Brown sugar, bourbon, and freshly pressed apple cider pair with apples to create a lovely caramelized flavor that is quintessentially fall. This versatile filling comes together in about 15 minutes and can be used in pies, cakes, on slices of warm apple or pumpkin bread, as an ice cream topping, or anytime you’d think to use that canned stuff. No more wasting all those apples in the fall!

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You may be thinking, Why such a long title? Why not cooked apple pie filling? Or just apple pie filling? I’m glad you (maybe) asked.

First, I left off the cooked part because you don’t have to pre-cook this; you can put it raw into a pie crust and bake it. And second, because those three ingredients make this filling what it is. SO much flavor and not at all watered down or applesauce-y.

Most people just use water or lemon juice in their apple pie filling. (Granted, I often use a squeeze of lemon to keep my apples from browning). And almost everyone uses white sugar. But I wanted a caramelized taste, which can’t be achieved in the few minutes it takes to make this filling. Sure, baking in an oven for an hour will do it. But I knew I wanted to use this as a cake filling and—if there’s leftovers—in a mini pie or apple cookie. You don’t bake those long enough to caramelize white sugar.

And yes, technically white sugar creates caramel while brown sugar is used for butterscotch. The difference is the molasses. But it’s the best way to describe the rich, deep flavor you get after cooking this filling for less than 10 minutes. No joke, 10 minutes is probably too long (see tips below).

Plus, I like my apple pie thick and not soupy. I’m perpetually on the hunt for a recipe that delivers the perfect slice, and the minimal use of liquid in this recipe helps achieve that.

Oh, and by the way, look at this apple peel. It’s been a life goal of mine to be able to “peel an apple in one long, curly strip.” Props if you can name that movie. 😍

Uses for pre-cooked apple pie filling

You can use this anytime you’d use the canned apple pie filling. It’s perfect as an ice cream topping. It makes a great gift (but does need to stay refrigerated—it’s not safe to use cornstarch and flour in canning). You can use it as a cake, cupcake, or cookie filling. And it’s great to keep around if you suddenly need a dessert right away. You can just pour it into an uncooked pie crust (no judgment if you grab a store bought one—they are easier to deal with and take less time) and bake per instructions until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.

If you ever need a quick pie, this is the filling to use as it will thicken quickly and not fall apart when serving.

How to make brown sugar, bourbon, & cider apple pie filling

First, determine if you’re pre-cooking it or going to bake it in a pie crust right away. If making a true pie, you’ll want to slice the apples thinly instead of in chunks.

Peel, core, and chop 6-8 medium apples into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. You should have about 6 cups.

Note: a vegetable peeler and apple slicer and corer help a lot with this, but feel free to break out the fancy gadgets if you have them!

Add apples, brown sugar, bourbon, apple cider, vanilla, salt, spices, flour, and cornstarch to a large saucepan or medium stockpot.

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken. Be careful it doesn’t burn. Turn down the heat to low then continue to cook until the apples are softened but still have a slight crunch, about 6-7 minutes, depending on the size of pot you use and how large your apple pieces are. If you’re going to bake the filling again later, like in a pie, only cook the apples 4-5 minutes. If you plan on using this as-is, you can cook the full 6-7 minutes or until you’re happy with the crispness of the apples.

Enjoy!

Pairs well with

Foolproof Classic Pie Crust—see notes for using in a raw pie shell

Chocolate Churro Cake—use as the filling for a spiced, chocolate covered apple cake!

Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes—more of a classic apple pie spin!

Brown Sugar Spice Cake

Tips for this recipe

Don’t overcook the apples

6-7 minutes was perfect for me. I diced my apples pretty small, though, so you might need closer to 10. Be mindful of the cook time. It’s best to check them early, since you can keep cooking if needed but can’t undo soggy apples.

Don’t burn the caramel

All those fancy ingredients—brown sugar, bourbon, apple cider—create a caramel sauce that, with the flour and cornstarch, bond the filling and keep it from becoming soupy. It’s great, until it burns on you. Stir frequently and keep a close eye on this. It doesn’t take long, so be sure to cook this when you have the ability to give it your full attention so you don’t end up with burnt caramel.

Sub ingredients as, but not amounts, as needed

The low amount of liquid is intentional. The apples will also release their own juices and will help create the sauce. So while you’re encouraged to use another dark liquor or sub lemon juice for the bourbon, make sure the amount of liquid that goes in doesn’t vary too much from the recipe (unless you like a more liquid-y filling). You can also use all flour or all cornstarch, but I’ve found that half of each works best.

As for the spices, you can add more or less or sub in your favorite pie spices without affecting the consistency.

Use raw in homemade pie crust

I’ll never discourage someone from using their own homemade pie crust/shell/dough (it’s all basically the same thing). If you want to do this, I advice slicing the apples thinly, stirring in all the other ingredients gently, layering the apples evenly in your unbaked crust, then pouring all that yummy sauce over it. Bake on a rimmed cookie sheet per crust instructions or at 400 for 40-60 minutes, until the filling bubbles and the crust is golden. If the crust gets dark too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Freeze—don’t can—for later

Sadly, cornstarch and flour aren’t safe for canning. If you’ve done it and feel safe with it, you are welcome to try. But there are too many perishable ingredients in here for me to recommend canning. Instead, if you don’t want to use it right away, you can place it in a freezer-safe bag and keep it for 2-3 months (don’t do this in a glass jar, as that will break when the filling expands during freezing).

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Brown Sugar, Bourbon, & Cider Apple Pie Filling

Print

prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 5-10 minutes
total time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients:

6-8 medium apples--something slightly tart is best
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1-2 ounces bourbon (to taste)
¼ cup apple cider (can sub apple juice or water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
pinch sea salt

Instructions:

Peel, core, and chop the apples into ¼ to ½ inch pieces. It’s a rough size, and you can use larger if that suits your needs best. If you are making a pie, it’s helpful to make thin slices instead, to layer in the pie. Note: a vegetable peeler and apple slicer and corer help a lot with this, but feel free to break out the fancy gadgets if you have them!
Add the apples along with all the other ingredients into a large saucepan or medium stockpot. Stir well then cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the caramel part begins to thicken. Turn the heat down to low and cook until the apples are softened but still have a bit of a crunch. If you plan to use this in a pie later on, leave the apples pretty firm, as they’ll cook a little more in the oven.
Use right away or store in a sealed jar in the fridge 2-4 weeks. You can also freeze it in a ziploc bag (not a jar--that will shatter) for 2-3 months.

Enjoy!