Pies & Tarts

Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling

4.36 from 42 votes
Save time on your holiday desserts with my Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling recipe. Make it ahead, store it for weeks and you'll have dessert ready to go!
Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling is in a glass bowl, ready for the assembled pie crust next to it. The filling has tender slow cooker apples  in chunks covered with cinnamon and sticky gooey sauce.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling is a true traditional homemade apple pie filling with the warm and comforting flavors that have won your heart. Better yet, all the ingredients effortlessly meld together in the crock pot, allowing you to set it and let time work its magic. Crock Pots never cease to amaze me. There is not much you can’t make in one, and best of all most households own one. So dust it off and crank it up because we are making Apple Pie Filling.

This timeless and cherished dessert component offers a combination of sweet and tart apples along with aromatic spices, creating a well-balanced appealing taste. Its softer and tender slow cooker apples will contrast nicely with a flaky pie crust or a crunchy crisp topping. Preparing a generous batch of homemade apple pie filling from scratch not only simplifies holiday baking but also brings us numerous fond memories with families and friends this time of year!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was updated and improved on 10/11/2023, to include new photography, explanation of key ingredients, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.

Table of Contents

What is Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling?

Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling is in a glass bowl, ready for the assembled pie crust next to it. The filling has tender slow cooker apples  in chunks covered with cinnamon and sticky gooey sauce.

Tools You Need

Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling Key Ingredients and Why

  • Apples

    • Peeled and cored Granny Smith apples for the best flavor and texture.
    • Bramley apples will be your go-to cooking apples in Ireland or the UK. They are very sour to eat raw but are one of the best apples working beautifully in baking, such as in an  Apple Crumble or Apple Strudel.
  • Brown sugar

    • Brown sugar sweetens homemade apple Pie filling and adds a rich caramel flavor.
    • It provides moisture to keep apple slices or cubes from getting dry and contains molasses to form a deep brown color.
  • Lemon juice

    • Lemon juice adds a tartness to balance the sweetness of the filling and preserves the filling for a longer shelf life.
  • Ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg(optional)

    • Spices add aroma and warmth to the filling.
    • You can use substitutes such as allspice, ground cardamom, or Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice.
  • Butter

    • Butter contributes to a rich, creamy and slightly savory flavor.
    • Moreover, butter acts as a binding agent resulting in a velvety texture.
  • Cornstarch

    • Cornstarch thickens up the homemade apple pie filling.
    • You can also use potato starch, arrowroot starch, flour, or rice flour.

How to Make Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling?

  • Preparation:

Peel, core and chop the apples roughly into small cubes or slices.

  • Cooking:

    • Cook apples with all ingredients beside cornstarch and salt on HIGH for 1 hour until become soft and all of the flavors marry together. The apples create their own sauce as the stew with the water and sugar. As you can see you end up with soft and saucy apples.
    • Whisk in cornstarch and water then continue cooking the apple until extremely tender.
    • Add salt before removing the apples from the slow cooker.

Can I make Crockpot Apple Pie Filling in advance and how can I store homemade apple pie filling?

Yes, you can make this filling ahead of time.

  • Store your Hot Apple Pie Filling leftovers in sterilized mason jars for 1 week in the fridge or freeze it for up to 2 months.
  • This preserves them so you have fresh pie filling at the ready.

A spoon of apple pie filling is scooped from the glass bowl. It has chunks of soft apples covered with cinnamon and sticky sweet sauce.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips:

  1. Try my perfect pie crust recipe. Also see how to assemble an easy apple crisp pie with some of my easy make-ahead tips.
  2. Honeycrisp apples , Gala apples, and Golden Delicious apples, stone fruits such as peaches or apricots, or berries such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries will also work.
  3. If you don’t have cornstarch or you’re allergic to it, substitute potato starch for cornstarch at 1:1 ratio; substitute wheat (white/AP) flour , arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, rice flour for cornstarch at 2:1 ratio (use twice as much as cornstarch).
  4. Could I make homemade apple pie filling in a pressure cooker? Yes!
    1. place your prepared ingredients except cornstarch and salt in the pressure cooker and cook the mixture for around 2 minutes on HIGH (time can vary from brand to brand).
    2. After the pressure has been released and it’s safe to open the cooker, whisk the cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the apples and their juices in the pressure cooker.
    3. Turn on the sauté function and cook the apple filling stirring continuously until it thickens to your desired consistency. This should only take a few minutes.
    4. Add Salt: Lastly, stir in a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors.
  5. Check out my Sugar Substitute Chart but note that sugar-free options can’t caramelize will affect the consistency.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was updated and improved on 10/11/2023, to include new photography, explanation of key ingredients, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.

Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling

4.36 from 42 votes
Save time on your holiday desserts with my Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling recipe. Make it ahead, store it for weeks and you'll have dessert ready to go!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 3 jars
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Save time on your holiday desserts with my Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling recipe. Make it ahead, store it for weeks and you'll have dessert ready to go!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 3 jars

Ingredients

  • 9 (2 ½ lbs/1150 g) Granny Smith apples
  • ½ cup (4 fl oz/115 ml) plus a ½ cup (4floz/115ml) of water, divided
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 medium lemon, juiced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • A pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
  • ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) butter
  • ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
  • teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Peel, core and chop the apples roughly into small cubes.
  • In the pot of a slow cooker, combine the apples, ½ cup (4fl oz/115 ml) of water, sugar, lemon juice, spices and butter. Place the lid on the pot and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
  • After the apples have cooked, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining ½ cup (4 fl oz/115 ml) of water and stir into the apples.
  • Continue cooking on HIGH for another 30-45 minutes, until the apples are extremely tender.
  • Laslty stir in the salt before removing the apples from the slow cooker.
  • Cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It also can be frozen for up to 2 months. Use in any apple pie, crumble or crisp recipe.
4.36 from 42 votes (41 ratings without comment)
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Marleen
Marleen
5 years ago

Can I freeze it in zippered bags?

Lori
Lori
4 years ago

I just adore you! Your patience answering each question is phenomenal, especially when scrolling down they’ve been answered 4 or 5 times already. I’m making a bunch of this to give away this year. Last year was the Hot Cocoa Truffles and they were such a huge hit!

Jane
Jane
5 years ago

Does this recipe make 1 apple pie?

Mary Taylor
Mary Taylor
3 years ago

There is no amount of SALT listed to put in pie filling at the end….please advise…Thanks

Daniyal Khizar
3 years ago

Dear Gemma,
Does This Recipe Make One Pie?
I Want To Make Your Make-Ahead Apple Pie And 9 Apples Seem Like A LOT.
How Would I Make This In A Saucepan?

Rachel Richardson
Rachel Richardson
4 years ago

Hi Gemma,
I’m making Apple Pie Bread today and am also making the filling from your recipe. Do I let it completely cool before making my recipe?? Also would it be ok to mix up Granny Smith apples with Golden delicious apples??
Thank so much for all your recipes, tips and videos! I’m a visual learner so you have been a big help!!

Karen McConnell
1 year ago

I didn’t see salt listed in the ingredient list. How much should I add to the recipe at the end? Thanks? Karen

Esther Dara Hatcher
Esther Dara Hatcher
7 days ago

Any recommendations for thawing frozen pie filling before baking? Will there be excess liquid that should be drained or does it all bake out? Thanks

Marthe
Marthe
11 days ago

How much salt goes in in step 5?

Bobbi
Bobbi
20 days ago

Hi Gemma, do the apples have to be cut so small? Can we slice them as usual for a pie then cook them. And if so, does that change the amount of ingredients? Thank you

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About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

Weeknight Family Favorites Chapter from the Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook