Canning apple pie filling is a simple and delicious way to have all the ingredients ready to make a pie. There is nothing better than being able to go into my pantry, grab a jar of Apple Pie Filling, and whip up a quick homemade apple pie. This apple pie filling is seriously delicious and a 1-quart mason jar is a perfect size to make a perfect apple pie.
Every year my family goes apple picking. We make sure to pick enough apples to make all the apple products we utilize during the year: Apple Pie Filling, Apple Sauce, Apple Butter, and Apple Jelly. There are so many delicious items to can or to make fresh after picking your apples from an orchard.
Canning apple pie filling is one of my favorite ways to use fresh apples. This recipe can be found in The Complete Guide to Home Canning from the United States Department of Agriculture on page 2-26. I love to swap the sugar in this recipe for brown sugar and make caramel apple pie filling. The recipe is safe using either type of sugar so pick the one your family likes the taste of better. We love it with brown sugar.
Choosing the Best Apples for Homemade Apple Pie Filling
The choice of apples is a factor in creating a delicious and perfectly textured apple pie filling. Different apple varieties bring unique flavors, textures, and sweetness levels to the table. Here are some top picks for creating a stellar apple pie filling:
- Granny Smith: The flavor is tart and slightly sweet. The texture is firm and holds its shape well during baking. The tartness adds a delightful contrast to the sweetness of the filling, and its firm texture prevents it from turning mushy.
- Honeycrisp: The flavor is sweet with a hint of tartness. The texture is crispy and juicy. The sweetness and juiciness of Honeycrisp apples contribute to a flavorful and moist filling.
- Jonagold: The flavor is sweet and mildly tart. The texture is firm yet tender. Jonagold strikes a balance between sweet and tart, and its tender texture blends well with other apple varieties.
- Fuji: The flavor is sweet with a touch of floral notes. The texture is crisp and juicy. Fuji apples bring a natural sweetness and a pleasant aroma to the pie filling, enhancing its overall taste.
- Cortland: The flavor is mildly sweet with a hint of tartness. The texture is tender and resistant to browning. Cortland apples are excellent for maintaining a pleasing texture without becoming overly soft.
- Braeburn: The flavor is sweet and slightly spicy. The texture is firm and dense. The complex flavor of Braeburn apples adds depth to the pie filling, and their density holds up well during baking.
Water Bath Canning Recipe for Apple Pie Filling
This recipe should yield you enough quart jars of apple pie filling to give you 7 pies. Usually, this is enough apple pie filling to get my family through an entire year of apple pies or apple crumbles. This recipe can be found in The Complete Guide to Home Canning from the United States Department of Agriculture on page 2-26.
Supplies Needed to Can Apple Pie Filling
- Apple Peeler, Slicer, Corer or Vegetable Peeler and Apple Corer.
- Clear Food Storage Container
- Large Stainless Steel Pot
- Slotted Spoon
- Large Bowl
- 1/2 Pint Canning Ladle
- Quart-size Canning Jars
- Water Bath Canner
- Water Bath Canning Rack
- Jar Lifter
- Headspace measurer
- De-bubbler
- Regular or wide-mouth canning lids (depending on what jars you are using)
- Regular or wide-mouth canning rings (depending on what jars you are using)
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
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Ingredients for Apple Pie Filling
- 6 quarts Blanched, Sliced Fresh Apples
- 5 and 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar (Can substitute Light Brown Sugar for Caramel Apple Pie Filling (Pictures on this post use light brown sugar))
- 1 and 1/2 cups Clear Jel (If you don’t have Clear Jel you can still use this recipe by following these instructions)
- 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 and 1/2 cups Cold Water
- 5 cups Apple Juice
- 3/4 cup Bottled Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Nutmeg (Optional)
- Ball Fruit Fresh Produce Protector
Step-by-Step Apple Pie Filling Recipe
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Clean jars and lids with warm soapy water. Ensure the jars do not have any chips or bubbles in the glass.
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Wash, Peel, and core Apples. I use my apple slicer, peeler, corer to do this job all at once. You could also use a regular vegetable peeler and an apple corer then slice with a knife.
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Slice the Apples into 1/2-inch wide slices. As you are slicing the apples place them into a water container containing the Ball Fruit Fresh Produce Protector. This will keep your apples from browning as you are slicing. I use a large clear food-safe storage container with the water in it. Mine is labeled with quarts on the side so I know when I have gotten to the 6 quarts of sliced apples.
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Blanch your apple slices: Place sliced apples (in batches) in boiling water. Boil each batch of apple slices for 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain the apples from the water (I use a slotted spoon to remove the apples) but keep the hot fruit in a covered bowl or pot.
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Put your water bath canner on your stove. Add your canning rack to your water bath canner. Add your quart jars to the water bath canner. They will warm as you heat the water. Add enough water to cover jars with at least 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a low boil and allow the jars to boil for 10 minutes.
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Combine the sugar, clear jel, cinnamon, water, and apple juice in a large pot. Add nutmeg if using. Stir and cook on medium-high heat until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble.
