Description
A simple, foolproof recipe for homemade spiced apple pie filling that requires no peeling and makes just one 8-ounce jar. Perfect for pies, desserts, or eating straight from the jar.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium apples (about 600g), mixed Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, chopped into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ¾ cup water (180ml)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15ml)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (10g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2g)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (0.5g)
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (0.5g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (1.5g)
- Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 teaspoon cold butter
Instructions
- Wash apples and remove cores. Chop apples into uniform ½-inch cubes, keeping skins on.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until no lumps remain.
- In a medium saucepan, combine chopped apples, sugar, water, and lemon juice. Stir to coat.
- Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until apples start to soften.
- Stir the cornstarch-spice mixture into the simmering apples. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy.
- Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Spoon the warm filling into clean 8-ounce mason jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe rims clean.
- Seal jars tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for long-term canning.
Notes
Do not use Red Delicious apples as they turn to mush. Ensure apple chunks are uniform in size for even cooking. The filling thickens significantly as it cools, so do not jar it while piping hot if you want the right consistency. For a richer finish, stir in a teaspoon of cold butter at the end.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 50
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 1
Keywords: apple pie filling, canned apples, small batch recipe, spiced apples, homemade pie filling, gluten-free dessert, vegan recipe