Do you want an indulgent, sweet and spicy apple pie, but don’t have time to roll out your pastry, peel fruit and wait for the oven? Here’s an easy recipe for apple pie with canned filling.
Apple Pie with Canned Filling
Updated on Oct. 28, 2024
This apple pie recipe with canned filling cuts out the time-consuming baking steps standing between you and a sweet, crunchy pie that carries spicy aromas throughout the house. Nobody will ever know the difference either. This apple pie might use pie filling from a can but it tastes as good as any apple pie made from scratch.
The finished product is similar to a Dutch apple pie. There’s no pie crust, just a crumbly topping. You can customize it, of course, but the main appeal of this recipe is that all the ingredients are ready to go.
Apple Pie with Canned Filling Ingredients
- Apple pie filling: If you’re not using your own canned apple pie filling, you can use a shop-bought version containing peeled and cored apples, sugar, spices and thickener.
- Lemon juice: This gives all that sweetness a little tartness.
- Ground cinnamon: A wonderful autumn spice that goes so well with apples.
- Pastry shell: Use a readymade, baked store bought short crust to save you the fuss of rolling and blind baking your own homemade pie crust.
- All-purpose flour: This will bake to give the topping a crunchy texture.
- Brown sugar: Caramelizes during baking to sweeten the pie topping.
- Cold butter: Use salted or unsalted to make the crumbly top layer of the pie.
- Chopped nuts: Pecans and walnuts work well as they release their oils during baking for extra flavor.
- Oats: Choose quick-cooking oats which are finer and require less oven time.
- Coconut: Sweetened, shredded coconut gives the apple pie a tender texture and pleasant fragrance.
Directions
Step 1: Fill the pre-baked pie crust
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine the apple pie filling, lemon juice and ground cinnamon. Spoon the mixture into the baked pastry shell.
Step 2: Top the pie
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and brown sugar. Cut in the cold butter until the texture is crumbly. Stir in the chopped nuts, oats and shredded coconut. Sprinkle over the pie filling.
Step 3: Bake the apple pie
Bake at 400° for 12 to 15 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Editor’s Tip: If the edges of the pie crust are overbrowning, cover them loosely with foil to protect them from additional heat.
Recipe Variations
- Add cranberries: You can get an even more tart flavor and more color by adding frozen cranberries to the apple pie filling
- Try salted caramel: Drizzle the apple pie topping with a homemade salted caramel sauce before baking. It seriously elevates the flavors.
- Mix with other canned fruits: Any canned fruit can be mixed into the filling. Apricots, peaches or even rhubarb combine perfectly with the other ingredients.
How to Store Apple Pie with Canned Filling
Allow the apple pie to cool and store it at room temperature for a day or two or in the refrigerator for longer (up to four days). Cover it with foil to stop it from drying out.
Can you freeze apple pie with canned filling?
Wrap your cooled apple pie in foil or plastic wrap and freeze it for up to four months. Reheat it directly in the oven so that the crust doesn’t have time to turn soggy.
Apple Pie with Canned Filling Tips
What can I serve with apple pie with canned filling?
The crunchy topping on this apple pie goes beautifully with a smothering of velvety custard, heavy cream or whipped cream. It’s hard to beat ice cream if you’re looking for that delicate contrast of hot and cold.
What if my canned apple pie is too watery?
Choosing canned apple pie usually takes care of any issues with consistency. But if it’s still too watery for your liking, you can cook down your apple filling to evaporate some liquid, stir in some cornstarch and water or thicken it with a homemade apple butter.
Can I make my own pastry shell?
Whereas the pie crust of an apple pie is usually flaky and light, pastry crust should be solid but crumbly. If you’re making your own, use cold butter or lard to get the right consistency.
Apple Pie with Canned Filling
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cold butter
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
- 2 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine pie filling, lemon juice and cinnamon; spoon into pastry shell. In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts, oats and coconut; sprinkle over pie filling.
- Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until topping is golden brown, covering edges loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts
1 slice: 304 calories, 13g fat (6g saturated fat), 13mg cholesterol, 168mg sodium, 45g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 2g fiber), 2g protein.
Loading Popular in the Community
Pie recipes using canned apple pie filling are rare, but my two boys, Ben and Andy, made this scrumptious apple pie with a sweet, crunchy topping. It's simple to assemble with a store-bought crust and canned pie filling, yet it tastes like it's made from scratch. —Cindy Glick, Bradford, New York
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