Apple Pie Filling – A Beautiful Mess

While I love to make apple pie from scratch, I also will often “cheat” and simply use this apple pie filling recipe along with a store-bought crust if I’m pressed for time. This apple pie filling is a classic made from sour Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. It’s simple, flavorful and easy to make.

You could also use this apple pie filling for other baking projects like homemade Pop Tarts, spooned over ice cream, or inside apple dumplings. Another fun idea is to store this recipe in a large jar and gift to a friend who may not like baking so would appreciate most of the work already done. Lol.

Related: Next up, make homemade Pop Tarts or caramel apples.

Ingredients

• Apples
• Brown sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Cornstarch + water

Directions

Peel and core the apples. Cut into bite-sized cubes.

In a medium sauce pan, add the sugar, butter, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until melted. Add the apple pieces to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until they begin to soften some.

In a small bowl or cup, stir together the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Pour this into the pan and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. The liquid should begin to thicken.

You can use this apple pie filling right away or allow to cool and store in a large jar or another airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.

Tips & Substitutions

• Granny Smith is my favorite apple variety to use for apple pie but any apple can work.
• You can swap the cinnamon for a spice mixture like pumpkin pie spice if you like.
• This recipe can also work for similar fruits, like pears if you want to make a pear pie filling instead.

More Apple Recipes