Dorothy Kern
Homemade Apple Pie Filling – this easy recipe takes just a few minutes and tastes so much better than canned pie filling! Keep it in your freezer for when you want pie filling ASAP!
You never need to buy the can of pie filling again – just whip up this easy recipe to use for your pies or an easy side dish.
Every week I have a list of things I’m going to bake or cook. At the beginning of the week, usually on Mondays, I make a list of what I have to bake/photograph/video for the week, do an inventory of my pantry, and make a shopping list. Then, as is also normal, by Wednesday when I’m actually doing the recipes, I change my mind 10 times or add a few new recipes to the mix. Last week was no exception to my rule: I decided I needed apple pie filling for a recipe (coming Sunday!)
I never buy apple pie filling unless it’s for a recipe, because in all honesty, I don’t really like canned pie filling very much. Sure, I use it, because it’s easy and makes things like dump cake or slab pie even easier than normal, and you all love easy recipes. So of course, on a random Wednesday when I decide to make an apple recipe using pie filling, I don’t have any in my pantry. And because, by Wednesdays, I’ve been to the store usually 3 times already, I don’t want to go again.
But then I realized something: I can make my own apple pie filling. It will taste better, be fresher, and I can use it in so many recipes (like the best apple strudel recipe or crockpot apple dump).
I don’t know why it’s taken me 7 years to make my own pie filling, but I’m glad I finally came around to the other side of things. Homemade apple pie filling is better tasting and better for you, I’m sure. Plus, it’s good in so many recipes!
Remember back in the day when we’d eat TV dinners? My dessert half the time was cinnamon apples. I never liked them much, but it dawned on me that homemade apple pie filling is really just the same thing as those cinnamon apples. (Also: those TV dinner makers were so cheap, they were giving us apple pie filling but didn’t want to spend a few extra pennies for a crust?)
This easy recipe is a cooked apple pie filling, made on the stovetop, and is perfect to use immediately, eat over the week, or freeze for later. Normally we make crockpot applesauce after we go apple picking, but this year we’re also going to make more apple pie filling too!
Homemade Apple Pie Filling is an easy recipe that is better than canned and goes so well in so many fall recipes.
Tips for perfect apple pie filling:
- I like to slice my apples in chunks. I don’t know about you, but the canned filling you get at the store has apples that are too big to eat! Chop them how you like to eat them.
- The good thing about making this homemade is that you can add or reduce spices as you like. Love cinnamon? Add a touch more, or reduce it if you prefer it plainer.
- You can also use your favorite kind of apples. I used a combination of Granny Smith and Fuji because it was what I had in my fridge.
- I know some people prefer making apple pie filling without cornstarch, but find it’s the easiest way to make it and you probably have everything already on hand.
- Them mixture thickens as it cools so even though it looks loose after it’s done, it’ll thicken up quite a bit.
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Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 4 cups apples peeled, cored, and diced
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Place apples in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.
- Place water, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine then bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Once the mixture boils, boil it for two minutes. Add the apples, turn to a simmer, and cover. Cook, stirring often, until the apples soften, about 5-8 minutes.
- Pour into jars to cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate. The mixture will thicken more as it cools.
Recipe Video
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
If you’re looking for other things to make with Homemade Apple Pie filling be sure to check out more of my recipes below, plus Apple Pie Dumplings, Deep Fried Apple Pie Bars, and Apple Pie Poke Cake from my fellow bloggers!
**Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!**
All text and images © DOROTHY KERN for Crazy for Crust. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Published on: October 12, 2017
Easy to make and very yummy!
Hi, if I’m not canning it, can I still make it ahead of time without freezing it?
For example, how long could I keep it in the fridge, in tupperware, before I use it in a pie?- and how long will that pie be good for (refrigerated or non-refrigerated/room temp)?
Could this be used as a topping for cheesecake? I am not a pie fan and my crew loves cheesecake
I like this recipe, but cut the sugar to just 1/2 cup to match the apple pie recipes from the 1970’s when people were not overweight.
I used 3 Granny Smith and one Autumn Glory which was more than she calls for in the recipe cup-wise… and it still could have used one more apple… maybe also less Granny Smith, as their natural tartness was a little too tart with the added lemon… idk, but it was still pretty good.
Cornstarch after apples soften, don’t boil the corn starch
Hi Dorothy, I had a fridge full of apples and made a double batch of your apple pie filling. OMG, it is awesome. No more Store bought canned apple pie filling ever again. Thanks for this terrific and easy recipe.
best apple pie filling i didn’t add cornstarch i used tapioca thank you for a great recipe with lots of detail for new bakers
can I use preserving jars, seal while hot, and store the filling in the pantry? Freezer space is at a premium at ours