Canning apple pie filling at home is a great way to preserve the harvest and have homemade dessert in the pantry. Best of all it’s easy project for beginner and experienced canners alike.
Homemade apple filling is more frugal than store bought and can be customized for your family’s individual tastes. Spices can be changed, more or less sugar can be used.
Best of all this same water bath canning recipe can also be apple pie filling to freeze if canning isn’t your thing or if you’ve run out of jars this preservation season.
Apples to Use
There are lists of apples that make better pie or sauce for example. However, as a person with a large apple tree right in my yard, I just use what I have available. Use whatever you have on hand or enjoy most.
To Peel or Not to Peel
Peeling apples before canning apple pie filling is recommended by those who test canning recipes. I use a apple peeler and corer machine to make the process easy and quick. The peeler does sometimes skip or miss the top and bottom. I leave those and don’t worry too much about it.
This is completely a personal decision. Feel free to cut off every piece of peel, especially if you’re entering your pie filling in the county fair.
Do cut out any bad spots, bruises, bug bites, etc. I use organic apples there are plenty in mine but taking the time to clean up those bad spots will give you a better final product.
Treating for Browning or Not
Apples brown fairly quickly after peeling. Most canning books and websites will tell you to treat them for browning.
To treat apples for browning, you have several options:
Ascorbic acid: you can buy this like ‘Fruit Fresh’ right in the grocery store. Follow package directions but usually it is 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid dissolved in 1 gallon of water.
Lemon Juice: add ¼ cup lemon juice to 4 cups of water.
Simply add slices to water and remove with a slotted spoon to keep the fruit from turning brown.
Let me be honest and say that I skip this all the time. Yes the fruit browns while it sits, however; once it heats up in the pots and jars the color returns. Again, personal decision do what works for you.
Spices
This recipe only includes cinnamon. However, you could switch it up.
Use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Ginger and apples is a lovely combination.
Skip the spice entirely in the canning process and add it when you bake with it later, if desired.
Sugar
Use up to 5 1/2 cups of sugar in the recipe. I generally use less because it simply doesn’t need to be that sweet in my opinion.
The sugar doesn’t do the preserving the canning process does so it is still safe. Less sugar, does mean that the syrup isn’t as going to go as far, however; keep this in mind as you make your recipe.
The recipe included here uses 4 cups of sugar and still made exactly 6 quarts.
ClearJel
Grandma probably canned her apple pie filling using flour or cornstarch. The thing is flour and cornstarch are not approved for home canning. Flour and cornstarch will likely breakdown in the home canning process. You can read more about ClearJel and why we no longer use flour or cornstarch in this article from the University of Illinois.
For these reasons, this recipe uses clearjel, a modified cornstarch that is approved and stable in the home canning process.
Quarts or Pints
A quart jar is the minimum necessary to make a 9” pie, in my opinion. However, you could can this apple pie filling in pints. Follow the same instructions in the recipe, including the same processing time as quarts.
Wide mouth canning jars will be easier to pour out the thick apple pie filling when you’re ready to bake. However, regular mouth jars will obviously work just use a spatula to get it out of the jar.
How to Use Canned Apple Pie Filling
Obviously, use it in a pie. Simply line a pie plate with a homemade pie crust add the apple pie filling, top with another pastry and bake as usual. You can also make a rustic cobbler by omitting the bottom crust and topping the apple pie filling with a crust made from make-ahead baking mix.
Dress up the homemade apple pie filling by adding a cup of raisins or dried cranberries and mix it up with the filling before putting into the pie crust.
Make hand pies or apple turnovers with pie crust and apple pie filling. Bake as usual.
Bake it up in this tasty and easy Apple Pie Cake.
Use it for an apple crisp. Simply pour the pie filling into the bottom of a greased pie plate and top with your favorite crumble or crisp topping. Bake as usual.
Mix the apple pie filling into cooked oatmeal or yogurt for a special treat. Top pound cake or ice cream with the filling for extra flavor.
Here are a bunch of recipes using apple pie filling for you to try.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. We always appreciate your feedback. You can also save the recipe for later by pinning it or clicking on the heart in the lower right hand corner.
Canned Apple Pie Filling
Perfect for pies, crumbles, and more can your own apple pie filling at home with the ideal amount of sugar and spice for your family.
Ingredients
- 24 Cups Apple Slices, cored & peeled
- 4 Cups Sugar
- 1 1/2 Cups ClearJel
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 1/2 Cups Cold Water
- 5 Cups Unsweetened Apple Juice
- 1 Cup Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Get the water bath canner ready, start heating the water, and prepare jars, lids, and rings.
- Boil the apple slices for 1 minute. Do this in several batches. Remove the slices from the pot and keep in a towel covered bowl to keep warm.
- In a heavy pot (one that won't scorch), combine the sugar, ClearJel, cinnamon, water, and apple juice. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until mixture thickens and bubbles.
- Add the lemon juice to the sugar mixture and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stir constantly to prevent scorching.
- Drain the apple slices (don't add any extra water). Add the apple slices and stir to coat. Cook until the apples are heated through.
- Fill the jars with the apple pie filling leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, secure lids, and rings.
- Process in boiling water canner for 25 minutes (adjusting for elevation).
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24 cupsServing Size:
1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 216Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 3gSugar: 51gProtein: 0g
Original Recipe Source
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Complete Guide to Home Canning. Agriculture information bulletin No. 539. 2015. Page 2-26
Cindy Thornton
Friday 26th of July 2024
Can this be done in pints ? If so what would be the timing for the water bath ? Also seems like people are having trouble with it oozing during processing would it be possible to leave a little more headspace ? Maybe 1 &1/2 inch or is that to much ?
Angi Schneider
Thursday 1st of August 2024
Yes, it can be done in pints, however, the processing time is the same as quarts. You cannot safely adjust the headspace in a canned recipe, it needs to stay at 1".
Jennifer Shaffer
Friday 13th of October 2023
Hi, is there a replacement for the clear gel. Thanks
Jean
Saturday 10th of August 2024
@Angi Schneider, which clear jel are you using, the cook type or instant?
Angi Schneider
Sunday 22nd of October 2023
There is no approved thickener for canning other than clear gel, and it's only approved for recipes that have fruit (meaning, there are no approved recipes for soup that uses clear gel.)
Lorri
Wednesday 12th of October 2022
I cut back on the clear jel by 1/2 cup. I did a double batch. The reccomended amount of sugar was perfect. This turned out very good and I'll use this recipe again.
Angi Schneider
Tuesday 18th of October 2022
Glad you liked it!
Suzanne L Marsico
Sunday 25th of July 2021
Is there a lower sugar recipe or one with Steevia for diabetes
Angi Schneider
Friday 30th of July 2021
You can reduce the sugar as much as you want. It's the canning that does the preserving not the sugar. However, the sugar does help the fruit retain it's color and firmness. You might find this article useful, https://extension.psu.edu/canning-with-less-sugar
Lucy
Tuesday 23rd of February 2021
How long is the shelf-life for this recipe? I have thought about using this as gift ideas for my grandma and aunt!
Angi Schneider
Monday 1st of March 2021
The USDA recommends that home canned food be consumed within a year because over time the quality will deteriorate. That being said, as long as the canned food remains sealed it's perfectly safe.