Easy Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Share it!

This homemade canned apple pie filling recipe is easy and delicious. A fresh, homemade apple pie will only take minutes to throw together if you have this apple pie filling sitting on your pantry shelves. This canned apple pie filling is also delicious for apple crisp, as a topping for ice cream, or in any recipe that calls for apple pie filling!

Preserving apples as canned apple pie filling is one of my favorite ways to use up the abundance from my apple trees. Each fall I always take the time to make some homemade apple pie filling for my pantry.

I always make dried apples and applesauce, but apple pie filling is that extra special canning project that my family always appreciates come dessert time.

Sure you can buy apple pie filling at grocery stores, but there’s just something rewarding about eating food you grew yourself, or at least preserved yourself. Homemade home-canned apple pie filling often tastes better than store bought.

I use the canned apple pie filling to make quick apple pies at a moments notice.

This canned apple pie filling is also great in any recipe that calls for apple pie filling. We really love to use it as a topping on vanilla ice cream too!

Enjoy the flavor of your fall apple harvest all year by making canned apple pie filling.

If this is your first time canning, don’t worry! This recipe uses the water bath canning method, which is just boiling water in a big pot. It’s easy and uncomplicated.

Tips for Canning Apple Pie Filling

This is a simple canning recipe with only a handful of ingredients. This recipe uses the water bath canning method.

A boiling water canner is simple to use. Apple pie filling should be canned using a water-bath canner rather than a pressure canner.

This recipe is great for beginning canners! The canning process is easy and straightforward.

The best way to peel a bunch of apples in a hurry is to use a apple peeler.

I love this one that mounts on a table or countertop. It peels, cores, and slices the apples. I simple cut down both sides of the finished peeled apple to make apple slices fit for a pie.

This recipe calls for blanching the apple slices before adding them to the filling. This blanching process keeps the apples from turning too soft during the canning process.

Ingredients:

Apples: You can use any type of fresh apples for this recipe, but crisp apples work best. Granny Smith apples or Pink Lady Apples work great. Make sure they are at the peak of ripeness. Don’t use bruised apples.

White Sugar: I use plain white sugar in this recipe for best results, but you can use brown sugar if you prefer.

ClearJel®: ClearJel® is the only approved thickening agent to use in canning. If you don’t want to use ClearJel®, you will need to use some thickening agent at the time of making your pie.

Cinnamon: Apples and cinnamon just go together and it’s not exception in this recipe. Choose a good quality cinnamon for best flavor.

Nutmeg: It wouldn’t be an apple pie without nutmeg! Choose a good quality nutmeg for best flavor.

Ginger: A little bit of ginger in this recipe gives a subtle flavor that compliments the apples so well.

Lemon Juice: The lemon juice is necessary in this recipe to ensure a safe PH for canning, and keep the apples from turning brown.

Tools:

Large stainless steel pot

Wooden spoon

Measuring cups and spoons

Water bath canner

Quart sized mason jars

Jar lids and bands

Jar lifter

Clear jel

Apple Peeler and Slicer

How to Make Canned Apple Pie Filling

Preparing Canning Jars

Wash quart jars and bands in hot water and gather lids. (Note: you can use pint jars, but I have found that 1 quart of pie filling is just right for one pie, so it is best to can fruit pie fillings in quart-sized jars.)

Preparing the Apple Pie Filling

Blanch Apples

Place prepared apple slices (peeled and cored) into boiling water for 1 minute. Work in batches of 6 cups of apples at a time.

Remove blanched apples with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Cover the bowl to keep the apples warm.

Prepare Apple Pie Filling

In a large stockpot, combine sugar, ClearJel®, water and spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly to prevent burning. Simmer until the mixture thickens to desired consistency.

Add in lemon juice and boil for 1 more minute, stir continuously.

Remove mixture from heat and stir in the blanched sliced apples.

Use a ladle and a jar funnel and place apple pie filling into warm prepared jars. Wide mouth jars work best for this recipe, but in a pinch you can use regular mouth jars.

Leave 1 inch of headspace.

Run a plastic butter knife down the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles.

Wipe the jar rim clean with a clean damp towel.

Place lids and bands and place filled jars into a hot water bath canner with the lid on. When the water returns to a boil, set your timer for 25 minutes (adjusting for altitude if necessary).

After 25 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes of cooling, use a jar lifter to remove hot jars to a towel lined counter. Allow to cool for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, check jar lids for a good seal, remove bands, and clean the outside of the jar before storing in your pantry. This apple pie filling is shelf stable and good for up to 1 year.

Altitude adjustment: If your elevation is 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes), if your elevation is 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes (35 minutes).

How to Use Canned Apple Pie Filling

Use this canned apple pie filling to make delicious apple pie in minutes! All you need is a pie crust. Use a double crust or a crumb topping, either way it will be delicious!

Simply empty 1 quart jar of apple pie filling into a 8-9 inch pie shell, place top crust, lattice crust, or crumb topping on top of the filling, and bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees or until crust is golden brown.

Other East Fork Canning Recipes

Rhubarb Pie Filling

Applesauce

Raspberry Jam

Continue to Content

Canned Apple Pie Filling

Yield: 4 quarts

Print

Ingredients

• 12 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup ClearJel
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 3 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Instructions

1. Peel, core and slice apples to yield 12 cups of prepared apple slices.
2. Place prepared apple slices (peeled and cored) into boiling water for 1 minute. Work in batches of 6 cups of apples at a time.
3. Remove blanched apples with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Cover the bowl to keep the apples warm.
4. In a large stockpot, combine sugar, ClearJel®, water and spices.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly to prevent burning. Simmer until the mixture thickens to desired consistency.
6. Add in lemon juice and boil for 1 more minute, stir continuously.
7. Remove mixture from heat and stir in the blanched sliced apples.
8. Use a ladle and a jar funnel and place apple pie filling into warm prepared jars. Wide mouth jars work best for this recipe, but in a pinch you can use regular mouth jars. Leave 1 inch of headspace.
9. Run a plastic butter knife down the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles.
10. Wipe the jar rim clean with a clean damp towel.
11. Place lids and bands and place filled jars into a hot water bath canner with the lid on. When the water returns to a boil, set your timer for 25 minutes (adjusting for altitude if necessary).
12. After 25 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.
13. After 5 minutes of cooling, use a jar lifter to remove hot jars to a towel lined counter. Allow to cool for 24 hours.
14. After 24 hours, check jar lids for a good seal, remove bands, and clean the outside of the jar before storing in your pantry. This apple pie filling is shelf stable and good for up to 1 year.

Altitude adjustment: If your elevation is 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes), if your elevation is 3,001 to 6,000 feet above s

Notes

• Altitude adjustment: If your elevation is 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes), if your elevation is 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes (35 minutes).

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 32 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 84Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Pin for Later

East Fork Growing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. These products do not cost anymore to you, but we earn a small commission if you use our links. Thanks for your support!