We've been going apple picking every fall for the past few years and naturally we try to make an apple pie afterwards! So I've been experimenting with my apple pie fillings every year. This year, I made this cardamom ginger apple pie filling.
It is such a perfectly balanced and delicious pie filling that I may not play around with the recipe anymore! This filling is sweet, warm from the spices and tart from the apples. Naturally, the apple pie did not last long with both kids looking for seconds!
How to make homemade apple pie filling
For homemade apple pies, I prefer to chop the apples pretty small and I like par cook the apples with the spices. I really like the texture of the filling with this method. Plus the added bonus is that the leftover apple pie filling is ready to be used as a topping for other desserts or breakfasts (warmed over vanilla ice cream or in place of maple syrup on pancakes!)
Cardamom Ginger Apple Pie Spice Blend
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Ginger Powder
- Ground Cardamom
- Vanilla Extract
- Fresh Ground Nutmeg
- Pinch of Salt
Did you know that the spices that make this apple pie filling recipe so amazing are basically the same ones that will your favorite cup of chai?
Serve your cardamom ginger apple pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And don't forget a nice piping hot cup of masala chai!
Cardamom Ginger Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cups apples peeled and chopped
Apple Pie Spice Mix
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated, optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare apples: Peel and chop, drizzle with lemon juice and set aside.
- Mix corn starch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to make a slurry.
- In a saucepan, heat 3 cups of water on medium heat. Add the cornstarch slurry to the water.
- Add all of the ingredients of the apple pie spice blend to the water and cornstarch as it s heating up.
- Stir the mixture often. It will start to boil. Allow to boil for about 2 -3 minutes.
- Add chopped and peeled apples to the sugar and spice mixture. stir to evenly coat. Cook the mixture with the apples for about 5 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. As the mixture cools, it will thicken even more.
- Once the filling is cooled, you can spoon the filling into your favorite pie crust for a delicious apple pie or use as a topping for your favorite apple dessert!*Note - When filling pie crust, do not fill all the way to the top of your pie pan, the filling will expand as it is cooking!
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