Apple Pie Recipe Filling

Last Updated January 4th, 2026 at 09:30 am by Lisa

An easy Apple Pie Recipe Filling using crisp fresh apples and warm spices that is make ahead and freezer-friendly. A Classic apple pie recipe is one of the most popular American dishes of all time.

To prevent soggy bottom pie crusts, you need a good filling to bake up the best apple pie recipes and apple desserts. Get all my secrets that work every time with rich apple flavor in every bite...

How To Make Apple Pie Recipe Filling

Are you ready to make the most delicious desserts you've ever tasted? And be sure to make extra so you can freeze it for later. I'll tell you how to do that too! There is a full recipe video in the printable recipe card below.

Pie Filling Ingredients

• 6 large Granny Smith apples
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

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Prepare The Apples And Thickener

1. Wash the apples, peel, core, and cut into ½ pieces in a large bowl with lemon juice. You can use a Chef's Knife with a good quality Non-Slip Cutting Board, an old fashioned apple peeler corer slicer, or Apple Corer/Slicer as well, you will get thinner slices and have to cook the filling less time at medium heat or they might overcook.
2. Squeeze ¼ cup fresh lemon juice using a Lemon Lime Juicer, and whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Set aside. This is your amazing magical thickener.

Cooking The Filling Instructions

1. In a large skillet, cast iron pan, or large pot, melt 3 tablespoons butter and cook the cut apples for about 5 minutes
2. Pour the lemon juice and cornstarch mixture (a thickener) over the cut pieces and stir until well combined for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the brown and white sugar over the cut apples, and just one teaspoons salt. Stir until well combined.
4. Remove from the heat and add the teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg off the heat. The reason you do this is to keep the flavor of the spices!
5. Let the mixture cool completely so it thickens. Once the filling is cool, use it in a recipe, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in a Mason jar, or freeze it in zip-top bags.

Top Apple Filling Tips

Once you know the secrets I am about to share with you, you will make your own filling again and again and skip that canned apple pie filling in the stores!

• One challenge of fruit pies is the filling can ruin the crust. When you bake with an uncooked filling, it releases the apple juice into your crust. And that is why the crust never bakes and gets soggy. So the best way to prevent this issue is to make your apple mixture filling ahead and not bake with raw apples!
• By pre-cooking the filling, and freezing it, you can bake desserts quickly anytime, and it is a better way to cook.
• The taste of homemade pie filling is amazing, you can control the warm spices, levels of salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg if you like more/less/none.
• You can pull back on the sweetness with less sugar, and make a more tart flavor by choosing tart fruit like Granny Smith.
• I found while testing this homemade apple pie filling many times over decades, that combining the lemon juice and cornstarch makes an ideal thicker filling.
• Adding the cinnamon and nutmeg after cooking the tender apples gives this recipe outstanding flavor as you don't cook off the spice flavor in the heat of cooking. Win-win!

What are the best apples for apple pie?

I personally love the "gold standard" for apple filling, of tart Granny Smith. But there are so many apples that work just fine! One of the best things to do in Fall is head out to your local apple orchard. Pick your own crisp apples, and sip apple cider afterward... it's heaven!

Then come home to your kitchen and make all your favorite apple recipes! Good choices are, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Granny Smith apples, Golden Delicious, and Jonathan/Jonagold apples. These are all good firm varieties that will give you the best results.

Avoid using Red Delicious, Fuji, or Gala apples, they just don't hold up to the heat of cooking and baking.

More Creative Recipes For Apple Pie Filling

• make apple turnovers using puff pastry
• put it over waffles and pancakes with caramel syrup for breakfast!
• mix into a French toast casserole
• dollop on top of baked brie and serve with crackers
• bake into an apple cake with frosting
• bake it into apple bread pudding
• make some muffins
• use a muffin tin for mini fruit pies

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How To Make Freezer Apple Pie Filling

Simply measure out the portions you want into a freezer bag. Press the air out, label it with the date and measurement, contents, and freeze.

To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and use in recipes.

Frozen apple pie filling is perfect for pies, tarts, Apple Crisp, Apple Crumbles (with that amazing crumb topping), and so many other desserts!

PRO TIP: Lay the filled ziplock bag flat on a small cookie tray, freeze, and they will stack neatly in your freezer!

Apple Pie Top Baking Top Tips

• Before baking, line your baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper in case the filling bubbles over for easy clean-up.
• You can make a flaky pie crust in a pastry blender or food processor, then wrap the disk of dough in plastic wrap and chill your homemade pie dough 30 minutes before baking for a flaky crust.
• Once you roll out the bottom crust, carefully roll it around a rolling pin, then gently lay it in the pan or plate.
• Add some lemon zest with your filling to add some great flavor, then put on the top of the crust, and brush with an egg wash to make it golden brown.
• Be sure to use a sharp knife to cut slits into the middle of the pie to let the steam out as it bakes a perfect pie crust.
• Use small seasonal-shaped cookie cutters to decorate the top of your own pie crust! For fall use leaves, for Christmas use trees or stars, or use a small apple shape cutters anytime.
• Always put the oven rack in the lowest position to bake pies. This way the dessert is baking near the heating elements of the oven and will give you a nice golden brown perfect pie crust. Underbaked pies are typically soggy and the crust is doughy.
• If you let the it cool, it is easier to slice and serve!
• The helpful chart below shows you sizes for this recipe that fit into a 9" plate.

More Apple Recipes

Caramel Apple Crisp is an easy Fall dessert that tastes just like caramel apples! It is made with just 7 ingredients, and has a golden brown crisp topping and crust, sweet apples, and melted gooey caramel candy.

Bake an Apple Crisp dessert with a sweet crust, caramelized apples, and a streusel topping. Serve this dessert with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce then dig in!

Dutch Apple Pie is baked with a homemade filling, a golden-brown crust with a foolproof flaky crust, and a crumble topping on top.

This easy recipe for Caramel Apple Dip has crisp sliced apples, salted caramel sauce, and crushed Health bars. A great recipe and pot-luck party crowd hit for Thanksgiving, Halloween, and all through Autumn.

Need a fast easy appetizer for Halloween or Thanksgiving? Caramel Apple Brie Appetizers come together in minutes. They are always wildly popular at Fall parties and taste like caramel apples!