This homemade apple pie filling is made with sliced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, spices and butter, all simmered together until thickened. The best pie filling that also works great for a variety of other desserts and pastries.
Apple pie filling from scratch tastes SO much better than the canned version and can be used in everything from classic pies to danishes.
Fall is here and there is an abundance of apples at the stores, which means it’s time to make apple pie! Or in this case, homemade apple pie filling. I’m not so good with pie crusts, so typically I purchase the crust and load it full of my own apple pie filling for an amazing fall treat.
How do you make apple pie filling?
This recipe is a mix of sliced apples, brown sugar, butter and spices that is cooked with some cornstarch on the stove to thicken everything up. It takes just minutes to put together and can be stored in the fridge or freezer for later use.
What kind of apples are best for apple pie?
For apple pie, you want apples that will hold their shape and have a nice well rounded flavor. I use Granny Smith apples for this apple pie filling because they stay firm after being cooked and they have a tart flavor that works well with the sweetness of the brown sugar. You can use other apple varieties for this recipe, such as Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious and Braeburn apples.
Tips for apple pie filling
- You can cut your apples into any size or shape that you like, just be sure to cut them uniformly so that they all cook at the same rate.
- Freshly grated nutmeg has so much more flavor than the pre-ground variety. Whole nutmegs keep for years when stored in a cool dry location, so buy a bottle and shave off a little nutmeg as needed for your dishes.
- I use butter in this pie filling because it makes the finished product taste a little richer. You can omit it if you prefer.
- Homemade apple pie filling can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months
Now that I’ve had homemade apple pie filling, I’ll never be able to go back to the store bought kind. The flavor of this version is SO much better, so even if you have to cheat and use a pre-made pie crust like I do, you’ll still end up with an amazing pie.
More delicious apple recipes
Apple Pie Filling Video
Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 4 cups apples peeled and thinly sliced, I used Granny Smith
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground if possible
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Drizzle the lemon juice over the apple slices.
- Place the water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large pan.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until just thickened.
- Add the apples to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the apples have softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the butter to the pan and stir until it has melted.
- Cool the apple filling for 10 minutes, then transfer it to containers and refrigerate or freeze until you're ready to use it.
Valeri says
Can I just mix all the ingredients ( raw ) together and put them in a pie crust and bake it without having to do it in a pan? Will it come out the same?
Sara says
No that won’t work, you have to cook it in a pan!
Jessica says
What do you use for the crumbles on top?
Sara says
It’s this recipe: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/dutch-apple-pie/
Francesca says
Can you make this filling and then bake it in uncooked/store bought dough? Or does the dough have to be pre-cooked? I have uncooked dough in my freezer and I’m wondering if I can bake it with this filling in it.
Thank you!
Sara says
Yes just place it in your uncooked pie crust and bake it! Here is my apple pie recipe that uses this filling with an unbaked crust: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/dutch-apple-pie/
Amy Robinson says
I used a lot of different apples and it was delicious!!
Mari` says
Great recipe! I used an “apple-peeler-corer” to have uniform slices, it works wonderful.
I made the recipe as written using freshly grounded nutmeg, it does make a difference.
Bon apetit!
Kelly says
Can I make the pie filling and put right in store bought pie crust and back or do I need to Refrigerate it first
Sara says
You can put it right into a crust!