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Preserve your apple harvest and make apple pie filling and can it in canning jars to use at a later date!
Canned apple pie filling allows you to make delicious apple desserts with homemade pie filling all year long.
Why I love Canning Apple Pie Filling
I love apple pies! My favorite is made with tart fresh apples. Sometimes there just isn't enough time to make a pie and this apple pie filling really comes in handy. You just make a quick pie dough, open a jar of filling, pour it in and bake! Instant dessert!
Apple pie filling is also amazing in cobblers, crisps and warmed and spooned over ice cream! And I'll let you in on a little secret - this pie filling is delicious just scooped right out of the jar and eaten with a spoon!
If you love having your pantry filled with delicious homemade pie filling, you should also check out this peach pie filling!
I love canning and preserving our own food. We grow a lot of apples and while I do love them best fresh, I also love canning apples and using them all year long. Some of my favorites include apple butter, apple sauce and this canned apple pie filling.
What apples are best for Canned Apple Pie Filling?
Almost any type of firm apple will work fine for this canned apple pie filling. You do want an apple that is going to hold its shape when cooked. Some good options are Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Macintosh and Gravenstein.
Many of our apples are old trees that were planted several decades ago. We don't know the true variety, but when you bite into them, they have a great crispness to them.
What is Clear Jel?
Clear Jel is a modified corn starch that is designed for commercial bakeries and home canning. It is a USDA approved thickener for canning pie fillings at home. Clear Jel is heat tolerant and can be reheated again and again, which makes it perfect for canning and then baking again into a dessert.
Look for Clear Jel at some grocery stores and small markets that specialize in repackaging and selling bulk food items. You can also buy it online and have it shipped directly to your home.
Don't use instant Clear Jel. It reacts very differently than regular (cook type) Clear Jel.
How to make apple pie filling for canning
Peel and core your apples
To peel, core and slice the apples, I used an apple peeler. If you don't have one, no problem! Just use a small paring knife. The apple peeler makes canning this filling a bit quicker! It not only peels the apples, but it cores and slices the apples too.
Once the apples are all peeled, I slice the stack in half. It makes it easier to fit half-moon slices into the jars.
Don't worry if your apples begin to discolor a bit. You can add them to a large bowl filled with water to help stop discoloration if desired. Once added to the thickened mixture, the sliced apples will take on the golden color from the cinnamon and nutmeg.
How to can apple pie filling
Before filling jars:
- Use clean canning jars
- Select the best fruit you can find (you can cut off any small bruised areas)
Filling jars:
- Leave 1 inch of headspace at the top of your jar
- Use a small spatula to remove air pockets in filled jars
- Always wipe rim of jars before putting lid on
- Tighten ring firmly
Boiling jars:
- Boil in a water bath according to USDA for 25 minutes (adjust according to your altitude - see chart below)
- When time is done, turn off heat and let jars remain in the boiling water for 5 minutes before you remove. This helps prevent the filling from leaking out of the jar when it hits a cooler room temperature. Tip from Ashley at Practical Self Reliance.
After canning:
- Let jars cool for at least 12 hours before removing rings
- Wash jars to remove any sticky residue. Rings should be removed for washing.
- Check to make certain jars are sealed
- Label and date jars
- Use any unsealed jars right away
- Store canned goods in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months
Increase processing time
| Altitude Feet | Increase Processing Time |
|---|---|
| 1,001- 3,000 3,001- 6,000 6,001- 8,000 8,001-10,000 | 5 minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes 20 minutes |
Recipes using canned apple pie filling
Use the canned apple pie filling in any recipe calling for apple pie filling. Some delicious ideas include:
- Cobbler - Use the pie filling in place of the peach filling in this recipe.
- Oatmeal Bars - Replace the applesauce with pie filling.
- Caramel Apple Pie Dip
Canning apple pie filling FAQs
These canned apples should last for 18 months if stored in a cool dark place.
Anytime you open a jar of canned goods, you want to examine the jar first. Look for anything unusual - foaming, bubbles, and leaking are all signs that the contents are not good. Also, make certain the lid is fully sealed. If mold and discoloration occur on the top, discard the contents. When in doubt, throw it out! Never taste a product that you are unsure of.
If a jar doesn't seal, you have two options - Place it in the refrigerator and use up within one week or remove lid wipe down surface of rim. Place a new lid on and process in water bath again.
The temperature for water to boil varies by elevation. The higher you go, the lower the temperature for water to reach a boil. In order to compensate for this lower boil temperature, time is added to your processing time.
If you are looking for other canning recipes, try Canning Tomatoes, Canning Peaches, Homemade Blackberry Jam and Apricot Jam.
Use this pie filling as a topping on these cream cheese danish!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my canning recipes.
Listen to the recipe
You can listen to all the steps on how to can tomatoes on the podcast Preserving the Pantry! Just click on the play button below to listen now!
