Apple Pie with Canned Apple Pie Filling

Jump to:

• Watch the Video!
• Why You're Going to Love This
• Easy Tricks to Dress Up Canned Apple Pie Filling & Store Bought Pie Crust
• Ingredients
• How to Make Canned Apple Pie: Step-by-Step
• Pie Crust Variations
• How to Store Apple Pie
• How to Reheat Apple Pie
• Freezing Instructions
• Expert Tips
• FAQs
• Easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling
• More Easy Apple Recipes
• 💌Let's Stay in Touch
• 📖 Recipe

Watch the Video!

Making a freshly baked apple pie doesn't have to mean spending all day peeling, chopping, and fussing with homemade pie crust. 

When you're pressed for time and energy, you can absolutely make a perfect apple pie with cozy, homemade flavors and a glossy, golden brown crust with canned pie filling, store-bought crust, and a few simple hacks. 

This canned apple pie recipe is easy, delicious, and one you'll be proud to serve to family and friends.

Why You're Going to Love This

• Easy recipe for apple pie -- no need to peel, chop, or make pie crust
• Easy way to elevate the flavor of canned pie filling with a few simple ingredients
• Perfect canned apple pie recipe for first time bakers! 
• Freshly baked apple pie with all the cozy homemade apple pie flavors

Easy Tricks to Dress Up Canned Apple Pie Filling & Store Bought Pie Crust

Yes, you can make a delicious dessert made from convenience items. These are my favorite hacks for doctoring up a can of apple pie filling and a box of pie dough. 

1. Add Flavor to the Apple Pie Filling

Add apple pie spices. Grocery store apple pie filling is very lightly spiced with cinnamon. I add cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and allspice to give it more of the homemade apple pie flavor we're after. Taste as you go to adjust the flavors to your liking.

Thicken the filling with cornstarch. There's a lot of goo in those cans of apple pie filling, and it doesn't thicken up when baked or even refrigerated. Cornstarch helps thicken the filling so it doesn't run out of the pie crust. 

Enhance the flavor with brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and butter. 

• Brown sugar enriches the flavors in the pie filling and a little bit of lemon juice brightens it up. 
• A splash of vanilla extract is a great way to add homemade flavor. 
• Small pats of butter over the pie filling make the flavor a bit richer. Some also think it helps the filling set up or keeps the juices from bubbling over. 

Slice fresh apples, optional (not included in this recipe). To add variety to the texture of the apples in the canned filling, throw in one cup of fresh apple slices. They will soften as they bake and provide additional flavor and texture. Granny Smith apples are a great option for adding tart flavor. 

Find all my tips and tricks here ---> Make Apple Pie Filling Taste Better

2. Dress Up the Refrigerated Pie Dough

Blind bake the crust. Blind baking just means pre-baking the bottom pie crust before adding the filling. If you want to avoid a gummy, doughy bottom crust, blind baking is the way to prevent that.

I tested this pie without blind baking and even after baking it for an hour and 40 minutes, the bottom crust was doughy.

And don't worry -- I'll show you how to seamlessly incorporate the unbaked top crust with the par-baked bottom crust.

Weave a lattice crust. A beautiful lattice crust only looks complicated. It's really easy to do and will make your pie look so pretty and homespun.

Use an egg wash. Brushing the top crust with beaten egg and milk gives the baked pie a pretty glossy -- and homemade-looking -- finish.

Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. A sprinkle of raw sugar adds a little crunchy texture and sweetness to the pie crust. You can also use granulated sugar.

Ready to start baking?

Keep scrolling for easy instructions to use simple grocery store items to make deliciously spiced apple filling in a perfectly flaky crust (not gummy!) for a holiday dessert table-worthy apple pie. 

Ingredients

Please see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients. 

Pre-made pie crust. Refrigerated pie dough from the grocery store is a great time saver. I always use Pillsbury. Of course, you can make your own pie dough, too. 

Apple pie filling. I use cans of store-bought apple pie filling, but you can absolutely use homemade apple pie filling.

Apple pie spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and allspice make a can of apple pie filling taste more like homemade. 

Cayenne pepper. A tiny dash of cayenne or even black pepper adds interesting flavor. 

Cornstarch. The goo in cans of apple pie filling is quite runny and doesn't thicken when baked. Cornstarch helps thicken the filling. 

