A homemade apple pie is such a labor of love, but if you have this canned apple pie filling recipe sitting on your pantry shelf, you can have apple pie any day of the week in much less time than from scratch. The reason? All the labor-intensive work is done! Apples are peeled, cored, and sliced, the sauce is thickened and, as long as you have a pie crust ready to go, it's just minutes away from popping into the oven.
I'm a sucker for pie season. Truth be told, I really don't think about pie much unless it's cold outside (OK, maybe I do think about my homemade hand pies – AKA pop tarts – when it's not cold!). There's something about the changing of the weather, the falling leaves, the heavy fog that rolls through the property. It all just beckons a pie baking in the oven.
Am I the only one who thinks this?
That's not to say I don't bake pies year-round, or at least I didn't used to until I started canning my own pie filling.
Learning how to can apple pie filling means you never have to buy apples out of season, when they cost an arm and a leg, and it also means you can have pie whenever you want. Which makes it one of my favorite pantry staples.
Nothing says fall like a good crisp apple. I love the way an apple fits perfectly in the palm of my hand. The way they perfume the air, promising delectable delights. And it means I get to can up a new batch of homemade apple pie filling in my pressure canner.
My father-in-law adores apple pie and it's my responsibility privilege to provide the apple pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
My favorite apple in pies and applesauce is the Gravenstein. I planted my own a couple of years back, so it's only producing enough for fresh eating. Thankfully, my parents have an ancient one in their field.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Quick: If all I have to do is whip up a batch of my grandma's pie crust, which truly is the flakiest and most delicious pie crust recipe you'll ever try, then making a homemade apple pie is quick and simple. (Have you ever tried baking pie crust with home rendered lard you made yourself using my foolproof method? You'll never go back!)
- Makes a great gift: Having a jar of apple pie filling sitting on the pantry shelf is not only a gift to yourself, but it makes a great Christmas or hostess gift. It's like a hug in a jar, just sitting there waiting for the right time to be opened and enjoyed!
- You know all the ingredients: Sure, you could go buy a can of apple pie filling at the grocery store, but there's something about knowing that all the ingredients used in your food are healthy and the highest quality available.
- Store it for up to a year: While fresh apples won't last an entire year, this canned apple pie filling will have no problem sitting on the shelf for a year. Actually, if you follow proper canning protocol, this would likely store longer than a year, but because you'll want to can up fresh with your apple harvest next year, only can how much you'll need for the year and for gifting.
Best Apples for Apple Pie
I always get asked what the best kind of apples are for apple pie and, the truth is, it totally depends on your taste! Some people swear by Granny Smith apples, but I actually like my apple pie a bit sweeter, so I prefer a Gravenstein apple. This is a very old variety of apple.
Because my Gravenstein apple tree isn't very big, I don't usually get enough to make pies, so I'm using Honey Crisp. I also like to use Gala and Fuji, but the trick is harvesting them when they're ripe and still very firm.
You can always adjust the sugar content to your taste and the sweetness of your apples.
Harvesting the Right Apples
It's important to choose the right apples just at the peak of ripeness. If you're harvesting your apples or picking them from an orchard, you'll know the apples are ripe when a few apples have already fallen to the ground.
The other trick is if you grab an apple that's still on the tree and start twisting it, if it pops off within a couple of twists it's ripe. You don't want to harvest apples too early because they won't have their best flavor, but if you harvest them too late, they won't store as well and you'll be having to work around soft spots and other blemishes.
Likewise, when you get your apples inside and all rinsed off, you want to go through them and pick the very best looking apples.
Save the bruised apples for apple sauce, homemade apple pie jam, apple butter, raw apple cider vinegar, or these other 11 ways to preserve apples at home. But for apple pie, you want those slices beautiful!
Cornstarch or ClearJell?
My original apple pie filling recipe used cornstarch, but the cornstarch does break down after time, and is no longer approved for canning due to safety issues. The jars I use for Christmas baking were fine, but by the time I hit spring, they were a mushy runny mess. They still worked, but the crusts were a bit soggy in the pies.
