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Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe – 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.
Best Apple Pie Filling Recipe
I never buy canned 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. 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 apple crisp).
This easy recipe is a cooked easy 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 – and I’m going to use it to make my classic apple pie recipe.
Apple Pie Filling Ingredients
- Apples: I used Granny Smith apples because the tart/sweet combination is great, plus they’re more sturdy and can hold up to cooking. You can also use honeycrisp if you want.
- Cornstarch: This is what thickens the pie filling
- Sugar: Granulated, for sweetness – but you can swap brown sugar if you prefer in equal amounts.
- Water: Gives the liquid to the filling – you could substitute apple juice or apple cider, but you’d want to reduce the sugar.
- Lemon: Adds a brightness to the flavor
- Spices: Cinnamon and Nutmeg are perfect for apple pie, you can also use pumpkin pie spice!
How to make Apple Pie Filling
- Place apples in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice. I don’t peel my apples and I usually do bite size chunks instead of apple slices, but you can do what you prefer. If you’re going to peel your apples, use an apple peeler or a sharp knife.
- Place sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan or large pot. Stir to combine. This makes a sort of cornstarch slurry.
- Add water and stir, then bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
- I like to cover the pot to help this process along.
- 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.
Best Crust to use with this recipe:
This recipe is perfect when baked into my All Butter Homemade Pie Crust. Or make a completely no-bake pie using my graham cracker crust!
FAQs
This apple pie filling recipe is designed to cook and cool, then use in a pie or in anything else, or eat alone as a side dish.
This recipe uses corn starch so it is gluten-free.
I do not recommend canning this recipe because it uses cornstarch. You should never can anything thickened with cornstarch. This recipe can be frozen for later thawing and use.
Freeze in airtight containers – I prefer using plastic – for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator.
Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups apples peeled, cored, and diced
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 3 cups (711ml) water
- 1 ⅓ cups (267g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (42g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ 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.
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Last Updated on December 11, 2023
Just made this and it’s absolutely amazing, I did add a cheeky star anise just because that’s what I like. I will definitely be making more of this tomorrow as I have yet another bag of apples spare.
I am hoping that I can use this filling right away to make an apple pie? What modifications would there need to be?
You can just add it to the pie and bake. I’d let it cool first though
I made the apple pie filling yesterday. Others commented that it didn’t set up… I thought the same thing after cooking it for 10 minutes, by the clock. After refrigerating the filling overnight and bringing it back to room temp, because I wasn’t ready to use it, I discovered that it was the perfect consistency. After tasting, the only modification I will make is to add 1-2 tablespoons of boiled cider, to bring the apple flavor forward. I use boiled cider in all my baked apple products. It’s a game changer! Thanks for a plan-ahead method of pie making. 😍
Hi Dorothy, what can I substitute for cornstarch (I’m wheat & corn free) thanks!
I haven’t used tapioca starch in this but there are ways to substitute that – I’d search for tips first on google
How many cups of filling per pie? So I know how much to put in each bag to freeze.
Intrested in the answer too.
I made this yesterday and made my pie today. WOW what a difference from doing the dry spices mixed on to apples. AMAZING flavor. For my deep dish pie pan- I used 5 cups apples and will decrease the liquid to two cups next time, as I had a lot of jell left over..
Can it put this in freezer bags and freeze
Yes
Can you can this so it is stable on the shelf?
Would you skip the cooking on stove top since it will cook some in the canning process
I have never canned this so I can’t comment on that.
How long does this stay good in the fridge ?
I would say max 1 week to be safe.
You give nutritional value for 1 serving. How much is 1 serving?
Can you freeze this in a glass mason jar like the one in your picture?
I did yes, just be careful not to drop it when it’s frozen.
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