Apple Pie Filling Recipe for Canning
Equipment
- Quart Canning Jars
- Large Canning Pot
Ingredients
- 6 quarts apples (peeled, cored and sliced - approximately 30 medium sized apples)
- 5 cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups Clear Jel
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 7 ½ cups water
- ¾ cup lemon juice (bottled lemon juice)
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine sugar, Clear Jel, cinnamon, nutmeg and water.5 cups sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 7 ½ cups water, 1 ½ cups Clear Jel
- Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Stir mixture often to prevent scorching.
- Add lemon juice and continue cooking for one minute¾ cup lemon juice
- Add apple slices and stir carefully6 quarts apples
- Heat for 3-5 minutes on low until apples are heated through.
- Remove from heat and fill prepared jars with mixture. Leave at least 1 - 1 ¼ inch headspace in each jar.
- Use a small spatula to get rid of any air pockets or air bubbles in jars
- Wipe jars. Place canning lid and ring on jars.
- Process for 25 minutes (adjust for altitude) in a boiling water bath. When processing time is done, turn off heat and keep jars in the hot water for 5-10 minutes. This will help prevent siphoning.
Notes
- Select the best fruit you can find (you can cut off any small bruised areas)
- Use a small spatula to remove air pockets and large bubbles
- Always wipe rim of jars before putting lid on
- Tighten ring firmly, but don't over tighten
- Boil in a water bath for 25 minutes - adjust time for your elevation
- When time is done, turn off heat and let jars remain in the boiling water for 5 - 10 minutes before you remove. This helps prevent the filling from leaking out of the jar when it hits a cooler room temperature.
- Let jars cool for at least 12 hours before removing rings
- Wash jars to remove any sticky residue. Rings should be removed for washing.
- Check to make certain jars are sealed
- Date and label jars
- Use any unsealed jars right away
- Store canned goods in a cool, dark place
- 1,001- 3,000 ft. - add 5 minutes
- 3,001- 6,000 ft. - add 10 minutes
- 6,001- 8,000 ft. - add 15 minutes
- 8,001-10,000 ft. - add 20 minutes
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in October 2016. The recipe and pictures have been updated.
Judy says
I’m always at a loss when the recipe calls for a number of quarts as it depends on how you cut your apples as to what fits in a quart. Would you know how many pounds of apples this recipe would be for.
Kathy says
About 9-10 pounds of apples.
Enjoy! 🙂
Lisa says
Tart apples…green Granny Smiths too tart? Excited to try this.
Kathy says
Hi Lisa,
I haven't used granny smith in this recipe, but I use them all the time in a fresh apple pie. I think they would be fine to can.
Kathy
Tania says
I missed the Lemon juice ingredient. Forgot to add it and realized after I had fineshed the canning process. Do I need to toss what I canned?
Kathy says
Hi Tania,
This is a tough one. The lemon juice makes the filling acidic enough to safely water bath can the filling. I think you have two choices to be on the safe side - freeze your filling (I'd rejar it into a freezer safe container) or remove all the filling, add the lemon juice, reheat and water bath can again.
Kathy
Jeffrey Bradley says
I thought I followed the recipe exactly but I made 8 qts instead of 6 qts. I guess my 30 apples were larger. I used a mix of Newton Pippins and Golden Russets. So good. I fills up the pie perfectly. I think the remaining 7 will be enough for the year. The pie was delicious. Thanks
Kathy says
Glad it all worked out! Enjoy that delicious pie filling all year long!!! 🙂
Jim S says
Good stuff!!! made 24 quarts off of one tree. My question is do I really need 1.5 cups of Clear Jell for each batch? Seems pretty thick but I'm totally new to this. Also I may have turned the lids on too tight because I got creases in a few. (bulging while boiling)? Fixed on the last batch by barely finger tightening. This is fun and I look forward to doing more. I know what everyone is getting for Christmas now...LOL
Kathy says
What a great gift! I have seen some adaptations for this recipe, with less clear jel. Here is a quote from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, "Experimentation has shown that using 3/4 of the amount of Clearjel stated in the recipe will produce a very acceptable filling, but one that is a little less thick and therefore less likely to ooze from the jars."
You can also increase the headspace to 1 1/4 inches to help with the expanding filling.
Double check the seal on the jars with the creased lids. They may not have a proper seal and you'll want to store in your refrigerator and use right away.
Kathy 🙂
Lee says
Can this be frozen instead of canned?
Kathy says
Hi Lee,
Yes, this can be frozen.
Enjoy,
Kathy 🙂
Carolyn Cybulski says
I am so happy with this recipe. I previously used a different recipe for blueberry pie filling and it was an absolute disaster. This recipe provided very clear and specific instructions with good tips for success. Leaving the jars in the canner for 10 minutes after processing is a game-changer, as I previously had filling heaving up and out of my jars when I took them out of the canner immediately. Thank you very much for a great recipe.
