Gordon Ramsay Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Homemade apple pie filling takes about 25 minutes on the stove and tastes nothing like the canned kind: tender apple slices in a glossy cinnamon and brown sugar sauce, finished with butter and vanilla. One batch fills two pint jars, which is enough for a deep-dish pie. It keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

This isn’t a Ramsay recipe; it’s a pantry staple I keep in autumn. Cooking it on the stove instead of in the oven means you can stop the apples at exactly the right point, while they still hold their shape.

Ingredients

• 6 medium firm-sweet apples (about 2 1/2 lb / 1.1 kg), half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Which apples to use

Use half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp. Granny Smiths are tart and hold their shape; Honeycrisps add sweetness and stay firm. Avoid Red Delicious and McIntosh, which turn to mush within minutes.

Method

1. Slice the apples. Cut them 1/4 inch thick: thick enough to survive simmering, thin enough to cook through. Toss them straight away with the lemon juice so they don’t brown.
   
2. Whisk the syrup cold. In a large, heavy saucepan, whisk both sugars, the cornstarch, spices and salt. Add the water and whisk until there are no dry pockets. Mixing the cornstarch smooth before any heat goes on is what gives a clear, glossy sauce instead of a cloudy, lumpy one.
   
3. Thicken it. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking, then simmer for 2 minutes until thick and see-through. This head start matters; it’s what stops the finished filling from being runny.
   
4. Cook the apples, briefly. Stir in the apples and simmer over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until a knife slides in with a little resistance. Stop there; they soften more as they cool.
   
5. Finish off the heat. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter, then the vanilla. Taste it: add a spoonful more brown sugar if your apples were very tart, or a squeeze of lemon if they were very sweet.
   
6. Jar it. Ladle the warm filling into clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top. Let them cool completely before closing and refrigerating; sealing them warm traps steam that thins the sauce.
   

How to use it

• Apple pie: one batch fills a 9-inch deep-dish crust. Add a top crust or lattice and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 45–50 minutes.
• Crisp or crumble: spread it in a baking dish, cover with an oat topping and bake for about 25 minutes.
• Breakfast: warm it and spoon it over pancakes, waffles or oatmeal.
• Quick dessert: serve it warm over vanilla ice cream.

Storage notes

Keep it in clean, airtight jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. The sauce can look a little thinner after freezing; a good stir brings it back. This isn’t a canning recipe, so it isn’t shelf-stable. Keep it in the fridge or freezer.

You can cut the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup if your apples are sweet, but don’t go lower; the sugar helps the sauce turn glossy and keep well.

Dessert

Gordon Ramsay Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Tender apple slices simmered in a glossy cinnamon-brown-sugar sauce on the stovetop. Ready in 25 minutes, jar-able and freezer-friendly — perfect for pies, crisps, or spooning over ice cream.

Chef Gordon Ramsay Recipes

Prep
10 minutes

Cook
15 minutes

Total
25 minutes

Serves
4 cups (two 1-pint jars)

🖨 Print Recipe

Ingredients

6 medium firm-sweet apples (about 2 1/2 lb / 1.1 kg), half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick1 tbsp fresh lemon juice3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar3 tbsp cornstarch1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground nutmeg1/4 tsp fine sea salt1 cup (240 ml) water2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

01

Prep the apples

Peel, core, and slice the apples 1/4-inch thick. Toss immediately with the lemon juice in a large bowl so the slices stay bright and don't brown.

02

Build the cinnamon syrup

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour in the water and whisk until completely smooth with no dry pockets.

03

Simmer until glossy

Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer and cook 2 minutes, until the syrup turns glossy, thick, and translucent.

04

Cook the apples

Add the apple slices to the hot syrup and stir gently to coat. Simmer over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but still hold their shape — a knife should slide in with slight resistance.

05

Finish with butter and vanilla

Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter until melted, then the vanilla extract. The sauce will look glossy and coat the back of a spoon.

06

Jar and store

Ladle the warm filling into clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.

Chef Tips

• Use a mix of tart and sweet apples. All-Granny-Smith filling tastes sharp; all-Honeycrisp turns mushy. The 50/50 split gives balanced flavor and slices that hold up.
• Don't overcook. Pull the apples when they're just tender — they soften a little more as they cool, and you want distinct slices, not applesauce.
• Whisk the cornstarch fully smooth before the heat goes on. Lumps added early never dissolve; lumps added late mean a cloudy sauce.
• Cool the jars before refrigerating. Sealing warm jars traps steam that thins the sauce and shortens fridge life.

Turn it into a full pie with my Gordon Ramsay Dutch Apple Pie Recipe, or try the Gordon Ramsay Pumpkin Spice Latte Tiramisu for another fall dessert. More holiday baking on Pinterest.