Fresh apple, optional. If desired, add one cup of fresh apple slices to the filling. I didn't include it in this recipe, but I've done it and it's a great way to add texture to canned apple pie filling. 

How to Make Canned Apple Pie: Step-by-Step

1. Blind bake the pie crust. 

Press pie dough into a 9" pie plate and tuck the edges under. Chill for 30 minutes. 

Line the crust with foil and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. 

Carefully remove the foil. Poke holes in the crust with a fork. 

Bake for 8-10 more minutes or until the crust is light golden brown. Set aside to cool.  

Turn the oven temperature up to 425. 

2. Make the pie filling. 

In a large bowl, combine the apple pie filling, spices, and salt. 

Stir the cornstarch and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Add it to the apple mixture and stir until combined. 

Add the lemon juice and vanilla. 

Spoon pie filling into the crust. Cut the butter into small pieces and place it on top of the apple pie filling.

3. Make the lattice crust. 

Unroll the other pie dough round onto a lightly floured cutting board. Cut the dough into eight equally sized strips. A pizza cutter and a ruler make this really easy!

Use the 6 middle strips for the lattice with the longer strips in the center and the shorter pieces on the ends. 

• Vertical columns: Evenly space three strips vertically over the pie. 

• Top row: Fold the middle strip back, lay one strip down horizontally, then replace the middle vertical strip. 

• Middle row: Fold the first and third strips back, lay one strip down in the center, and unfold the first and third strips. 

• Bottom row: Repeat step 2. 

Tuck the ends of the strips under the bottom crust and around the edges.

Crimp the dough with a fork around the circumference of the pie.  

4. Make the pie crust cutouts. 

Roll out the outer edge pieces of pie dough. Cut the dough into small shapes with a knife or cookie cutter.

Arrange cutouts on top of the pie. 

5. Brush with egg wash. 

In a small bowl, beat the egg with milk. Evenly brush the egg wash over the pie crust. Sprinkle the top crust with sugar, if desired. 

6. Bake and cool the pie. 

Place the pie plate on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. 

Turn the oven down to 375 and bake for 60-70 more minutes or until the filling is bubbly, the top crust is evenly dark golden brown, and the bottom crust is well-browned. 

Cover the edges of the crust with foil after 30 minutes, or as needed, to keep from burning. 

Cool the pie completely on a wire rack for about 4 hours, up to overnight. This will allow the filling to set up so it won't ooze out of the pie when cut. 

Serve cold, room temperature, or warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Pie Crust Variations

Keep it simple. Place the top crust over the filling, tuck the edges under the bottom crust, crimp the edges, and use a sharp knife to slit vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape while it bakes. 

Make cutout designs. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out shapes in the top pie crust. Lay the crust on top of the pie filling and tuck the ends under the bottom crust. Use your fingers or a fork to crimp the edges together. Place the shapes on top of the pie crust. Cut additional slits to vent the crust. 

Make a plaid lattice crust. Cut ⅔ of the pie dough into thick and thin strips. Weave them together into a plaid pattern. Tuck the ends under the bottom crust.

Roll out the remaining dough, cut it into various-sized shapes, and place them on top of the plaid lattice. 

How to Store Apple Pie

Store cooled apple pie tightly covered in the refrigerator for about a week.  

How to Reheat Apple Pie

To reheat, cover the pie with foil and place it on a baking sheet. Heat in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until warmed to your liking. 

Freezing Instructions

To freeze baked apple pie, wrap the completely cooled pie in a double layer of plastic wrap. Place in a freezer-safe container, freezer bag, or double layer of foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 

Expert Tips

• Add one cup of sliced apples to the filling (optional, not included in the recipe). The apples will soften as they bake and add flavor and texture to the pie filling. If you do, you'll have some filling left over. 
• Enjoy leftover pie filling as a dessert topping. But first, activate and cook the cornstarch by warming it in a saucepan over medium heat with a tablespoon or two of water until bubbly and translucent. 
• Use a clear glass pie dish so you can see when the bottom crust is golden brown. 

FAQs

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling

Ready to break out the apple peeler and make your own apple pie filling? This pre-cooked apple pie filling is gooey and caramelly and cooks in about 15 minutes.

It's the best apple pie filling for apple pie, apple crisp, and apple coffee cake, and a delicious topping for pancakes, ice cream, and cake. 

More Easy Apple Recipes

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