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Apple Pie Filling - Dinner at the Zoo

This homemade apple pie filling is made with sliced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, spices and butter, all simmered together until thickened. The best pie filling that also works great for a variety of other desserts and pastries.

Apple pie filling from scratch tastes SO much better than the canned version and can be used in everything from fried apple pies to cream cheese danishes.

Apple pie filling in an unbaked pie crust.

Fall is here and there is an abundance of apples at the stores, which means it’s time to make apple pie! Or in this case, homemade apple pie filling. I’m not so good with pie crusts, so typically I purchase the crust and load it full of my own apple pie filling for an amazing fall treat.

Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

Bowls of ingredients including apples, sugar and spices.

This recipe contains apples, lemon juice, water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter.

How do you make apple pie filling?

Start by coating your apple slices in a little lemon juice to keep them from browning. Make the sauce by placing the sugars, water, cornstarch and spices in a pan, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the apples and cook until the apples are tender. Add a little butter, then you’ll be ready to make your pie or other apple treats.

Step by step process shots showing how to make apple pie filling.

Tips for perfect results

  • You can cut your apples into any size or shape that you like, just be sure to cut them uniformly so that they all cook at the same rate.
  • Need ideas on how to use this filling? Check out my amazing Dutch apple pie recipe.
  • Freshly grated nutmeg has so much more flavor than the pre-ground variety. Whole nutmegs keep for years when stored in a cool dry location, so buy a bottle and shave off a little nutmeg as needed for your dishes.
  • I use butter in this pie filling because it makes the finished product taste a little richer. You can omit it if you prefer.
  • Homemade pie filling can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months
A jar of apple pie filling.

Recipe FAQs

What kind of apples are best for apple pie?

For apple pie, you want apples that will hold their shape and have a nice well rounded flavor. I use Granny Smith apples for this apple pie filling because they stay firm after being cooked and they have a tart flavor that works well with the sweetness of the brown sugar. You can use other apple varieties for this recipe, such as Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious and Braeburn apples.

Is it better to cook apple pie filling first?

I recommend making apple pie filling rather than just placing raw apples into a pie shell. When you make your own filling ahead of time, you can better control the consistency of the filling, as well as how soft the apples are. If you simply place apples and sugar in a pan, you won’t exactly know how much liquid the apples will release when cooked, or if they’ll come out tough.

What is apple pie filling made of?

This homemade apple pie filling is made with sliced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, spices and butter, all simmered together until thickened.

A slice of apple pie topped with ice cream.

Flavor Variations

While this filling is fabulous as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.

  • Fall Fruit Filling: Use half apples and half pears in the recipe.
  • Cranberry Apple Filling: Add 1/2 cup of dried cranberries to the pan when you add the sliced apples.
  • Caramel Apple Filling: Omit 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Stir 1/3 cup of caramel sauce into the filling during the last 2 minutes of the cooking time.

Now that I’ve had homemade pie filling, I’ll never be able to go back to the store bought kind. The flavor of this version is SO much better, so even if you have to cheat and use a pre-made pie crust like I do, you’ll still end up with an amazing pie.

More delicious apple recipes

Apple Pie Filling Video

Apple pie filling in an unbaked pie crust.

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Apple Pie Filling

This homemade apple pie filling is made with sliced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, spices and butter, all simmered together until thickened. The best pie filling that also works great for a variety of other desserts and pastries.

Instructions

  • Drizzle the lemon juice over the apple slices.

  • Place the water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large pan. 

  • Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

  • Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until just thickened.

  • Add the apples to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the apples have softened, about 10 minutes.

  • Add the butter to the pan and stir until it has melted.

  • Cool the apple filling for 10 minutes, then transfer it to containers and refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to use it.

Notes

  1. You can cut your apples into any size or shape that you like, just be sure to cut them uniformly so that they all cook at the same rate.
  2. Need ideas on how to use this filling? Check out my amazing Dutch apple pie recipe.
  3. Homemade pie filling can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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