Apple Pie Baked Beans

These Apple Pie Baked Beans take baked beans to a whole new level. Yes, you read that right – this apple pie baked bean recipe is what happens when two classic American comfort foods get together and make a delicious baby.

So say goodbye to blah canned baked beans, and say hello to the new world of baked beans. From the easy homemade BBQ sauce flavored with apple chunks, cinnamon and other apple pie spices to the crispy bacon on top, your baked beans won’t play second fiddle ever again.

pan of baked beans and apple topped with bacon on a wood background.
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Ingredients

You could make apple baked beans with canned beans, canned apple pie filling, and a bottle of BBQ sauce. However, you probably know that canned and other packaged foods have a lot of salt and sugar. And the convenience doesn’t always bring the best flavor.

 

So this one-pan apple pie baked beans recipe is a compromise between the two. Feel free to make the recipe entirely from scratch, or substitute store-bought if you must.

Beans for baked beans

The traditional bean for baked beans is a navy bean, a small white bean, but in this recipe you can use any small white bean or even pinto beans. You can use either canned beans here or dried beans, soaked and cooked until al dente.

Apple pie filling

The one ingredient I would definitely recommend not using from a can is the apple pie filling. Canned apple pie filling is just mush, and I want texture in apple pie, just like you want in these apple baked beans.

For this baked bean recipe, use apples like a Honey Crisp or cross that are crisp and won’t fall apart when you cook them. This is not the time to make applesauce.

BBQ sauce

The BBQ sauce recipe is adapted from the homemade BBQ sauce that I use to braise country style ribs and BBQ chicken meatballs. If you absolutely have to buy barbecue sauce, here are some of the best BBQ sauces to buy.

Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations and substitutions

  • Love boozy bourbon apples? Add a few tablespoons of bourbon to deglaze the pan after cooking the onions, apples, and garlic.
  • Make your apple pie baked beans with sausage in place of bacon. Cook a half to a full cup of bulk sausage with the onions and continue on with the recipe.
  • Use the slow cooker in place of the oven to make the BBQ sauce and beans.

Recipe tips and tricks

Step 1: Cook the bacon on the stove top over medium low heat until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Removing the bacon keeps your bacon crispy in the final dish.

Step 2: Pour off all but one tablespoon of bacon fat, then cook the chopped onion over medium low heat until it has softened and is just starting to brown. You can keep that extra bacon fat in a jar in a refrigerator – it’s omg good for roasting potatoes.

Tip from the wise quacker: always pour your fat into a glass jar or wait for it to cool and wipe it out with a paper towel to discard. Never ever pour fat down your kitchen sink or it will clog!

Step 3: Add the apple to the pan and cook for two to three minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook one minute more just until the garlic is fragrant. Then add all of the apple pie BBQ sauce ingredients to the pan, and stir well to mix completely.

frying pan filled with apple chunks in a thick brown sauce.

Step 4: Add the beans and stir in. Cover the pan and bake in the oven to bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the sauce is bubbling.

pan on the stove top with white beans and apple chunks in a dark brown sauce.

Chop the cooled, cooked bacon into bacon bits and sprinkle it over the beans in the pan or per serving. Serve immediately!

frying pan with apple and white beans in a dark brown sauce topped with crispy bacon.

This apple baked beans recipe will make eight to ten half-cup servings.

What to serve with apple pie baked beans

Recipe FAQs

How should I store these apple baked beans?

Homemade baked beans will keep in the refrigerator for three to five days.

Can I freeze baked beans?

Yes, you can freeze the beans, minus the crispy bacon, for three to six months in an airtight container. The beans and apples will definitely lose some chew when you reheat them.

Can I make vegetarian apple pie baked beans?

Yes. Omit the bacon and use a tablespoon of neutral vegetable oil instead.

Why do beans give people gas?

Beans cause gas because they contain a lot of fiber and certain complex carbohydrates that are not easily digested. People will tell you different methods to reduce your gas, but there’s no scientific proof that any method stops beans from making you fart except for Beano.

Recipe

Apple Pie Baked Beans

5 from 1 vote
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 108kcal
These Apple Pie Baked Beans take baked beans to a whole new level. Yes, you read that right – this apple baked bean recipe is what happens when two classic American comfort foods get together and make a delicious baby.
So say goodbye to blah canned baked beans, and say hello to the new world of baked beans. From the easy homemade BBQ sauce flavored with apple chunks, cinnamon and other apple pie spices to the crispy bacon on top, your baked beans won't play second fiddle ever again.
Print Recipe
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Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 medium apples cored, peeled, and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • cups ketchup
  • ½ cup cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • teaspoon cayenne pepper plus more to taste
  • 1 pinch each of nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves or use ¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
  • 2 15 ounce cans small white beans rinsed and drained

Instructions

  • Turn on the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Cook the bacon on the stove top in a large, oven-safe frying pan that has a lid. Cook over medium low heat until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
    4 slices bacon
  • Pour off all but one tablespoon of bacon fat, then cook the chopped onion over medium low heat until it has softened and is just starting to brown.
    1 medium onion
  • Add the apple to the pan and cook for two to three minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook one minute more just until the garlic is fragrant.
    2 medium apples, 2 cloves garlic
  • Add all of the apple pie BBQ sauce ingredients to the pan, and stir well to mix completely.
    1½ cups ketchup, ½ cup cider vinegar, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 pinch each of nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves
  • Add the beans and stir in. Cover the pan and move to the oven to bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the sauce is bubbling.
    2 15 ounce cans small white beans
  • Chop the cooked bacon into bacon bits and sprinkle over the beans. Serve immediately!

Notes

This apple pie baked beans recipe will make eight to ten half-cup servings.
In place of the canned beans, feel free to use 1 cup of dried navy beans, cooked in advance to al dente to yield 3 cups of cooked beans.
Pour off extra bacon fat into a glass jar or onto a paper towel to discard. Never pour bacon fat down your kitchen sink!

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 0.5mg | Sodium: 855mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
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