This Homemade Apple Pie Filling is super simple and delicious. Thick and gooey and full of cinnamon apples, this filling has a sweet-tart flavor that will taste amazing in your favorite pie crust.
This recipe works great in this Homemade Pie Crust, or you can serve it alongside other pastries, like this Peach Crisp.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
Apples pie is so delicious and always a favorite, so I just love this Homemade Apple Pie Filling. This incredibly simple recipe is so flavorful and a treat for everyone.
- TASTE: Sweet and tart from the green apples, this filling has lots of cinnamon flavor. The brown sugar adds a dark, richness to it.
- TEXTURE: This Homemade Apple Pie Filling is gooey and syrupy. It’s deliciously thick with chunks of tender apple.
- TIME: It takes just 25 minutes.
- EASE: This filling uses simple ingredients and the best apples for baking, so you can easily put this homemade treat together quickly and easily.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Apples- Granny Smith apples are the best for a sweet and tart flavor, but you can also use others varieties.
- Cornstarch- This will thicken the filling so it has that syrup-like texture.
- Brown sugar- The molasses in this sugar adds a richer sweetness.
- Lemon- This adds a little tart flavor that enhances the apples’ sweetness and keeps the apples from browning.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute the cornstarch- Instead of cornstarch, you can also use arrowroot powder, potato starch, and tapioca starch to thicken the filling.
- Add butter- For added richness, add unsalted butter to this filling. Avoid salted because it will add more salt than we want in this recipe.
- Substitute the apples- You can use other apples for this Homemade Apple Pie Filling, such as Jonagold, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp.
- Add other spices- You can add nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger to this filling for a warm, spicy flavor.
How to Make Apple Pie Filling
- Prepare the liquid base. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, cornstarch, and water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Then let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Slice the apples. Peel and slice the apples into 1/4-inch thick slices and add them to the liquid. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until moderately soft. Now mix in your vanilla extract.
- Thicken the filling, if necessary. If your filling is too runny, take a few tablespoons of the liquid out and mix it with some cornstarch, then add the slurry back into the filling to thicken it.
- Cool. Allow the filling to cool. Then, either pour it into a pie crust or transfer it to glass jars. Close the lids tightly and store it in the fridge. It will continue to thicken as it sits.
Pro Tip: I find using a peeler on the apples works best, then a paring knife to cut out the seeds and hulls in the center of the slices.
Recipe Tips
- Peel the apples- Removing the peel leaves the apples to become tender and juicy while they bake. The peel can sometimes be tough in the filling.
- Don’t overcook the apples- When the apples are simmering, don’t let them go too long or they will go from tender to mushy.
- Don’t add the cornstarch directly to the filling- Make a cornstarch slurry with water in a separate bowl before adding it to the filling to avoid clumps of cornstarch.
FAQs
To thicken your homemade apple pie filling, add a cornstarch slurry (water mixed with cornstarch) to the filling and mix well. You can also use other starches and flour to do this. You will notice that the filling thickens as it cools, too.
This is a matter of personal preference. Cornstarch is twice as effective as flour so you need only a little to thicken your apple pie filling. Cornstarch will also leave your filling looking glossy and shiny, whereas flour creates a matte look.
Serving Suggestions
This Homemade Apple Pie Filling is so good in a pie crust or served with ice cream. You can also pair it with other pies and pastries.
- Ice Cream: Bake this filling in a Homemade Pie Crust and serve it alongside some No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream, Easy Ube Ice Cream, or Honeydew Melon Sorbet.
- Pies/Cobblers: Pair it with other pies, such as this Blueberry Pie, Perfect Peach Pie, Cherry Cobbler, or Chocolate Cream Pie.
- Pastries: Enjoy it with a Pear Tart, Peach Galette, Easy Raspberry Cheese Danish, or Peach Crisp.
- Cakes: Serve this Homemade Apple Pie Filling with a slice of New York Style Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cake, Lemon Pound Cake (VIDEO), or Berry Chantilly Cake.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to add it to a pie crust.
Storing: This Homemade Apple Pie Filling will last for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container like a mason jar.
Freeze: If you choose to freeze it for future baking, place it in an freezer-safe container once cooled. It will keep for about a year.
More Tasty Pastries and Fillings!
Full Recipe Instructions
Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 Granny Smith Apples
Instructions
Simmer the liquid base
- In a saucepan, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, and water.
- Let it come to a boil over medium heat and let that simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Now peel and slice the apples into 1/4 inch thick slices. Then add them to the saucepan.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan and let the apples simmer for 6-8 minutes. Or until they become soft. You don’t want them to be too soft though. Now mix in your vanilla extract.
- If the Apple pie filling is too runny, spoon out a few tablespoons of the liquid and mix it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to create a slurry. Then stir it back in with the apples.
- Now let the filling cool and transfer to glass jars and close the lids tightly.
- Store in the fridge. The filling will thicken as it sits.
Notes
- Peel the apples- Removing the peel leaves the apples to become tender and juicy while they bake. The peel can sometimes be tough in the filling.
- Don’t overcook the apples- When the apples are simmering, don’t let them go too long or they will go from tender to mushy.
- Don’t add the cornstarch directly to the filling- Make a cornstarch slurry with water in a separate bowl before adding it to the filling to avoid clumps of cornstarch.
- Cornstarch substitutes- Instead of cornstarch, you can also use arrowroot powder, potato starch, and tapioca starch to thicken the filling. All of these options work great as substitutes in this recipe.
Nutrition
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Pat says
What about canning for long term shelf storage?
Dina says
Hi Pat, I know that canning needs to be done very carefully in order to properly store the food to avoid food poisoning. Not many people have experience with canning, so for food safety reasons, I only left instructions on how to store it in the freezer.
Stella says
I find this easy to follow and to prepare. It’s different from what I use.
Thank you.
Dina says
You are very welcome Stella! Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback! 🙂
Doreen Mikolasek says
My husband loved this pie. I had frozen apples so I didn’t have to cook them in sauce
simplyhomecooked says
So happy to hear your husband loved this recipe Doreen! Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂
Omega says
Sooooo the vanilla extract is to be used when?????
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for catching that! I just corrected that. You want to add the vanilla extract after the apples have simmered for about 6-8 minutes or until moderately soft. Hope that helps clarify 🙂 I hope you get a chance to make this apple pie filling 🙂
Sonia Kuczynski says
It was Super Delicious, but heavy on the calories , should make it lighter . But Yummy
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you, Sonia! I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the taste of the apple pie filling. Its definitely a treat 🙂