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Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 117 reviews
  • Author: Naomi
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (including cooling time)
  • Yield: 5 servings 1x

Description

This Homemade Apple Pie Filling recipe creates a delicious, thick, and flavorful apple mixture perfect for pies, tarts, or as a topping. Made with fresh apples, spices, and a blend of sugars, this filling simmers gently until tender and thickened, ensuring a classic autumn dessert base that’s easy to prepare and versatile for many uses.

Ingredients

Scale

Apples

  • 9 cups fresh apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into uniform sizes
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Filling Mixture

  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 4 cups water

Instructions

  1. Prepare Apples: In a large bowl, toss the peeled, cored, and chopped 9 cups of fresh apples with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. This step prevents the apples from browning and keeps them looking fresh while you prepare the filling.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, combine 3 cups of white sugar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt. Stir these together well to mix the spices and the starch evenly with the sugars.
  3. Add Water and Simmer: Add 4 cups of water to the dry ingredient mix and bring the mixture to a low simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the cornstarch and sugars completely.
  4. Cook Apples in Mixture: Stir the prepared apples into the simmering sugar mixture. Cover the pot and cook for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your apple pieces. Smaller, bite-sized pieces will cook faster (about 6 minutes), while larger chunks require closer to 10 minutes. The apples should be tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, and the liquid will thicken into a sauce.
  5. Cool the Filling: Remove the pot from heat and allow the apple pie filling to cool completely. This will further thicken the sauce and prepare it for use.
  6. Use or Store: After cooling, the filling is ready to be used in baking your favorite apple pie, or it can be canned or frozen for later use.
  7. Share Feedback: If you try this recipe, come back and let us know how it turned out by leaving a comment or rating!

Notes

  • Use tart apples like Granny Smith or a mix of sweet and tart for the best flavor and texture.
  • Cut apples into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
  • Adjust the sugar amount to taste depending on apple sweetness.
  • This filling can be canned or frozen for future use, following proper food preservation guidelines.
  • For a chunkier filling, reduce cooking time slightly; for softer, cook longer but avoid overcooking to prevent mushy texture.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Category: Dessert Filling
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: apple pie filling, homemade apple pie filling, apple dessert filling, pie filling from scratch, apple pie recipe

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Find it online: https://naomifletcher.com/homemade-apple-pie-filling-recipe/