Make this easy Apple Pie Filling with simple ingredients – like fresh apples and warm spices – to create the best fall-inspired desserts!
Once you’ve mastered this easy recipe, there are so many possibilities for what you can make: the perfect apple pie with a flaky pie crust, sweet apple turnovers, apple pie cookies, or even a tasty pancake topping.
Even if you aren’t looking to make any apple recipes but have an abundance of apples, this is a great way to use them up without letting the apples go bad. This easy dessert pie filling has the best apple flavor and texture (the apples are perfectly tender, but not overdone) and can be used when you’re ready!
Recipe Ingredients
- Apples: use both Granny Smith apples and Golden Delicious apples
- Sugar: use both dark brown sugar and light brown sugar for the best flavor
- Butter: use unsalted butter in the apple dessert
- Juice: use a fresh lemon and lemon zest to balance the flavors in the delicious filling
- Spices: be sure to have cinnamon and nutmeg
- Slurry: use cornstarch and cold water to create the cornstarch slurry
How to Make Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- First, prepare your apples; peel, core, and chop apples. You can use a tool specifically for apple peeling,
- Add dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, water, lemon juice, lemon, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat. Simmer the apple slices for 5 minutes or until they are soft. Make sure not to overcook them as they will become mushy later.
- Make the cornstarch slurry; combine cornstarch with water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the apples, while stirring. Cook until thickened and the sauce coats the back of your spoon, for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the apples from the heat and stir in lemon zest.
- Cool before use.
How to Use Apple Pie Filling
- in apple hand pies with pie dough
- in apple dump cake
- filling for apple crumble pie
- filling for a Dutch apple pie
- filling for a classic apple pie recipe
- served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream
- as a topping for cookies, pancakes, or even french toast
Expert Tips
- Always use tart apples like Granny Smith and McIntosh. For a great flavor profile, we like to also combine these with Golden Delicious apples, too. Tart apples have the least amount of pectin in them, and will hold their shape better during the cooking/baking.
- Many recipes may call for unpeeled apples, but the apple skin is tough. The peeled apples will give you a soft apple filling, without any chewy surprises.
- For the richer flavor always use dark brown sugar.
- Do not add more than 1 ½ tsp of spices to your apple pie filling, as you want the apple flavor. Adding more will only mask the apples.
- The easiest way to peel the apples is with a veggie/fruit peeler. Much faster than using a knife.
Frequently asked questions about making apple pie filling:
Our secret? For the best results always add Golden Delicious apples to your apple filling. These apples have a perfume-like aroma and pair amazingly with tart apples like granny smith apples.
There are a few reasons your pie filling may still be runny. The top reasons we usually see are 1) The apples did not simmer long enough to cook out some of the liquid, 2) The pie was not baked long enough to thicken appropriately or 3) There wasn’t enough thickening agent (in this case, the cornstarch slurry) to help it set up. You can add more thickener, or let the apples simmer longer in that step to make sure more liquid cooks out of them. If you’re making a pie, double check your oven temp, or cook it for a few extra minutes to help it set up.
Yes! That is what is so great about this apple pie filling recipe. As long as you have some mason jars and a pressure canner then you will be ready to go!
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
- Freezer: Place the apple pie filling in a freezer-safe container and store it for up to 3 months.
- Pantry: If you have canned the apples, you can store the canned apple pie filling in the pantry for up to 6 months in the mason jar.
- Fridge: If you want to make the apple pie filling ahead of time (a great hack for cutting down on holiday dinner prep), place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Enjoy More Apple Pie Recipes
Pies and tarts are perfect for any occasion. Check out our comprehensive list of pie and tart recipes!
- Apple Hand Pies
- Classic Apple Pie
- Disney’s Apple Caramel Pie
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Slow Cooker Cake Mix Apple Cobbler
Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 4 medium Granny Smith apples
- 1 medium Golden Delicious apple
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ¼ Tablespoon cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- First, prepare your apples; peel, core, and chop apples.
- Add dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, water, lemon juice, lemon, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat. Simmer the apples for 5 minutes or until they are soft. Make sure not to overcook them as they will become mushy later.
- Make the cornstarch slurry; combine cornstarch with water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the apples, while stirring. Cook until thickened and the sauce coats the back of your spoon, for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the apples from the heat and stir in lemon zest.
- Cool before use.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
