This homemade apple pie filling is an easy stovetop recipe with tender apples, warm spices and the perfect amount of sweetness. Great for all your fall baking this season!
This flavorful apple filling can be used for many different apple desserts from Dutch apple pie to apple crumble and apple dump cake.
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Apple Filling Recipe
Homemade apple filling has amazing flavor and tastes so much better than the canned filling. I even love to serve it over buttermilk pancakes, homemade vanilla ice cream, or as a filling for crepes and apple fritters.
There’s nothing I love more than a warm slice of brown bag apple pie with homemade pie crust this time of year. Especially when it’s made with this apple pie filling recipe. It tastes 100x better than store-bought and I promise it’s worth the extra effort to make it homemade!
Recipe Ingredients
Just a few ingredients are needed to make this homemade apple pie filling!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Apples: Choose your favorite apple and away you go. Slice it into thick slices or chunks. You don’t want to make them too thin or the consistency may turn mushy rather than have a thicker texture.
- Lemon: The acidity helps brighten the fruit and keeps the color from turning the apples brown after preparing them.
- Sugar: Brown and granulated sugars are used to balance the tartness of the apples.
- Cornstarch: This helps thicken the filling and give it a bit of richness.
- Spice: Cinnamon and nutmeg add depth to the tart and sweetness of the filling.
- Salt: Just a pinch elevates the apple flavor.
Best Apple for Pie Filling
- Granny Smith: These apples are a bright green color with a tart and sour flavoring. Very juicy and with a crunchy texture they hold up very well in apple pie filling.
- Honeycrisp: A crisp juicy texture. They are red in color and are known to be slightly more expensive compared to other apples.
- Jonathans: These apples are medium in size and have a bright red coloring to them. Jonathans are very sweet and juicy on the inside.
- Melrose: These apples are yellow-green in color with a softer type skin texture. They have a sweet-tart flavor.
- Fuji: This apple is always easy to find and less expensive than most apples. They are red in color and have a very sweet flavor.
How to Make Apple Pie Filling
It doesn’t take long to create a great-tasting easy apple pie filling! With just a few ingredients to prepare and combine over heat, this filing is complete in less than 45 minutes. Get ready to enjoy this in all your favorite recipes!
- Slice. Cut the apples and then drizzle with fresh lemon juice.
- Mix. Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk in the water until everything has dissolved.
- Boil. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Reduce the heat slightly to medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the apples and increase the heat to medium-high heat to bring the mixture to a full boil again.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes.
- Cool. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator to thicken.
Favorite Ways to Use It
Making apple pie filling from scratch gives desserts, pastries and even breakfast recipes the best flavor!
- Pies: Use as a filling in a classic apple pie recipe or apple cheesecake pie. This is also the perfect filling to pair with apple pie spice in a hand pie.
- Crisps + Cobblers: Craving pie but don’t want to do all the work? Try making an apple crisp or apple cobbler.
- Bars: One of my family’s favorite desserts is these apple pie bars drizzled with caramel sauce.
- Cupcakes: This is the perfect apple pie filling for cupcakes, especially these delicious apple pie cupcakes.
- Bread and pastries: This apple pull-apart bread topped with a caramel glaze is full of fall flavors as well as apple turnovers!
- Breakfast: It makes a delicious topping for apple crepes, waffles, or apple cinnamon pancakes.
Recipe Tips
Here are a few cooking tips to help make this the best apple pie filling!
- Slice and peeling apples. Feel free to cut the apples into slices if preferred. It is best to use a sharp knife for smoother cuts. I don’t peel my apples, but you can!
- Thicker consistency. Don’t skip out on the cornstarch. It gives apple pie filling that thick and gooey consistency.
- Extra cinnamon. You can adjust the spices to your preference. I always add a little extra cinnamon for good measure.
- Double the recipe. This makes about 4 cups, but there’s no reason you can’t double it if you want to gift some or freeze a bunch for later.
- Refrigerate. The longer you refrigerate the filling, the thicker it will be. I’d recommend refrigerating it overnight before using it.
If you love homemade pie filling like I do, try this peach pie filling, homemade cherry pie filling or thicken my blueberry sauce to use, too!
More Apple Dessert Recipes
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Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 5 ½ to 6 cups diced apples (any variety, peeled if desired)
- ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Prep apples. In a large bowl, drizzle 2 Tablespoons lemon juice over 5 1/2 – 6 cups diced apples and toss to coat. Set the apples aside.
- Combine sauce ingredients. In a large saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the water until everything has dissolved.
- Add apples. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the apples and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a full boil again. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool apple filling. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
You can thicken the pie filling using flour or cornstarch. Both these ingredients can help with creating the consistency that you are looking for.
I used a variation of apples we picked at the orchard! Some of my favorite apples to use are Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Jonathans, Braeburn, and Melrose.
This is why I love this recipe. You can make it up to 2 weeks ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.
Yes! Place in a freezer safe container and you can keep it frozen up to 1 year. I like to pick apples in the fall and freeze the filling for a special treat the following February.
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Dairy-Free, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Fruit Desserts, No-Bake, Nut-Free, One Pot, Pies + Tarts, Stovetop, Thanksgiving, Toppings, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I had apples I needed to use & was craving apple pie, this was delicious & so easy to make!!
Wow, this apple pie filling is incredible!! So many great fall recipes can be used with it and it’s so easy to make!
This turned out amazing! I don’t think I’ll ever buy canned again. So easy to make and such a difference.
This is such a great way to enjoy apples!! Thanks for the recipe!
Approx much filling would fill a 9″ pie? I’m trying to decide what size jars to fill for gifting, so the recipient can at least make one pie. Thanks.
This recipe is for 1 pie. A quart jar should work (you may have a little filling leftover that won’t fit). Would be yummy to save for ice cream :)
I don’t think I will ever buy canned apple filling again! This was so delicious and much easier to make than I had previously thought. Great recipe!
No more jarred filing for us! This recipe is brilliant – thank you!
Can you can this apple pie filling?
You should definitely be able to! :)
I have apples ready to make into pie filling!
I made up a batch of this delightful pie filling the other day and was surprised by how easy it was to make. This recipe is perfect for the upcoming holidays and I love that I don’t have to use the canned version anymore.
I’m so glad you tried it and enjoyed it! I’m so excited for holiday recipes. Thank you for your comment and review! :)