I've now been using ClearJell® both because it's the only approved canning thickener and because it truly does create a superior end product! Plus, there's too much precious time and work to waste on a recipe that's not safe and doesn't hold up.
Want a canned apple pie filling recipe without ClearJell? Simply omit the ClearJell (follow instructions in the notes of the recipe if not using ClearJell due to headspace difference) and instead, when you open the jar to bake your pie , add a thickener of your choice to the pie filling just as if you were using fresh apples, bake, and enjoy!
Preparing the Apples
Before you begin peeling and slicing your apples, have a large bowl filled with water and some lemon juice. This will keep the apples from turning brown.
There's nothing wrong with brown apples and it won't affect the flavor, it's just that they'll look prettier in your jars once you've canned them if they don't oxidize.
Peeling and coring the apples is much easier when using a hand cranked apple peeler and corer , but I actually prefer to hand peel and hand slice my apples because the hand-cranked kitchen gadget I have actually slices the apples too thin for apple pie.
In fact, I used to can my filling this way, but in my experience, the apples broke down too much and resulted in a mushy apple pie filling (no one wants mushy apples in their apple pie!). So save the peeler and corer for those apples that'll be turned into applesauce (and then used in these homemade pumpkin applesauce muffins!
Trust me, it's worth the extra work to do it by hand.
Blanching Apples
Blanching your apples is an important step because apples have a lot of oxygen in them. When you can your apple pie filling, that air will want to escape and you'll end up with siphoning of your jars which can lead to seal failure.
Also, your apples will shrink as that oxygen escapes during the canning process so you'll have jars that aren't full. I've done both raw pack apple pie filling and hot pack apple pie filling, the hot pack method, though it takes an extra step, is worth every bit of effort.
Blanch your apples, six cups at a time, in boiling water for one minute. Once they're done you can remove them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
If you're blanching your apples in batches, you'll want to keep the apples warm, so place a lid over the bowl (or place a cookie sheet over the top like I do!).
Prepare Your Canner
Most canners can only fit up to 7 quart jars at a time, but I usually like to can about 4 quarts at a time. This allows me to have enough filling for four pies, but it doesn't take up too much of my day.
While you're blanching your apples, go ahead and bring the water in your canner up to 180 degrees F. This is a hot-pack recipe, so you want all your ingredients and supplies hot when you start canning
Prepare Your Jars
Wide mouth quart jars work best for this recipe, but narrow mouth can be used as well.
Wash your jars with warm soapy water, then either keep them in a sink filled with hot water or if you're using a steam canner like I am, place them on the rack above the hot water to keep them warm.
Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe
(Adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving )
- With your prepared and blanched apples keeping warm in a bowl, add 3 & 3/4 cups water to a large stainless steel pot.
2. Add in the sugar, spices, and ClearJel® and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (don't use a hard boil). Stirring constantly, cook until it thickens and bubbles. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute more, constantly stirring.
3. Remove from heat and fold in apples. Ladle apple pie filling into warm prepared jars, a canning funnel makes this way easier, let me tell you.
4. Leave 1-inch headspace, run a spatula down the inside of the jars to remove air bubbles. Wipe rim with a damp clean towel. Center lid and screw bands down until tight.
5. Place jars filled with apple pie filling in a hot water bath for 25 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.
7. Using a jar lifter, carefully remove hot jars to a towel and allow it to cool without moving overnight.
8. Remove bands, check seals, wipe down outside of the jar, and store in the pantry, out of direct sunlight for up to 1 year.
Altitude adjustment: If you're 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes total), 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes (35 minutes total).
Apple Preserving & Use Mini Cookbook
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I have to confess, I licked the side of the syrup pot before washing. We have to taste test right? It was soooo good.
How to Bake Your Pie
When ready to bake your pie, pour one-quart apple pie filling into an 8 or 9-inch pie plate lined with pie pastry (don't forget to use my grandmother's flaky pastry recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to make).
Arrange the top crust over the pie filling and cut slits for steam to escape. Crimp the edges, and bake at 400 degrees F for 50 minutes.
Alternately, this filling works great for a homemade apple crisp! Just use your favorite crumble recipe and bake!
