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Freezer Apple Pie Filling Recipe

One of our most popular Fall recipes is this Freezer Apple Pie Filling.

Homemade apple pie filling made from fresh picked apples and cooked down in sweet sauce. Then after it cools you put in the freezer until ready to use.

apple pie filling in freezer bag
A quart bag full of homemade apple pie filling ready for the freezer.

It is a great way to preserve a lot of apples at once in a practical way. I would have to bet that most of use use apple pie filling at least once or twice a year.

First, there is the traditional apple pie that is often served as a dessert at Thanksgiving. Then there are the quick and easy dessert recipes that range from apple crisp, apple turnovers, apple hand pies, and more!

So instead of heading to the grocery store to pick up a can of apple pie filling, this year make your own!

Best Apples For Apple Pie

However, keep in mind, there are certain apples that make better pie filling than others.

apple corer and wedger
No matter what apples that you choose, make easy work of cutting them with an apple corer/wedger.

Some of our favorite varieties of apples for pie include: Jonagold, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jazz, Rome, Cortland and Braeburn.

Although I would highly recommend that you use a variety of apples rather than a single variety when making pie filling.

This will allow you to achieve a great balance between tart and sweet apples. And it will also provided you with the best texture between firm and semi-firm apples when the apples are cooked down.

apples and lemon juice
The lemon juice will help prevent the apples from browning as you prepare the other apples.

Once you choose your apples, it is time to get peeling!

Freezer Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Ingredients

  • 7 lbs. apples, each apple cut in 16 wedges, approx. 17 cups of sliced apples
  • 4 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups water
syrup
As the sauce begins to heat it will thicken into a syrup consistency.

Instructions

Peel, core and slice apples into 16 wedges. An apple corer/slicer will make quick work of this process. Depending on the size of the slices, you should have about 17 cups of sliced apples for the pie filling.

Pour the lemon juice over top of the apples and toss well and set aside.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the white sugar, brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and water. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking over medium-high heat. Allow for a rapid boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

apple pie filling in pot
Add the apples to the syrup and bring to a simmer until the apples are just tender.

Reduce heat to a low simmer and add in the apple slices. Stir and cover with a lid.

Simmer for 10 minutes or until apples begin have just begin to soften. Remove from heat and set aside, still covered.

Let cool about 30-40 minutes, checking periodically. Your apples should be soft but not mushy.

apples in bag
Fill quart size freezer bags or containers with 2 3/4 cup apple pie filling.

Then ladle 2 3/4 cups of the pie filling into quart or gallon size freezer bags. You should end up with 5-6b bags.

There may be some extra liquid in the pot that can be discarded.

Let cool completely and then freeze for up to one year.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.

Yield: 15 cups

Freezer Apple Pie Filling

freezer apple pie filling

Homemade apple pie filling made with fresh apples and put in the freezer until ready to use.

Ingredients

  • 7 lbs. apples, each apple cut in 16 wedges, approx. 17 cups of sliced apples
  • 4 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups water

Instructions

  1. Peel, core and slice apples into 16 wedges. An apple corer/slicer will make quick work of this process.
  2. Pour the lemon juice over top of the apples and toss well and set aside.
  3. In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the white sugar, brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and water. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking over medium-high heat. Allow for a rapid boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Reduce heat to a low simmer and add in the apple slices. Stir and cover with a lid.
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes or until apples begin have just begin to soften. Remove from heat and set aside, still covered.
  6. Let cool about 30-40 minutes, checking periodically. Your apples should be soft but not mushy.
  7. Ladle 2 3/4 cups of the pie filling into 5-6 quart or gallon size freezer bags. You may have some extra liquid that can be discarded.
  8. Let cool completely and then freeze for up to one year.

Notes

You can decrease the amount of sugar that you use based on the sweetness level of the apples and personal preference. 

Use in any recipe that calls for canned apple pie filling.

Recipe provided by Old World Garden Farms

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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