Homemade apple pie filling will always be worth it. Combining fresh apples, brown sugar and cozy spices, this filling comes together quickly on the stovetop and is perfect for pies, hand pies, apple pie bars, turnovers, and anything you can think of! This apple pie filling can be made ahead and freezes well.
Hi hi! I am just popping in to share the recipe for this easy apple pie filling! Making your own pie filling from scratch is way easier than it looks I promise, and so much more delicious!
The secret to a good pie filling is diced apple, brown sugar, vanilla, and just the right amount of spices. This pie filling can be made in advance, and even freezes well if you want to double it and have some for later!
This recipe makes 1kg of Apple Pie Filling which is enough for one 9" Apple Pie or Dutch Apple Pie, a batch of apple pie bars, or a batch of apple turnovers (or whatever else you would like to use it for)
Why bother pre-cooking your pie filling?
While fresh apples are great for a pie filling, pre-cooking not only allows you to split up the workload, it means that the apples do all their leaking and bubbling during the pre-cooking process. Pre-cooking only adds a tiny bit of time to the process and I promise you that it is worth it. That said if you do want an apple pie with fresh fruit which is also delicious and a different experience, check out my basic apple pie recipe.
Apples tend to shrink down a little when you are cooking them, and release juice, which we counteract with flour to make a 'gravy' (I can't think of a better word for it!) that means once the apple pie filling goes into the oven again, it isn't going to go all soggy on you and leak everywhere. You know exactly what kind of consistency you are working with.
Pre-cooking also means that you can make your apple pie filling ahead of time, which means you can have it ready to go in either the fridge or the freezer.
Not all apples are made equal - choosing the best apples for apple pie
There is a reason some apples are labelled as 'cooking apples'. They go kind of mushy when you cook them, or 'fluffy'. Those are not the apples that you want to use here -you want to use one that retains its texture so that you don't have a mushy pie filling on your hands.
I also like to use two different varieties for taste if I can - I almost always use Granny Smith for texture and the slightly tart taste, and then often supplement with a Braeburn. Honeycrisp and Jonah gold are also great options.
How to speed up the cooling process - surface area is your friend!
I use this trick all the time when I want to cool things quickly - spread it out on a sheet pan. Increasing the surface area of the filling and also spreading it thinly means that it cools nice and quickly, if you are in a hurry you can also give it a few stirs as it cools to help speed up the process.
Once it has cooled, then you can transfer it into the storage container to go into the fridge or the freezer.
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Foolproof Stovetop Apple Pie Filling (Make ahead!)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 mintues
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Pie
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Homemade apple pie filling will always be worth it. Combining fresh apples, brown sugar and cozy spices, this filling comes together quickly on the stovetop and is perfect for pies, hand pies, apple pie bars, turnovers, and anything you can think of! This apple pie filling can be made ahead and freezes well.
Ingredients
- 65g unsalted butter, cold from the fridge is fine
- 840g diced apple, in about 1-2cm pieces, depending on what you are using it for, see notes (weight is of peeled and diced apples, not whole apples)
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 210g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- Pinch of salt
- 65g granulated sugar
- 60g all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Place the butter into a medium pan (saucepan or frypan is fine - I like to use a frying pan). Add the apple, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter and sugar has melted. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until the apple has softened slightly.
- Combine the sugar and flour in a small bowl. Add to the apple mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened up, a few minutes.
- Transfer to a sheet pan and leave to cool uncovered at room temperature. If you are leaving it for a while, place a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface to stop a skin forming (once the filling has cooled slightly).
- To store, transfer once cooled to an airtight container or ziploc bag. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before using.
Notes
The size of your apple dice depends on what you are using it for - for a pie I usually go for slightly larger pieces, or for something like apple pie bars or an apple turnover I like to cut my apples a little smaller.
To get 840g diced apple, I started with about 1100g fresh apples (This is assuming you lose about 25% of the apple to peel and the core being cut out)
This apple pie filling recipe is super versatile. I use it in my Classic Apple Pie and Dutch Apple Pie, along with my Apple Turnovers and my Apple Pie Bars! I have also used a half batch to make an amazing apple pie focaccia (notes are in the recipe card for this flavour variation)
Comments
caribou says
Perfect recipe!!
Lindy says
Delicious! I was able to sub gluten free flour and still get a rich, thick gravy. I used a mix of Granny Smith that kept a bit of bite, and Yellow Opal for a sweeter, softer bite. It was absolutely delicious in the apple pie bar recipe, and I can't wait to use it in a pie too!
Erin Clarkson says
Amazing thank you so much for this!
Karen Swartz says
Hi Erin,
Another great recipe. I made the filling last night along with the recipe for the basic apple pie. Do I need to bake the pie any differently? I always made that pie with fresh apples. Thanks for!
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, no you can bake it the same with the cooked filling!
Bekah says
So delicious and easy to make!
L.A.C.A. says
This was very good!
N M says
Great recipe. Used it for Apple tarts
Norma Granito says
Fantastic recipe!
Suzanne says
This recipe is fantastic and such a great idea. I loved how much more filling my pie had since it was precooked, it shrank down only a little. I have family who have to closely monitor their sugar so I omitted the white sugar and used half the brown sugar and it still turned out amazing, I highly recommend this recipe. I also left the peels on my apples since I am lazy. Another hit, Erin!!