Having a homemade apple pie filling recipe ready to go makes dessert preparation fast and easy! Perfect for loading into a buttery pie crust, pastry dough, or top on cakes, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, or yogurt.
Want to make a delicious dessert? Try my recipes for Dutch apple pie, apple crisp, or apple crumble.
Recipe Science
- Cooking apples with sugar causes their natural pectin to break down, creating a thick, syrupy consistency as the sugars caramelize and bind with the fruit’s juices.
- Adding lemon juice provides acidity, which balances the sweetness and helps preserve the apples’ texture and prevent them from becoming too mushy.
- Using cornstarch as a thickener allows the apple pie filling to hold its shape during baking, ensuring a smooth, cohesive texture without excess liquid.
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“I made this filling for an apple pie for our Thanksgiving dinner and it was phenomenal! It was the first pie to disappear, everyone loved it.”—Valerie C.
Why It Works
When autumn hits, I can’t wait to start making apple-inspired recipes. My classic apple pie recipe is always on the top of my list. However, this can become an all-day event when made from scratch. To speed up the process, you can prepare the apple pie filling in advance to grab and bake it. It’s so much better than the store-bought canned options. It’s even freezer-friendly!
Nothing is better than using fresh and ripe ingredients to make the fruit shine. I cook my favorite baking apples on the stovetop—the slices sauté with butter and a sweet, cinnamon-spiced mixture. If you want to add spiced apple flavor to any recipe, this is a quick and easy method. The glazed fruit is ready to use in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples (or Fuji, Braeburn): Provide a balance of tartness and sweetness, with firm textures that hold up well during cooking.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps sauté the apples, enhancing their flavor.
- Granulated sugar and dark brown sugar: Combine to sweeten the filling while also creating a caramel-like depth of flavor.
- Cornstarch and water: Create a slurry that thickens the filling to the perfect consistency.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice: Add a bright, tangy note that balances the sweetness of the apples and sugars.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and kosher salt: Infuse warm, aromatic spices and balance the sweetness in the filling.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor, adding a subtle, sweet depth to the filling.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
- Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples: Substitute with Pink Lady or Golden Delicious apples for a different balance of sweetness and tartness.
- Unsalted butter: Replace with coconut oil or margarine for a dairy-free option.
- Granulated sugar: Use coconut sugar or maple syrup for a more natural sweetener.
- Cornstarch: Substitute with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch to thicken the filling.
- Ground cloves: Swap with allspice or ginger for a slightly different spiced flavor.
How to Make Apple Pie Filling
Step 1: Prepare the Apples
Purchase 3 pounds, about 7 medium-sized (3-inches wide). Peel, core, and slice them. For a pie, cut the apples into 1/2-inch thick pieces. You could go to as thin as 1/4-inch, depending on the application. If you plan to use them in a small-sized pie crust or puff pastry to make individual servings, dice them into 1/2-inch cubes.
The smaller size will cook much quicker. If you are not cooking immediately, try my tips for preventing apples from browning. My favorite quick solution is submerging them in cold water after cutting them. You should yield about 9 cups for the recipe.
Step 2: Cook the Apples
Use a large skillet with high sides or a Dutch oven. It starts with 9 cups of apples, but as they lose moisture, they reduce to about half the volume.
Saute the apples with dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt over medium heat in melted butter.
Cook, occasionally stirring, until the apples are crisp-tender and still retain their shape. This process takes about 8 to 10 minutes for thick slices.
Step 3: Thicken the Consistency
A cornstarch slurry mixture is added at the end of cooking to thicken the juices into a glossy sauce that glazes the fruit.
Turn off the heat and add the vanilla last to preserve the aroma.
When to stop cooking
If adding to a pie, you want to retain some moisture and structure, as it will cook further inside the pie crust. Stop cooking when the fruit reaches 160°F (71°C). This temperature helps the pectin in the cell walls become more stable, preserving its shape, especially as it bakes.
If using for a topping, you can cook them for a few more minutes for a softer bite. Don’t heat past 185ºF (85ºC). Above that point, the enzymes that help to strengthen the pectin in the cell walls to hold its structure will inactivate, creating a mushy texture better for applesauce or apple butter.
