This easy and incredibly delicious Homemade Apple Pie Filling is bursting with the natural sweetness of fresh apples and the warmth of cinnamon spice. Super versatile, you can use this filling to make homemade pies and tarts, or just serve with a simple scoop of ice cream!
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Easy Apple Pie Filling Recipe
Instead of buying store-bought pie filling, prepare your own with just a few easy ingredients. This recipe combines fresh, juicy apples, brown sugar, and a dash of toasty cinnamon. The mixture cooks down into and rich and delicious easy-to-make apple pie filling that tastes like it took you hours to prepare.
One of the best things about this recipe is that you can use it to create an array of amazing from-scratch apple desserts. From traditional pies just like grandma use to make, to delightful tarts and turnovers that taste like they were made at a fancy bakery, the possibilities are endless.
Just in case you can’t get enough tasty treats made with apple flavor, check out these sweet little Apple Dumplings or this Apple Cider Bundt Cake!
Why We Love this Recipe for Apple Pie Filling
- Easy recipe: With this recipe, making your own apple pie filling could not be any easier. All you need are fresh, sliced apples and a few other pantry staples and your pie filling can be prepped and cooked in 15 minutes.
- Better than store-bought: Not only does it taste much better that store-bought, but by making a homemade version, you have control over the quality of ingredients. You can choose fresh, crisp apples and avoid any artificial additives or preservatives.
- Versatile filling: For an easy dessert, you can serve a serving of this pie filling with a scoop of ice cream. But it can also be used to create a lot of different desserts, from the perfect pie to tarts, turnovers, and crisps.
Apple Pie Recipe Filling Ingredients
- Fresh apples
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Cornstarch
- Water
What kind of apples are best for apple pie?
You’ll want an apple with a balance between sweetness and tartness with a crisp texture. Varieties like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Gala Apples, and Braeburn are great for cooking.
Feel free to use what is on sale at the grocery store. We used Red Delicious for this recipe and it turn out amazing. You can even mix the types to create different flavors and textures.
How to Make Apple Pie Filling
Step One: Prepare the Apples
- Use an apple corer to remove the center of each apple. Then peel each apple.
- Slice each apple into 8-10 slices.
- Place the apple slices to rest in cold water while you peel and slice all the apples. This will prevent them from browning. Just be sure to drain the water well when ready for use.
Step Two: Prepare the Filling
- Add the raw apples, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a large skillet or small stovetop pot or Dutch oven.
- Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and until the apples begin to break down. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
Step Three: Add the Thickener
- Mix together in a small bowl the cornstarch and water. Mix with a fork or whisk until the mixture is smooth and there are no clumps.
Step Four: Cook until Thickened and Cool
- Reduce to medium heat and add in the cornstarch slurry.
- Stir constantly for another 2 minutes or until the cornstarch mixture is fully mixed in and thickens the filling.
- When it’s done, remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using.
Best Apple Pie Filling Recipe Variations & Add-ins
- Other warm spices: You can add a touch of Fall to this pie filling with a little bit of nutmeg and allspice along with the cinnamon.
- Lemon zest: Add a refreshing hint of citrus by adding in a pinch of fresh lemon zest or a little bit of fresh lemon juice into the apple pie filling. You can also use orange zest if you prefer.
- Caramel sauce: Gently fold in a drizzle of caramel sauce over the cooled apple filling. You won’t need much because, with the apple juices, you don’t want to make the filling too runny,
- Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnut always a delightful crunch to your apple dessert
- Raisins or dried cranberries: For a little extra sweet treat, stir in a handful of raisins or dried cranberries into the apple filling as it’s cooking.
- Vanilla extract: Add another layer of flavor with a couple of drops of vanilla extract. It pairs really well with the apples.
- Orange juice: Instead of water to make the cornstarch slurry, you can use fresh orange juice. It adds a subtle citrusy flavor that goes great with apple flavors.
Ways to Use Homemade Apple Pie Filling
You can use this filling just as it is with a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream or use it to make a classic apple pie recipe. But there are so many other tasty apple dessert recipes you can make and here are some of our favorites:
- Apple pie: Use the apple pie filling in a pie crust – one on the bottom and one on top and bake to make a delicious apple pie.
- Apple dump cake: replace the canned pie filling in our apple dump cake with this homemade version.
- Apple tart: Use the apple pie filling as a topping for a delicious apple tart. Spread a couple of tablespoons of the yummy filling over a pre-baked tart shell. Then just bake the tart until warm and bubbly.
- Apple crisp: Place some of your homemade apple pie filling in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Top it with a mixture of oats, flour, and sugar with small, diced cubes of butter. Then just bake the crisp until the topping is golden brown.
- Apple hand pies: Scoop a spoonful of the filling in your favorite pie crust (homemade or premade pie crust). Fold over and seal the edges. Bake until golden brown.
- Apple pancakes: Spoon the apple pie filling onto to tops of the pancakes before flipping them. The warm, gooey filling will cook into pancakes, giving the sweet apple flavor.
- Apple turnovers: Fill puff pastry squares with a little of the apple pie filling, fold them into triangles, and seal the edges. Bake until golden brown.
- Apple galette: Arrange the apple slices in the center of a round piece of pie dough, leaving a border of about 2 inches around the edges. Fold the edges of the dough over the apples, creating pleats as you go around. Brush the folded edges of the dough with melted butter, sprinkle the granulated sugar over the apples and the dough. Bake until you have a golden-brown crust.
- Over ice cream: heat and pour on top of vanilla ice cream. Top with whipped cream.
Homemade Apple Pie Filling FAQs
Make sure you drain the water well before adding them to the sugar mixture. If the filling seems too runny you can make a slurry using 2 tablespoons cornstarch instead of 1 and a half. Keep in mind, the filling will thicken when it cools.
You sure can! Once you have cooked the pie filling, allow it to cool completely. Store it in the refrigerator in an air-tight container like a mason jar until ready to use it or up to for 4-5 days.
Yes, you can freeze it! This is a great way to have some on hand for last-minute desserts. Once the pie filling has cooled, transfer it in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag, squeezing out any excess air. Label the bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it in your favorite recipes, thaw the filling in the refrigerator overnight.
You don’t have to pre-cook apples before putting them in a pie. However, pre-cooking helps soften the apples, ensuring they are tender and evenly cooked throughout the pie. Additionally, pre-cooking allows you to adjust the sweetness and flavor of the apples by adding sugar, spices, and other ingredients, resulting in a more flavorful pie filling.
More Delicious Apple Dessert Recipes
Apple Pie Recipe Filling
Ingredients
- 3-4 large apples
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Use an apple corer to remove the center of each apple. Then peel each apple.
- Slice each apple into 8-10 slices.
- Add apples, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the apples begin to break down. This will take about 5-8 minutes.
- In small mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and there are no clumps. It will be hard at first.
- Reduce heat of the apples and add in cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly for another 2 minutes or until the cornstarch mixture is fully mixed in and thickens the filling.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using.
Nutrition
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