Homemade Apple Pie Filling
This homemade apple pie filling recipe makes glossy, spiced apples that hold their shape in a cooked cornstarch sauce, so your pie sets instead of running.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven - At least 3 quarts (2.8 L)
- Sharp chef's knife - For slicing apples
- Sturdy cutting board
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon - For stirring
- Apple corer
- Large bowl - For tossing apples with lemon juice
Ingredients
- 3 lb firm baking apples - 1.4 kg, about 6 to 7 medium, peeled, cored, and sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick; a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works well
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 30 ml
- ½ cup granulated sugar - 100 g
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar - 110 g
- ¼ cup cornstarch - 32 g
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice - or ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups water - 360 ml, or apple cider for deeper flavor
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 28 g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice - Optional; replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
Instructions
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces, keeping them uniform so they cook evenly. Place them in a large bowl, drizzle with lemon juice, and toss to coat.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Pour in the water and whisk until completely smooth.
- Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking almost constantly. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce turns thick, clear, and glossy enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Add the lemon-coated apple slices and stir until every piece is coated. Return to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the apples are fork-tender but still hold their shape.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter and vanilla extract, stirring gently until the butter melts and the filling looks glossy.
- If baking a pie, let the filling cool to room temperature before adding it to a raw crust. For toppings, use it warm. The sauce thickens further as it cools.
Notes
- Cook the sauce before the apples go in. Letting the cornstarch base turn glossy first is the difference between a filling that sets and one that runs.
- Keep the slices uniform. Even ½-inch pieces cook at the same rate, while a mix of thick and thin slices leaves some mushy and some crunchy.
- Do not over-simmer. Pull the pan off the heat while the apples still hold their shape, since they keep softening in the residual heat.
- Trust the cool-down. Cornstarch keeps setting as the filling drops in temperature, so resist adding more thickener when the warm sauce looks loose.
- Use cider instead of water when you want a deeper apple flavor without extra sugar.
- Taste and adjust the spice before the butter goes in, adding a pinch more cinnamon if your apples are very sweet.
- Storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months with about an inch of headspace.
- Do not can with cornstarch. This filling is not safe for water-bath canning; keep it in the fridge or freezer.
- Variations: Try salted caramel apple, maple apple, extra-spiced, dairy-free, chunky spread, apple-pear blend, or a boozy version with bourbon or spiced rum.
- Serving ideas: Use in classic apple pie, apple crumble, apple crisp, hand pies, turnovers, or as a topping for oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and yogurt.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 0.5gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1.8gSodium: 80mgFiber: 3gSugar: 33g
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