Kathy says
Thank you!!! I hope you enjoy that delicious pie filling all year long!
Kathy 🙂
Julie A Waltz says
I just made this recipe. The syrup never thickened but it was decreasing in quantity and I was afraid I would not have enough. So, I used the thin syrup. I will need to add additional thickening when it is time to make pies or apple crisp. I am hoping it will be fine.
Kathy says
Hi Julie,
The filling thickens very quickly. I'm curious about your Clear Jel. What type did you use?
Kathy
Patti says
I’ve made this twice and it is DELICIOUS 😋. I’ve used it to make several pies as well as apple crisp. The directions are clear and very easy to follow. You can find the clear jel on Amazon.
Kathy says
Thank you so much! Glad you are enjoying the pie filling! It's so great to have it ready to use all year long!
Amy says
May I use less sugar? Thank you. We are at elevation 5000 ft +\-.
Kathy says
Hi Amy,
Yes, you can decrease the amount of sugar. This can vary by your personal tastes and by the type of apples. Be certain to keep the lemon juice the same! Also, don't forget to adjust for your altitude when processing your jars.
Enjoy! 🙂
Lisa says
Dang fingers! I meant 8 and a half quarts. I used 30 honey crisp apples. Is it ok to can the extras?
Kathy says
Yes, you can can everything you have as long as you have enough room in your water bath canner!
Kathy says
You could also refrigerate any extras and eat right away! 🙂
Joy Alvers says
This is by far the best! My family is wanting to eat it straight from the jar! We made little hand pies and plan to put the rest over biscuits and toast in the morning! I had to order the clear jel from Amazon… I had never used it before. It was neat to watch it work as it heated in the mixture. Thanks for this great recipe!
Kathy says
Thank you!!! So glad everyone loves it so much! My boys were known to eat it straight out of the jars! LOL!!! 🙂
Teresa says
Hi! I just made this apple pie filling and it is awesome. A keeper for sure.
My question, I had 3 jars with oozing sauce coming out. One was quiet a bit. Will this be safe or should I get a new lid and reprocess ? Thanks
Love this easy pie filling.
Kathy says
Hi Teresa,
Thanks so much! The siphoning happens sometimes. Check to make certain that the jar is fully sealed. Remove the ring and wash off all the residue and then check the seal. If it's sealed, your jar is good and no need to reprocess.
Enjoy!!! 🙂
Katie says
Do you have ideas to use 1 quart of the filling? I’m seeing you need 2 quarts for a pie in other places- but I ended up with an odd number of quarts once processed. Thanks!
Kathy says
Hi Katie,
You could use it to scoop over ice cream or make into an apple crisp. You could use this recipe for the topping - https://www.beyondthechickencoop.com/huckleberry-crisp/
Enjoy!
Kathy 🙂
Bev says
Can you use brown sugar for half of the White sugar?
Kathy says
Hi Bev,
I have only made the recipe with white sugar so I don't know how or if brown sugar will alter the results.
Kathy
Becky says
For the recipe do I start with 6 quarts of peeled or unpeeled apples. I started with 30 apples but I only got 3 quarts
I have lots of the cooked clear gel left. Can I just add more apples or should I throw it away and start over
Kathy says
Hi Becky,
You can add apples to your cooked clear gel. Just make certain you heat everything up so it's heated through before adding to your jars.
Kathy
Whitley says
What if I wasn’t paying attention and added the lemon juice in the first step of ingredient adding? 🫢
Kathy says
Hi Whitley,
You should be fine! Let me know how it turns out!
Kathy 🙂
Wes says
Didn’t have clear gel when we canned the apples. Can we add some when we make the pies.
Kathy says
Hi Wes,
I haven't ever used clear jel except in this recipe. If you didn't add anything before canning, you will need to add something before baking to thicken the apples. You could use cornstarch or flour and I believe you can use clear jel too.
Kathy 🙂
Jessica Combs says
can i use pectin instead of clear-jel?
Kathy says
Hi Jessica,
I have not tried this recipe with pectin so I'm not certain how it would work.
Kathy
Melissa says
Currently making and my mix is lumpy with clumps of clear gel everywhere. What do I do?!
Kathy says
Is your clear jel instant or regular clear jel?
Connie says
Melissa, this happened to me too as it was heating up. I continued to stir and the "sauce" became thick and smooth. First time to use Clear-gel and quite impressed. My only problem was canning 6 quarts and having a quart or more of filling left over. Guess I'll have to make an apple pie tomorrow.
Kathy says
Hi Connie,
Thanks for your tips!
Kathy 🙂
Lisa says
Making now and have 7 and a half quarts. Is it ok to can all?