My dad’s birthday fell on this past Saturday, and because the temperatures had been over 100°F the week before, I offered to treat everyone to ice cream to celebrate. With that kind of scorching hot weather, Dad loved the sound of my idea, so on Friday evening, we made plans to drive across town to the ice cream shop the following day shortly after lunch.
Yet somehow, the clouds rolled in overnight and the temperature dropped more than 30°F, so when I rolled out of bed on Saturday morning, I nearly dove back under the covers. Crazy California weather!
We waited all morning for the sun to start peeking through the clouds, but even though it never did, everyone else still agreed that they were craving ice cream. I threw on a big sweatshirt, hopped in the car, and browsed the sweet flavors alongside my family.
Although Mississippi Mud always calls my name (chocolate ice cream with fudge swirls and brownie chunks — I am a huge chocoholic, after all!), I walked out with nothing. My fingers would’ve frozen to the cone the moment I stepped outside! I don’t exactly mix well with the cold… But the rest of my family happily licked their sherbet, sorbet, and ice cream cones as we walked back to the car.
I spent the rest of the day thinking about chilly fall weather and cozy comfort foods, so later that weekend, I whipped up a batch of this healthy slow cooker apple pie filling to satisfy my cravings. With its warm cinnamon smell wafting through the entire house, my whole family followed their noses to the kitchen and couldn’t wait to sample a taste!
Unlike many store-bought canned fillings, this easy recipe contains no high fructose corn syrup and no refined sugar. Instead, this homemade version is made with simple and wholesome ingredients, making it completely clean eating friendly — and even healthy enough for breakfast!
Yup, it’s true… My family added spoonfuls on top of their oatmeal and called that the best decision they made all week!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY SLOW COOKER APPLE PIE FILLING
Let’s talk about how to make this this homemade apple pie filling! It begins with big, juicy fresh red apples. I used all red for this recipe because they’re sweeter than green and thus require less additional sweetener. I’ve tried Fuji, Jazz, and Honeycrisp apples in this recipe, and all of those work great!
Hint: Fuji apples are the ones I use the most. They’re readily available in stores all year round where I live and also really affordable!
If you’re a traditionalist and prefer Granny Smiths for your pie fillings, they would be fine too, but I’d suggest increasing the sweetener to compensate for their tart taste. Another option that you could try would be half green and half red. You get the best of both worlds — and that’s perfect for indecisive people!
To help prevent the apples from browning, you’ll sprinkle them with a little freshly squeezed lemon juice while creating the “syrup” to pour on top. I promise that you can’t taste the citrus when the filling finishes cooking — only sweet apples!
That “syrup” is a combination of water, pure maple syrup, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I love warm spices and generally mix in more than most recipes, but my family agreed that this pie filling had the perfect amount! You’ll cook those ingredients on the stove for just a few minutes to activate the cornstarch so it thickens the mixture before pouring that cinnamony goodness over the apples in the slow cooker.
I use this slow cooker. It’s nothing fancy — just low, high, and keep warm settings! — but it’s reliable and works really well for my other slow cooker “baking” recipes too. (← I highly recommend checking out the brownies and chocolate fudge cake once you’re done making this recipe… Two of my favorites!)
Then all that’s left to do is wait for your slow cooker to work its magic and make your house smell like fall!
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY SLOW COOKER APPLE PIE FILLING
Is this homemade apple pie filling gluten-free, vegan, low fat, low calorie, or clean eating?
Yes — to everything! This recipe is naturally gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, and vegan. (It has no butter or dairy!) It’s also lower calorie compared to many store-bought cans and traditional recipes.
Could I substitute something else for the pure maple syrup?
Absolutely! Honey, agave, and coconut sugar all work really well.
Can I use a 6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker?
You sure can! The cooking time may vary slightly with these larger crock pot sizes, so just keep a close eye on the apples.
What about an instant pot?
I haven’t tried, so I’m not personally sure and don’t want to lead you astray. If you’d like to experiment on your own, I’d love to hear how it goes! (The first thing I’d try would be to use the “slow cooker” setting — and just make sure it can hold at least 5 quarts [20 cups] of liquid volume first!)
I don’t have a slow cooker. Could I make this on the stove or in the oven instead?
Yes again! I’ve included how to do so in the Notes section of the recipe, so check there for instructions.
What’s the best way to use this homemade filling to make an apple pie?
I shared how to do that with this apple pie recipe. It’s really easy!
Is it possible to can this filling?
Because of the cornstarch, I don’t recommend it.
How should I store this apple pie filling? How long does it last?
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last at least five days, if not closer to a week or more!
And yes, we did eat this by the spoonful… And over oatmeal… And on top of pancakes… And with ice cream… But I managed to save enough to use in a few new recipes, so stay tuned! 😉
Then when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy slow cooker apple pie filling!
Healthy Slow Cooker Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 9 cups (1150g) diced red apple (about 8 medium – and see Notes!)
- 2 tbsp (30mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups (360mL) water
- ¼ cup (32g) cornstarch
- 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the diced apple to a 5-quart slow cooker, and toss with the lemon juice.
- Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium pot until smooth and the cornstarch has completely dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-8 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken and has reduced by a third. Pour the mixture over the apples, and toss until all of the apples are coated.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid, and cook the apples on HIGH heat for 3 ½ hours, gently stirring after every hour, or until the apples are extremely tender. Cool completely to room temperature in the slow cooker before transferring to airtight containers and refrigerating.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Classic Apple Pie
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Pie
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crumble
♡ Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Apple Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Apple Pie Smoothie
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy slow cooker recipes and healthy apple recipes!
Hello I was wondering if I could just put this apple pie filling in a pie crust as is or if there are any other steps I need to take? I really want to try this out for the holidays! 🙂
I’m so honored that you’d like to try my recipe for the holidays, Virginia! I’ve actually shared a link to the apple pie recipe of mine that uses this filling in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!), which should answer your question. I know it can be easy to miss that little detail! 😉 I’m excited to hear what you think of this apple pie filling if you try making it!
I’m wondering if I can use the slow cooker recipe for the apple pie without cooking it in the slow cooker first. It seems cooking the apples twice would take away some of the nutrients.
I truly appreciate your interest in my recipe, Lori! If you’d prefer not to precook the filling in the slow cooker, then I’d recommend following this apple pie recipe of mine instead. It uses fresh apples and doesn’t cook them twice, so it sounds like it might be a better fit for what you had in mind! 🙂
If you end up making either of my recipes, I’d love to hear what you think of the apple pie!
Can you can this recipe? Or freeze it?
I’m honored by your interest in my recipe, Jenn! I haven’t tried canning or freezing this before… We eat it much too quickly! 😉 The cornstarch may affect the ability to can it, so I’d probably recommend making a fresh batch as needed instead — just to be safe! I’d love to hear what you think of this apple pie filling — and how the canning or freezing goes too! — if you end up trying it! 🙂
Can this be made in an instant pot ?
I’m honored by your interest in my recipe, Catalina! I haven’t tried making it in an instant pot, so I’m not personally sure and don’t want to lead you astray. However, I know many instant pots have a “slow cooker” setting, so it might work in an instant pot if you used that setting and your instant pot can hold at least the same volume (20 cups) as a 5-quart slow cooker. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of this apple pie filling if you try making it!
Made this pie today for thanksgiving. I do not bake and was really worried. You made the process super simple and it came out amazing. Pie is in the oven as I type this. Thank you so much. 😃 And happy turkey day from my family to yours.
I’m truly honored that you made one of my recipes for such a special occasion, Deborah! It means even more to me that you think I made the process easier, especially hearing you were worried ahead of time. That’s the sweetest kind of compliment — thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂 I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Thanksgiving and thoroughly enjoyed your homemade apple pie!
Quick question, have you ever tried arrowroot vs cornstarch? If so, which works better?
Thanks
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Cassandra! I haven’t tried arrowroot starch, so I’m not sure whether it’ll work. I do know cornstarch works perfectly though! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of this homemade apple pie filling if you try making it!
Hi, Amy! Thank you so much for all your recipes! I am wanting to make this for a friend who cannot have sugar in any form whatsoever… Do you think this could work without any sweetener at all?
You’re so thoughtful to want to make this for your friend, Stephanie! That person is really lucky to have you in their life. 🙂 If you’d like to make this without any sweetener, then I’d recommend using the sweetest red apples you can find. I’ve made it with Fuji apples, and that worked well! The pie filling wasn’t quite as sweet, but it was still delicious.
Alternatively, if there’s a sweetener that your friend is allowed to consume, then I’m happy to try to figure out if we could make that work in this recipe!
Thank you so much for your quick reply! I can’t wait to try this pie for my friend! Believe it or not, she can’t have cornstarch either… Do you think I could use whole wheat flour instead? Thanks again for all your help and your amazing recipes!
It’s my pleasure, Stephanie! I haven’t tried substituting anything for the cornstarch, so I’m not personally sure about whether whole wheat flour will work and don’t want to lead you astray.
My main concern is that whole wheat flour doesn’t thicken the liquids and the juice the apples release nearly as well as cornstarch. If you do end up trying to use whole wheat flour, you’ll likely need to add more, but I’m not sure how much.
If you do end up trying that substitute, I’d be really interested to hear how it turns out! 🙂
Maybe try xantham gum to thicken it?
Hi Amy,
Because you don’t peel the apples, does the peel soften when cooked?
I truly appreciate your interest in my recipe, Ada! The peel does soften in this recipe because you’re cooking the apples for 3+ hours. However, you’re welcome to peel your apples first, if you’re worried about the texture! That’s completely fine to do. 🙂
If you end up making it, I’d love to hear what you think of this apple pie filling!
Your apple pie filling is so interesting. What size do you cube the apples. I read it 4 times but I may have missed it?
Have you gotten any responses about freezing?
Thanks Patricia Wheeler
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Patricia! As far as the size of the apples, we like to dice them into small cubes, about an inch square. We haven’t had the filling last long enough to freeze, so we’re not personally sure. If you’d like to experiment on your own, we’d recommend adding the filling to a gallon-sized zip-topped bag, squashing all of the air out, and laying the bag flat on a baking sheet to freeze. (You could also portion it out into smaller bags if you prefer.) That way it freezes in a nice stackable shape and doesn’t take up as much space in your freezer! We’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try making this pie filling! 🙂