Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best thickener for apple pie filling? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

Crisp apples, rich butter, a blend of sugars, cinnamon and apple juice come together in perfect harmony to create the best apple pie filling of all time! There are so many reasons to make your own apple pie filling from scratch.

Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish. You'll need to use twice as much as you would with cornstarch.

Adding a few tablespoons of thickener is absolutely necessary to keep your apple pie filling from turning into apple soup. Flour is most commonly used, although it does leave a slight cloud over the filling. Alternatives include cornstarch, quick-cooking tapioca, and apple jelly.

Corn starch lends a glossy thickness and adds sheen to the filling while flour adds opacity and some mouthfeel so that it has a sort-of creaminess. With all corn starch the filling reminds me too much of store-bought pies with that gloopy clear gel-like texture and with all flour it can get too lumpy and stodgy.

All-purpose flour is an easy substitute for cornstarch; in fact you may see recipes for thickening pie fillings or soups with either. You'll need 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a recipe.

Should you cook the apples before baking apple pie? You don't have to pre-cook the filling before spooning it into the pie crust, but it's a quick step I recommend. Just 5 minutes on the stove begins the softening process, and also helps the flavors start to mingle.

Bright green Granny Smith apples are one of the most popular varieties for pie. Their puckery-tart flavor prevents fillings from tasting too sweet, they're easy to find year-round, and they hold their shape beautifully when baked.

The acid in lemon juice helps prevent browning and keeps the apples looking nicer. It also adds brightness to the flavor. The filling may be watery because of the variety of apples you are using. Some fruit produces more juice than others.

Enhance Flavor with Spices: Adjust the flavor with spices and seasonings. For apple pie filling, add cinnamon, nutmeg, or a pinch of cloves to achieve a homemade taste. Simmer the filling with these spices for a few minutes to meld the flavors.

How do you thicken apples for apple pie? ›

The best way to thicken runny apple pie filling before baking it is to add some cornstarch, tapioca starch, or flour to your mix. To fix a runny pie that's already been baked, simply let it cool to see if it will congeal naturally. If not, you can stick it back in the oven for a bit longer.

Corn starch: we will use a little bit of corn starch to thicken up the apple pie filling. If you do not have access to corn starch, you can substitute in double the amount of all purpose flour in it's place.

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.

Ideally, you want to be in the 45 minute to one hour range. The filling of the pie turned to mush because Granny Smith apples completely collapse and do turn to mush when fully cooked. (They are great for applesauce for that reason.) Many other apples will become soft but hold their apple shape - not Granny Smith.

When thickening a fruit pie filling, there are several options to consider. Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.

Instant ClearJel

It can tolerate a range of temperatures (and can even thicken fruit without any heat at all). It's used by many commercial bakeries because it works well with acidic ingredients, has a neutral flavor and creates clear, cloud-free fillings. Pies made with Instant ClearJel can also be frozen.

For my taste, tapioca starch is the best thickener for fruit pies. It sets at a lower temperature than corn starch, has no objectionable flavor like flour and it sets clear, so you can see the color of the fruit better. For stone fruit or berries, I toss in a couple of tablespoons when I macerate the fruit.

Tapioca as Pie Filling Thickener

This old-school ingredient may be what your great grandmother used to thicken her pies, and it's still great for making a perfect fruit pie with a clear, stable filling. Tapioca is derived from cassava (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy root native to South America.