Made with only a few ingredients, you'll never go back to the canned version once you've tried this homemade Apple Pie Filling. Perfectly tender apples with warm spices, this filling is perfect on its own or with any baked goods in need of a filling.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the apples with lemon juice.
Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then toss to combine evenly.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the apples soften and release most of their juices, about 7 minutes.
Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl then add to the apples and continue cooking until the mixture has thickened. Once the mixture has thickened, and apples are desired consistency transfer to a storage jar and seal.
Notes
I recommend adding the cornstarch at the end instead of the beginning, as it can lead to the filling becoming too thick and burning.
You can swap the cinnamon and nutmeg for apple pie spice.
Make sure you do not chop the apples too large as they’ll be difficult to eat. You can cut your apples into any shape that you like (such as thin slices), just make sure they are uniform so that they all cook evenly.
The best part about making homemade pie filling is that you can adjust the seasoning to your liking! Adjust the cinnamon and nutmeg to your liking.
The filling will continue to thicken as it cools, so be careful not to overcook it.
After removing the filling from the heat, you can mix in a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Vanilla complements the apple flavor very well and adds an extra depth of flavor.