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Add lemon juice (If the apples you are using lack tartness, use an additional 1/4 cup of lemon juice for the 6 quarts of sliced apples). Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Fold your drained hot apple slices into the mixture so evenly distributed.
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Remove your jars from the water bath canner one at a time using your jar lifter. Dump the water out of the jar into your water bath canner to ensure there is still 2-3 inches of water above your jars.
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Ladle hot apple pie filling into hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
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Use the de-bubbler to remove air bubbles from canning jars. Remeasure headspace and adjust as needed.
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Wipe the rim to ensure a good seal is made with the lid. Center the lid on the jar and screw the band down to fingertip tight.
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Place the jar in the canner using your jar lifter. Repeat steps 8-11 until all apple pie filling is used.
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Ensure the jars in your water bath canner are covered completely by 2-3 inches of water.
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If your water is not boiling start your processing time when the water is boiling. Process quart jars for 25 minutes (make sure to adjust to your altitude). Set a timer, it makes it much easier to make sure you process for the correct time. When your timer goes off turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes.
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Using your jar lifer carefully move the jars onto a wire rack or kitchen towel to allow them to cool. When moving the jars try not to tilt them to the side as this could affect the seal of the jars. Allow your jars to cool for 12-24 hours before handling.
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Once cool, remove the canning rings from the jars. Wash your jars off to ensure no food residue on the outside of the jar from processing. Label your jar with the name of the recipe and date. This will help you remember what recipe you used to can and the date will allow you to use the oldest canned goods first.
I hope you give this Canning Apple Pie Filling recipe a try. It is such a great way to have a quick dessert sitting in your pantry.
I found this delicious recipe for Apple Pie Egg Rolls. You would need 12 egg roll wrappers and oil for frying. You would be able to open a jar of your apple pie filling and just skip to step 6 of the recipe to make amazing homemade apple pie egg rolls. Such an easy desert.
Have more apples you would like to can? Try the recipes below:
Recipe Card
Canning Apple Pie Filling
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 quarts Blanched, Sliced Fresh Apples
- 5 and ½ cups Granulated Sugar Can substitute Light Brown Sugar for Caramel Apple Pie Filling (Pictures on this post use light brown sugar)
- 1 and ½ cups Clear Jel
- 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 and ½ cups Cold Water
- 5 cups Apple Juice
- ¾ cup Bottled Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Nutmeg (Optional)
- Ball Fruit Fresh Produce Protector
Instructions
- Clean jars and lids with warm soapy water. Ensure the jars do not have any chips or bubbles in the glass.
- Wash, Peel, and core Apples. I use my apple slicer, peeler, and corer to do this job all at once. You could also use a regular vegetable peeler and an apple corer then slice with a knife.
- Slice the Apples into ½-inch wide slices. As you are slicing the apples place them into a water container containing the Ball Fruit Fresh Produce Protector. This will keep your apples from browning as you are slicing. I use a large clear food-safe storage container with the water in it. Mine is labeled with quarts on the side so I know when I have gotten to the 6 quarts of sliced apples.
- Blanch your apple slices: Place sliced apples (in batches) in boiling water. Boil each batch of apple slices for 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain the apples from the water (I use a slotted spoon to remove the apples) but keep the hot fruit in a covered bowl or pot.
- Put your water bath canner on your stove. Add your canning rack to your water bath canner. Add your quart jars to the water bath canner. They will warm as you heat the water. Add enough water to cover jars with at least 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a low boil and allow the jars to boil for 10 minutes.
- Combine the sugar, clear jel, cinnamon, water, and apple juice in a large pot. Add nutmeg if using. Stir and cook on medium-high heat until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble.
- Add lemon juice (If the apples you are using lack tartness, use an additional 1/4 cup of lemon juice for the 6 quarts of sliced apples). Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Fold your drained hot apple slices into the mixture so evenly distributed.
- Remove your jars from the water bath canner one at a time using your jar lifter. Dump the water out of the jar into your water bath canner to ensure there is still 2-3 inches of water above your jars.
- Ladle hot apple pie filling into hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
- Use the de-bubbler to remove air bubbles from canning jars. Remeasure headspace and adjust as needed.
- Wipe the rim to ensure a good seal is made with the lid. Center the lid on the jar and screw the band down to fingertip tight.
- Place the jar in the canner using your jar lifter. Repeat steps 8-11 until all apple pie filling is used.
- Ensure the jars in your water bath canner are covered completely by 2-3 inches of water.
- If your water is not boiling start your processing time when the water is boiling. Process quart jars for 25 minutes (make sure to adjust to your altitude). Set a timer, it makes it much easier to make sure you process for the correct time. When your timer goes off turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes.
- Using your jar lifer carefully move the jars onto a wire rack or kitchen towel to allow them to cool. When moving the jars try not to tilt them to the side as this could affect the seal of the jars. Allow your jars to cool for 12-24 hours before handling.
- Once cool, remove the canning rings from the jars. Wash your jars off to ensure no food residue on the outside of the jar from processing. Label your jar with the name of the recipe and date. This will help you remember what recipe you used to can and the date will allow you to use the oldest canned goods first.