Apple Pie Filling FAQs
Can You Pressure Can Apple Pie Filling?
No. I used to pressure can my apple pie filling, but without being able to find an approved tested time for pressure canning, I only water bath process my pie filling now for safety.
Why Didn't My Recipe Make 4 Quarts?
Each apple variety (and even within the same variety) has a different water content, so once you've blanched your apples, you may end up with fewer apples. You haven't done anything wrong, this is just the way it goes when preserving your own food.
Can I Adjust the Sugar?
Yes, the sugar in this recipe is for flavor only and does not affect the canning process. You can scale the sugar up or down according to your preference
How do I Adjust for Altitude?
If you're 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes total), 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes (35 minutes total). All other steps remain the same.
Other Apple Preserving Recipes:
- Low Sugar Apple Pie Jam
- How to Can Apple Butter
- 11 Ways to Preserve Apples at Home
- How to Make Raw Organic Apple Scrap Cider Vinegar
Canned Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 12 cups apples peeled, cored, and sliced
- 2 3/4 cups raw sugar
- 3/4 cup Clear Jel. See notes if omitting
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 3 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Place peeled, cored, and sliced apples in boiling water for 1 minute, working 6 cups of apples at a time.
- Remove apples with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Cover to keep warm.
- In a large stainless steel pot, combing sugar, ClearJel®, spices, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (don't use a hard boil), stirring constantly, and cook until it thickens and bubbles.
- Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute more, constantly stirring.
- Remove from heat and fold in apples.
- Ladle apple pie filling into warm prepared jars. Wide mouth jars work best for this recipe, but narrow can be used.
- Leave 1 inch headspace, run a spatula down the inside of the jars to remove air bubbles.
- Wipe rim with a damp clean towel. Center lid and screw bands down until tight.
- Place jars filled with apple pie filling in a hot water bath for 25 minutes.
- Turn off heat, remove lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Using a jar lifter, carefully remove hot jars to a towel and allow to cool without moving over night.
- The next day, check seals, remove bands, wipe down outside of jar and store in out the pantry of direct sunlight for up to 1 year.
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What was the water bath canner you were using in the video? I have a big pot that I cover the jars completely with water, but it looked liked the one you had was some sort of a steam canner. Can you tell me what it was that you were using to process the pie filling?
Yes, it’s a steam canner, safe to use in place of a water bath canner on water bath recipes. This is the one I have https://amzn.to/2Sixdbu
I got confused in the video when later reading your instructions. I have an aluminum steam canner on the way. Since you obviously cannot fill water over the top of the jars with this. I do leave the lid on this one for 5 min or no?
Love this recipe! I am just wondering if it is possible to safely add cranberries to the filling prior to canning. Thanks!
I left a 1”headspace but there is no headspace now in my jars. I have air bubbles in the jar now instead. What did I do wrong? Will it still be safe to use? The jars are sealed
Nothing wrong, it’s normal for pie filling to expand like that (called siphoning) during processing. As long as they’re sealed they’re fine to use.
I’m going to make this today! I have bags and bags of apples after we went picking. We pressed cider and I have some plans for making baby food, but we’re going to make a ton of cobbler for the book launch party next Saturday and I’d so much rather make the filling homemade! Thank you for sharing your recipe 🙂
Yea! It’s so yummy and what an awesome item to serve at your book launch party. I can’t wait to start reading it next week for the book club. Have fun, your house will smell amazing.
You can do this in a pressure cooker? Not a pressure canner?
Mine is both. I can pressure can and cook in it. What kind is yours? I’d check the manufacturer’s website.
[…] love with her pioneering ways and encouraging spirit, plus her tutorials are awesome! I tried her apple pie filling tutorial and it was fabulous. I still had ton of apples, and when she encouraged me to give canning a try, I […]
This is my 2nd time making your recipe for apple pie filling, my family loved it with the homemade pie crust that I also got from your website. I topped the pie crust with a cinnamon &sugar sprinkle I put together, and also did a lattice style pie crust.I have been making this pie crust ever since, and I’ve also used it for my plum cobbler. Thanks so much for the recipes.
