought a Dash Mini Pie Maker, and you use pie filling for it—this recipe for apple pie filling will be so helpful! Thanks for sharing!
No need to buy that stuff in the can!! This is sooo good, the variety of apples makes all the difference!
Not only do I love how tasty this turned out, but my house smells amazing to boot! So delicious; easily, a new favorite pie filling!
I love apple pie and this is such a perfect filling recipe!