What Are the Ingredients in Great Value Apple Pie Filling? A Complete Breakdown

December 17, 2025 •

4 min read

Great Value is a Walmart brand, known for its affordable and accessible products. Understanding what are the ingredients in Great Value apple pie filling can help home bakers decide if the convenient, canned version meets their needs or if a homemade alternative is better suited for their dessert creations.

Quick Summary

An analysis of the ingredients in Great Value canned apple pie filling, covering both regular and no-sugar-added options, including apples, sweeteners, thickeners, and spices.

Key Points

Regular Ingredients: The standard Great Value apple pie filling contains apples, sugar, water, modified corn starch, natural flavors, citric acid, and cinnamon.
No Sugar Added Ingredients: The lower-calorie version uses apples, water, modified corn starch, spices, and the non-nutritive sweetener sucralose.
Key Difference: The primary distinction between the two fillings is the sweetener, with the regular using sugar and the no-sugar-added variety using sucralose.
Thickener: Both fillings use modified corn starch to achieve their signature jelly-like consistency, preventing a watery result.
Convenience vs. Control: Store-bought Great Value filling offers convenience and consistency, while homemade filling provides total control over apple type, sweetness, and spice level.
Potential for Natural Variation: Since the product uses real fruit, the no-sugar-added version may naturally contain fruit sugars.
Made with Real Apples: Both fillings are made with real apples, ensuring the authentic taste and texture expected in an apple pie filling.

What Are the Ingredients in Great Value Apple Pie Filling?

Great Value offers multiple versions of its apple pie filling, catering to different dietary needs and preferences. The ingredient list for the standard, regular apple pie filling differs from the no-sugar-added variety, primarily concerning the sweetener and spice composition. By examining the contents of each, consumers can make an informed choice for their baking projects.

The Standard Great Value Apple Pie Filling

The most common Great Value Apple Pie Filling or Topping contains a straightforward list of ingredients designed for convenience and flavor. The core components provide the sweetness, structure, and familiar taste of a classic apple pie filling.

Ingredient Breakdown: Regular Version

Apples: The primary ingredient, providing the fruit base for the filling. Great Value uses real apples, ensuring the authentic taste and texture.
Sugar: A key sweetener that provides the rich, sweet flavor associated with traditional apple pie.
Water: Used as a base to create the sauce that holds the apple slices together.
Food Starch-Modified (Corn): A thickening agent derived from corn. This ingredient is crucial for giving the filling its thick, jelly-like consistency, ensuring it doesn't become watery when baked.
Natural Flavors: These are added to enhance the overall apple and spice taste of the filling.
Citric Acid: An acid used to balance the sweetness, provide a slight tartness, and act as a preservative to maintain freshness and color.
Cinnamon: A foundational spice in apple pie, delivering the classic warm, aromatic flavor.

The Great Value No Sugar Added Apple Pie Filling

For those monitoring their sugar intake, the Great Value No Sugar Added Apple Pie Filling provides a lower-calorie alternative. This version replaces traditional sugar with a non-nutritive sweetener.

Ingredient Breakdown: No Sugar Added Version

Apples: Like the regular version, real apples are the main component.
Water: The liquid base for the sauce.
Food Starch-Modified (Corn): Functions identically to the thickener in the regular filling, ensuring the proper texture.
Spices: This term is used more broadly in the no-sugar-added list but typically includes cinnamon, delivering the expected warm spice flavor profile.
Sucralose (a non-nutritive sweetener): This is the key difference, providing sweetness without the calories of sugar.

Store-bought vs. Homemade: A Comparison of Ingredients

Choosing between a convenient canned filling and a from-scratch recipe involves considering more than just the ingredients. The trade-offs between time, cost, and control over the final product are significant. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you decide.


Feature	Regular Great Value	No Sugar Added Great Value	Typical Homemade Filling
Apples	Real apple pieces	Real apple pieces	Fresh-cut apples (e.g., Granny Smith)
Sweetener	Sugar	Sucralose	Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or honey
Thickener	Food Starch-Modified (Corn)	Food Starch-Modified (Corn)	Cornstarch or flour
Spices	Cinnamon	"Spices" (often cinnamon)	Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger
Flavorings	Natural flavors	Natural flavors (implied)	Lemon juice, vanilla extract
Control	Standardized, low control	Standardized, low control	High control over sweetness and spice

Why Choose Store-bought Filling?

For many, convenience is the primary driver. Using a pre-made filling eliminates several steps of the baking process, such as peeling, coring, and slicing apples, as well as preparing the spiced sauce. This drastically reduces preparation time and effort, making it a great option for busy bakers or when making multiple desserts. Furthermore, canned filling often offers a consistent texture and flavor profile, ensuring reliable results every time.

The Case for Homemade Filling

While store-bought filling is convenient, making it from scratch offers significant advantages. You gain complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to use specific apple varieties for different flavor profiles (e.g., tart Granny Smiths mixed with sweet Honeycrisps) and adjust the sugar and spice levels to your exact preference. A homemade filling can avoid artificial or modified ingredients, often resulting in a fresher, more vibrant taste. This control also means you can easily customize the filling for different dietary needs, such as using alternative sweeteners or specific organic ingredients.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice

The choice between Great Value apple pie filling and a homemade version depends on your priorities. If convenience, speed, and consistency are most important, the canned filling is an excellent, affordable option. You now know what are the ingredients in Great Value apple pie filling for both its standard and no-sugar-added formats, and can confidently choose the one that fits your baking needs. However, if you prioritize flavor control, customization, and ingredient quality, taking the time to make your own filling from scratch will likely yield a more personalized and arguably superior dessert. Whether you opt for the convenience of the can or the customization of homemade, a delicious apple pie awaits.

Great Value Apple Pie Filling or Topping, 21 oz - Walmart.com

Frequently Asked Questions

According to the ingredient list for the regular version, Great Value apple pie filling does not list high fructose corn syrup but instead uses regular sugar as its sweetener. However, regional variations or product formulations can sometimes differ, so checking the specific product label is always recommended.

Yes, based on the listed ingredients, Great Value apple pie filling is gluten-free. The product uses modified corn starch as its thickener, not wheat-based flour. However, those with severe sensitivities should always verify the most current labeling to be certain.

Yes, the no-sugar-added version can be used in regular pies as a lower-calorie alternative. It is sweetened with sucralose, so you should not add additional sugar, as it may alter the flavor balance.

Modified corn starch is a food additive used to thicken products like pie filling. It helps the filling achieve a consistent, gel-like texture that remains stable during cooking and cooling, preventing it from becoming a watery mess.

The product label simply lists "apples" as the main ingredient. The specific varieties used are not disclosed, but they are chosen for their flavor and ability to hold their shape during processing.

Great Value filling is prized for its convenience and affordability, while homemade filling offers full control over sweetness, spice, and apple variety, often resulting in a fresher, more vibrant taste.

The packaging for some Great Value fruit fillings includes a warning that, because the product is made from real fruit, it may contain seeds, stems, or other pieces of the natural fruit. This is a standard advisory for many real-fruit products.