Name: Apple Pie Filling Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 medium apples (I chose Gala apples, and some were smaller than average so I used 5)); 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 3 tbsp. filtered water; 2 tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/8 tsp ground ginger; 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract; 2 tbsp. organic cornstarch; 2 tbsp. filtered water

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This Apple Pie Filling Recipe can't be any easier. (Or, tastier.)

Peeled and sliced apples are simmered with sugar, butter and traditional spices until just cooked through. An organic cornstarch and water slurry is stirred in to create a luscious, thick glazy sauce.

This recipe replaces one can of apple pie filling, and it comes together in less than 30 minutes. Plus, your house will smell like the essence of Fall as it cooks. After making this, you'll never go back to canned.

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Is Homemade Apple Pie Filling Healthy?

Yes, this Apple Pie Filling Recipe is so much better for you than canned. It uses fresh apples, spices, organic cornstarch, and contains very little added sugar. Store-bought canned apple pie fillings often contain preservatives, a lot of added sugars, and sometimes even food coloring or high-fructose corn syrup.

One of the great things about making your own homemade pie filling is that you can control the quality of the ingredients. For instance, you could use only organic apples or switch out white sugar for coconut sugar or pure cane sugar.

I buy my organic cornstarch from Thrive Market (Get 40% off your first order + sometimes a free gift.)

What Can I Use a Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe For?

Traditional sized pies, or hand pies. I made Apple Hand Pies to go along with this homemade filling.
Eat it over ice cream. Seriously, just this pie filling over some vanilla ice cream would be an amazing dessert.
Make homemade tarts, pop tarts, or other breakfast pastries. You could chop the apples into smaller cubes instead of slices if making for tarts.

How to Make:

Wash, dry, peel and slice apples. You can also core them to make slicing easier if you have the tool handy, but I didn't. Set apples aside in a medium-sized mixing bowl with some lemon juice.

*Apologies for the harsh lighting here - I have one of those blue LEDs built in over my range. Working on a solution.*

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.)

Add in apples, sugar, vanilla extract, and water. Stir until the butter/spice mixture evenly coats the apples. Cover with a lid and cook 4-6 minutes, or until slightly softened. Mixture should come to a slight simmer.

Meanwhile, make a cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch and water. Once apples are slightly tender and simmering, stir in cornstarch slurry. Allow to simmer another 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Once mixture has cooled down 10-20 minutes to about room temperature, you can place it in your pie crust, hand pie, or pastry and bake.
Store filling or baked goods with homemade filling refrigerated. You can eat it served cold, or warm up your baked good in the oven.

Notes:

Store leftover pie filling in a jar in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Baked goods with homemade pie filling using fresh fruit should be kept refrigerated. Plan to refrigerate your apple pie. You can eat it cold, or warm it back up in the oven when serving. I made my hand pies close to dinnertime and we ate them fresh and warm the first night. Then, we ate them cold the following day. They were delicious both ways.

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