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5.0 from 9 votes

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling

Homemade apple pie filling is simple and easy to whip up, and tastes thousands of times better than store bought filling! Use it in your holiday pies, on top of waffles and pancakes, add into cinnamon rolls and sticky buns, or as filling for cakes and cupcakes. It's so versatile.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 26 cups
Calories: 105 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Zest of 1/2 a Lemon
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp butter

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, apple slices, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground cardamom and freshly grated nutmeg. Toss the apples thoroughly in the spiced sugar mixture until well-coated; let macerate in the bowl for 10 minutes.
  2. Dump the apples and the accumulated juices into a large dutch oven over medium heat. Pour in 3/4 cup apple cider, and begin cooking the apples down until softened for 15 minutes.
  3. Once softened, make the cornstarch slurry by mixing together the cornstarch and remaining apple cider in a small bowl with a fork until smooth, stir into the apple mixture, and let thicken.
  4. Add the kosher salt and vanilla, stir, and turn off the heat. Stir in the unsalted butter, and let the apple pie filling cool for 5 minutes before canning, or let it cool completely before storing or using in a recipe. See notes for the different ways to store your apple pie filling.

Notes

  • Apple pie filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
  • You can also freeze it in an airtight container, mason jar, or zip top freezer bag, just leave a half inch headspace (empty space) to allow for expanding when it freezes.
  • Prepare your water bath canner.
  • Sterilize seven pint size mason jars or 4 quart size jars and lids in boiling water, then reduce to a simmer while you're making the pie filling.
  • Ladle the hot apple pie filling, using a wide canning funnel, into the hot jars leaving about 1 inch headspace. 
  • Remove any air bubbles with a butter knife or tapping gently on a kitchen towel on the counter, then wipe any filling off the rim and the jar. If you don't, you'll end up messing with your seal.
  • Center lid on the jar and screw on band until fit is fingertip tight. What's fingertip tight? It's basically as tight as you'd screw the lid back onto a jar of jam or mayo or something.
  • Process the jars in your water bath canner for 25 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the jars and let them completely cool on a cooling rack.
  • Check the lids for seal after 24 hours, they should not pop or flex when pushed.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cup Calories 105kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Fat 3g (5%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 7mg (2%) Sodium 37mg (2%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 17g (34%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 26cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 105

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cup
Calories 105kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 7mg 2%
Sodium 37mg 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 17g 34%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.