topic Re: Apple Pie Question in Kitchen

Apple Pie Question

Mersha — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 23:18:31 GMT

I have been searching online if you should or should not cook your apple pie filling before baking.

The answer seems to be divided.

Do you cook your filling before baking or not?

Thanks!

Re: Apple Pie Question

Pook — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 23:36:28 GMT

My mother used to cook it first but mine always came out mushy so I don't but I use more butter in my apples.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Snowpuppy — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 23:43:22 GMT

I don't cook my filling either. Too mushy like canned pie filling.

Re: Apple Pie Question

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 23:48:33 GMT

My grandmother used to simmer butter, flour, water, white sugar, and brown sugar in a saucepan on the stovetop. Then she would place the raw apple slices in the bottom crust and arrange a lattice-work crust on top. She finished by pouring the cooked liquid over the top crust. She then baked the pie until the apples were soft.

I've never made it this way because it takes longer than a non-cooked filling.

It tasted delicious though.

Maybe it is an older method for making apple pie?

Re: Apple Pie Question

Meowingkitty — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:32:20 GMT

As I recall my mom did not cook the filling separately. I believe she did something similar to what deepwater just said. I on the other hand have never made an apple pie.

Re: Apple Pie Question

AuntMame — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:07:13 GMT

I prebake the apple slices with sugar and butter for a short time, 400F, for 80-10 minutes. So they're not watery or undercooked in the pie. I make large deep dish apple pies with lots of apples and they sometimes remain hard after the crust is browned.

I know some microwave the apple slices for a brief time.

Re: Apple Pie Question

sandy53 — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:17:13 GMT

I do not precook the filling. Maybe it depends on the kind of apples you use. I like Jonathans best, but they are hard to find here. Lately I have been using Braeburn apples and they do not need to be precooked.

Re: Apple Pie Question

AuntG — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:34:49 GMT

We never cooked the filling until the pie was put in the oven.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Kachina624 — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:41:05 GMT

Ive never cooked the filling and didn't know anybody did. My favorite recipe is to put all the ingredients in a baked pie crust, cover with a crumb strudel topping and microwave for 9 minutes.

Re: Apple Pie Question

shoekitty — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:51:26 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
My grandmother used to simmer butter, flour, water, white sugar, and brown sugar in a saucepan on the stovetop. Then she would place the raw apple slices in the bottom crust and arrange a lattice-work crust on top. She finished by pouring the cooked liquid over the top crust. She then baked the pie until the apples were soft.

I've never made it this way because it takes longer than a non-cooked filling.
It tasted delicious though.
Maybe it is an older method for making apple pie?

@deepwaterdotter this is a great method. I have also had an abundance of apples once and my granddaughter and I made apple pie filling and jarred it (canned). We just had so much! The premade pie filling was great for tarts and such, and the pie was good. I just prefer cooking pie filling with raw crust as you suggested. So,etimes it is hard to get just right the the pie crust cooked right, and not over cooking the filling.

Re: Apple Pie Question

loriqvc — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 02:15:15 GMT

I make three different types of apple pie fairly regularly and do not pre-cook the filling for any of them.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Spacrazy — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 05:13:28 GMT

No, I do not cook apples first. They go into the oven raw and come out transformed. Yum!

Re: Apple Pie Question

CalminHeart — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:25:32 GMT

I never pre-cook the apple filling or any filling with fresh fruit.

However, I do bake the bottom crust halfway before filling the pie and baking it. I don't like crust that gets mushy in a day or two.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Eileen in Virginia — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:02:52 GMT

I never cook the apples before making a pie. I use 6 to 8 Granny Smith apples (depending on the size of the pie plate). The apples shrink as they cook, but the crust stays high. I've read that pre-cooking the apples prevents this, but it isn't worth the extra time to me and no one's ever complained, as the crust compresses once you slice it.

Re: Apple Pie Question

cindyNC — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:01:05 GMT

@deepwaterdotter Great idea!

Re: Apple Pie Question

faeriemoon — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:29:18 GMT

I do not. In fact I've never heard of cooking the apples before baking, but I'm no authority on pie making.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Mersha — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:06:23 GMT

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

I just purchased a load of Cortland apples and thought I would attempt another pie.

The last one I made seemed so runny and I am trying to avoid doing that this time.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Sooner — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:09:54 GMT

@Mersha wrote:
Thanks to everyone for your replies.

I just purchased a load of Cortland apples and thought I would attempt another pie.

The last one I made seemed so runny and I am trying to avoid doing that this time.

@Mersha Courtland apples are the best in the world for pies. I wish we could get them here. We sometimes order them and once in awhile find them here. But I haven't seen them in many years.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Mersha — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:15:43 GMT

@Sooner Thanks for your insight on Cortlands in pie.

We have several farmer's markets in the area that carry so many varieties of apples but the Cortlands only seem to be around for a week or two in the fall.

They were delicious to cut up and eat...a bit sweet and lots of tart.

Re: Apple Pie Question

Effie54 — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:22:10 GMT

For me, it depends on the type,of apples I use. If they're Rome, Gala, Cortland then I cook them down before baking. Otherwise they're like apple rocks when I cut the pie. If I use finely sliced McIntosh, then I don't cook them beforehand. They bake nice and soft.