Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe
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This Homemade Apple Pie Filling recipe has tender apples cooked in a delicious cinnamon sauce with an incredible apple flavor! It’s ready in minutes and takes just a few simple ingredients for taste much better than canned pie filling.
Deliciously fresh, this homemade apple pie filling tastes terrific in everyone’s beloved Apple Pie!
And while it makes a fantastic apple pie, we love it for so much more! It’s so decadent served on vanilla ice cream, hot buttered buttermilk biscuits, and even your morning bowl of oatmeal! Since it’s easy to prep and cook in less than 20 minutes for the freshest apple pie filling, you’ll want to make this often, too!
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Incredible Apple Flavor – The freshest apple flavor and rich warmth from the cinnamon come through in this apple pie filling. It’s so good!
Just a Few Ingredients – Apples and a few sauce ingredients are all required in this recipe. And I love that there are no worries about preservatives or additives like those that could be in canned pie filling.
Ready in Minutes – Prep and simmer these apples in less than 20 minutes tops for the best apple pie filling – and it’s not mushy like canned can be!
Oh – and a huge plus! Your home will be filled with the most intoxicating apple and spice aroma!
Here’s how you’ll make it.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
Apples – Granny Smith apples are remarkable for their slightly tart sweetness, so the pie is not overly sweet. Braeburn and Honeycrisp are also good choices. You can use a combination of apple types or all of one kind if you wish.
Other Ingredients: You’ll use sugar, butter, cinnamon, *cornstarch, and a bit of water to make this simple sauce.
*To make this apple pie filling recipe gluten-free, use certified gluten-free ingredients.
How to Make Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- Prep. Peel and slice (or chop) the apples as directed.
- Cook Apples in Cinnamon Sauce. Melt the butter and cinnamon over medium heat in a large saucepan to make a sauce. Add the apples, sugar, and water, then cover and cook until the apples are slightly tender (about 5 minutes). The juice in the apples will add to the sauce as they simmer.
- Add Cornstarch for Thickening. Whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then add it to the apple mixture in the saucepan as it cooks. (You can adjust the water to get consistency as described in the recipe.)
- Let Apples Bubble One Minute – Allow the pie filling to cook and bubble for 1 minute. The apples should be tender/soft but not mushy, and the filling thickened.
- Serve or store. You can serve the apples slightly warm if using them on warm biscuits or oatmeal. Allow to cool before storing.
Recipe Variations
Use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar if you wish. It will give the pie filling a bit of a caramel flavor.
Swap the cinnamon in the recipe for apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice, if you wish!
Storage Tips
To store. Allow the apple pie filling to cool completely, place it in a jar with a lid or another airtight storage container, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze. Allow the apples to cool completely, place them in a freezer-safe airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
More Favorite Apple Recipes
Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp or a Combination
- 1/3 cup sugar, granulated
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Peel and slice the apples into 1/4-inch slices.
- Melt the butter and the ground cinnamon over medium heat. Add the apples, sugar, and 3 tablespoons water. Cover the pan and cook until the apples are slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk together 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Stir into the pan with the apple mixture until thickened. If a thinner consistency is desired, stir in more water until the filling reaches your desired consistency. Allow the pie filling to cook and bubble for 1 minute. The apples should be soft and the filling thickened.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
