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Apple Pie with Cooked Filling


Making apple pie is not new to me but this year  I decided to try cooking my filling first and now I'm sold on this method.   Have you ever baked an apple pie, loading the pie high with apples only to have it bake and find that you have a hollow space under the top crust?
Try this method and see what you think. 

 The important thing to know about this method is what kind of apple you are working with.  I wish I knew what kind of apple tree we have.  Maybe you recognize this apple?   It is later than our Jonagold and holds well on the tree until mid-October.  Let me know if you can identify it!

The apples that you want to use for cooked filling is one that keeps it shaped when it is cooked.  Apples that turn to applesauce are not going to work in this recipe.   If in doubt, slice up an apple and saute it until tender.  If it keeps it's shape, you are set!


  • 12 cups peeled, quartered and sliced apples (this may seem like a lot of apples but they will cook down some and you will get more apples in your pie!)
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar (taste after the apples have cooked and decide then if you want to add more sugar)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minute tapioca
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon  (if you love cinnamon, add a bit more)
  • 1 9 inch deep pie crust and crust for top
  • cream and sugar for the top of the crust
  1. Melt butter in a large saucepan and add apples. 
  2. Add sugar and tapioca and stir to combine.  Cook over medium high heat until the apples are just tender and the sauce has thickened.
  3. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.  
  4. Prepare the pie crust and turn pie filling into crust.  Top with crust and press edges together.  
  5. Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. 



21 comments:

  1. Could they be Cortland apples? I love to use NC Romes for baking.

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    1. Debbie, I put a photo on of the tree with the apples... does that look like Cortlands?

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  2. They are very small to be Cortlands, which are big and round and squat...at least here. =D

    Okay, this is very interesting to me because not only have I had that giant air pocket, I have, even worse, had crunchy apples. Nothing that I dislike anymore than that! I am going to give your method a try!

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  3. Maybe Honey Crisp apples???

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    1. I put a photo on now of the tree with a better view of the apple. Does that look like honeycrisp to you?

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  4. We had late firm apples like that and the tree was called Jonafree.

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  5. That cuts the baking time down considerably, and you don't re-adjust your oven temperature after baking for 15-20 min on a high heat. - so much simpler! I might have to try this! :)

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  6. I agree with you about uncooked apples shrinking and leaving that annoying gap at the top! One way I found that helps with very little extra effort is to freeze the peeled apple slices first, this seems to soften them. Then I thaw out as many as needed, add the sugar and thickener and bingo! No more shrinkage. I thank your site for this idea, using your "freezing apples" recipe and then thawing them out for pies. I noticed the lack of shrinkage then and have never gone back to "raw" hard slices!

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  7. Yum... I have to say I sure enjoyed my slice very much! I wonder if they are Kings? We had them at the lake until we lost that tree. They were great for freezing and cooking, not getting mushy.

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    1. Maybe? I put a picture of the tree on now so maybe that will help to figure out the variety!

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  8. I bet they are Gala apples. If you google "what do Gala apples look like?" You will see what I mean.

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  9. Galas are too early... I think they are Fuji apples

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  10. Very helpful - I will try this, Marilyn

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  11. What a great tip! Like Anonymous, I too have read on your blog about freezing apples and have always wanted to try doing this. It's apple season here and now's the time! I will show your picture to our nearby apple farm and see if they know what kind yours is. My favourite variety for pie is Cortland.

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  12. You could always take one of the apples to a produce store, like Lepps, maybe they could tell you what kind of apple it is. :)

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  13. Your apple pie looks delicious! Looking at the apples on the tree, you have a Jonathan apple tree.
    I don't have a blog but love to follow yours.
    Chris - NB, Canada

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  14. Your apples are Braeburn

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braeburn

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    1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braeburn#/media/File:Braeburn.jpg

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  15. Hi,do you know of a substitute for tapioca... Is it just for thickening or does it have flavor... thanks for your advice in advace.
    angie

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    1. Minute tapioca doesn't have a flavor - it is used for dessert puddings (recipe on the box) but also for thickening fruit pies. You cannot use other types of tapioca (pearl, seed, etc.) for pies. Regular cornstarch breaks down in pies, flour works but it can make filling a little cloudy. Clear Jel is a commercial type product (cornstarch) that doesn't break down in cooking. You will need to order from Amazon or try to locate it in a local restaurant supply store as regular supermarkets don't carry it.

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    2. Thank you LInda! That is a great tutorial on thickening agents.

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