Step 4: To Serve
Use for a topping while still warm. If you don’t plan on using the filling immediately, you have a few storage options. Make sure to let the filling cool to room temperature. Then, you can refrigerate it for up to 7 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Remove as much air as possible from the plastic bag to reduce freezer burn. I like to defrost it in the refrigerator the night before so it’s ready to use immediately the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pre-cooking apples has benefits. They are about 80% water, which will release when sliced and cooked. Cooking concentrates the juice to reduce the chance of a soggy crust. This prevents gaps between the filling and the crust, giving a more dense layer of fruit because the volume is already reduced. If you prefer a crisper texture of the apples, you can skip the pre-cooking.
Apple pie filling comprises apple slices, brown sugar, and granulated sugar mixed with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Lemon juice and vanilla extract balance the fruit’s flavor. A thickening agent, like cornstarch or flour, is added so the juices glaze and stick to the apples.
Add a cornstarch slurry or all-purpose flour to create a sticky sauce that clings to the apples in the filling. The starches will absorb the moisture, swell up, and thicken as it cooks so the juices aren’t runny. Cornstarch gives a more glossy sheen compared to flour. You need about half the cornstarch for the same thickening power as wheat flour.
This recipe was not developed for home canning. It’s required to use a specific type of modified cornstarch, the right amount of sugar and acid, sterilized jars, and the proper canning techniques to ensure the unrefrigerated apple pie filling is safe to eat.
I use two types of apples for the best flavor balance for the filling. Granny Smith apples keep their structure when cooked and have a pleasant tart taste to balance the sugars in the filling. However, they aren’t very juicy. Therefore, I also add Honey Crisp apples to give a burst of sweetness, balanced with malic acid, and they hold their texture well when heated. Other types of apples like Fuji, Braeburn, and golden delicious are good cooking apples for the filling. Avoid using varieties like Red Delicious that break apart into a mushy texture.
The citric acid helps to balance the sweetness of the sugars. It also lowers the pH of the apple mixture, making the pectin in the cell walls of the fruit stronger so that it holds its shape and retains some moisture. This is important because you don’t want a mushy filling. A little bit goes a long way, so only a few teaspoons are needed. Too much, and this will throw off the taste of the filling.
This homemade apple pie filling makes about 5 cups, or about 2 pounds (908 grams). Store-bought canned filling typically comes in 20-ounce cans (1 pound 4 ounces, 567 grams, about 2 ⅓ cups). This recipe can be swapped for two 20-ounce canned fillings.
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If you tried this Apple Pie Filling Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Apple Pie Filling Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds granny smith apples
- 1 ½ pounds honeycrisp apples, Fuji, or Braeburn
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Apples – Peel, core, and cut the apples into ½" thick slices. Alternatively, cut into ½" dice for smaller pastries or to use as a topping.
- Cook the Apple Filling – Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter, then add the apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Saute until apples are tender, but not overly soft and most of the moisture is released, about 8 to 10 minutes. For smaller diced apples, this will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Don't heat apples above 185ºF (85ºC), or they will become mushy.
- Thicken the Filling – In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the filling. Continuously stir until the apples are coated with the syrupy glaze, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- To Serve – Use immediately for a topping while still warm. Alternatively, cool completely and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About 5 cups cooked apple pie filling.
- Serving Size: ½ cup filling
- Storing: Cool and store in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freeze: Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Press out the air and flatten the filling, then seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost before using.
- Sweeter Filling: Double the amount of sweetener. Add ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
JJ says
You know I went online and asked for an apple pie recipe using store bought pie filling and all I see are recipes, to make pie filling and make crust. I just wanted recipe, to make an apple pie and every site on the page, doesn’t have an apple pie recipe. It just tells you how to make pie filling and crust. That isn’t what I asked for!!!
Valerie C. says
I made this filling for an apple pie for our Thanksgiving dinner and it was phenomenal! It was the first pie to disappear, everyone loved it. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe Jessica!
Jessica Gavin says
That’s wonderful to hear! You’re so welcome, Valerie.
Valerie C. says
I’m making the filling for a pie again today, this time I replaced the brown and granulated sugar with the respective Swerve brand of sugar replacement. I’ll let you know how it turns out!