Michelle,
So happy to hear that. And I’ve topped my pie crusts with sugar, but not cinnamon. I’ll give that a try next time I bake some. Yum on the plum cobbler. Our plums aren’t quite ready yet, another week.
I have just one suggestion for the pie crust. On top sprinkle milk, then sprinkle a generous amount of sugar. Makes the top crust even more delicious, crispy, and decadent. We can always use more sugar in our diet, right? Hey, this is not a daily food so why not!!
I’ll have to try the milk trick. I already sprinkle sugar on top. 🙂
I have used milk on my pie crust tops since I learned to make pies…1960s. It makes them golden and a bit of a shine.
What size jars did you use, and how many?
Nicole, I used 4 quarts. If you don’t want to use quarts, it will make 7 pints.
I’m planning on making pie filling, I bought instant clear gel? Is it prepared the same way? Confused about instant and regular clear gel? What are the difference in the two?
Tammy, unfortunately, I believe the instant is for use in cold items you want thickened. It doesn’t require heat to set like the one for canning. People use it to make candy, homemade gummies, etc. I don’t think it will can, but you could call the company and ask them for sure.
If you purchased through Amazon, you should be able to return it for the correct one I think.
[…] How to pressure can apple pie filling from Melissa K. Norris […]
[…] How to pressure can apple pie filling from Melissa K. Norris […]
[…] How to pressure can apple pie filling from Melissa K. Norris […]
I just finished one batch of the pie filling. I had never used Clear Jel before, but I love it. Thanks for a great recipe. I did leave out the ginger and added 2 pears to make the 12 cups of fruit. We aren’t fans of ginger, and I had a couple of pears left from our food coop, that I needed to use. The syrup is yummy! I may have scraped the pot!?♀️
Scraping the pot is a good sign!! Pear is one of my other favorite fruits and I bet that gave it a great flavor.
If I’m using this recipe for non canning what should I change except no clear gel?
Do you mean to use fresh or freeze if you’re not canning it?
[…] Melissa @ MelissaKNorris-How to pressure can Apple pie […]
Interesting about the clear jell. I’ll have to look into that and see what it can be used for. It’s obviously good for gluten free cooking. Must check that too.
Great site Melissa. I hadn’t visited you in a while but enjoyed a lovely wander through a peaceful place. Thank you
Alexa from Sydney, Australia
http://www.Alexa-asimplelife.com
There is another gel that is gluten and non GMO free it is called Cornaby’s Gel and it can be ordered from Amazon too . Just a thought. As the clear gel is a GMO product. Debbie S.
Debbie,
Clear gel states it is non-GMO.
Clear jel can be purchased directly from BarryFarms.com at a much lower price than Amazon.com
I tried your recipe tonight, but I made a big mistake! As I was ladling the filling into the prepared jars, I realized I forgot the lemon juice. I finished the jars in the pressure caner for the specified time. Without the lemon juice, will the filling still be safe? Thank you!
Sheena,
They should be fine. Sharon from Simply Canning (she’s a certified master canner) is someone I trust when I have questions and she answered your very question here. http://www.simplycanning.com/apple-pie-filling-recipe.html
Do you share your grandmother’s pie crust recipe? I sure could use a good recipe 🙂
Kathi,
Just click on the words in the post and it will take you right to it!
I live at an elevation of 2300 feet. I know to adjust the time in my pressure cooker but should I add more weight to my gauge? My canner only has 5, 10, and 15lbs weights. I feel like 10lbs is too much for pie filling but want to be safe.
Jaimie,
My canning books says if you’re above 1000 feet to add an additional 5 lbs of weight, so 10 lbs sounds right according to that. However, you could also waterbath it for 25 minutes at regular altitude, so I’d guess 30 minutes with your altitude.
instead of water, could you use the same amount of no sugar apple juice?
Jeanine,
Yes, you could. I never thought of that…
[…] 1. Apple Pie Filling.Is there anything better than lovely jars of home canned apple pie filling? Yes, there is, diving head first into said jar with a spoon… or no spoon. Ever notice how apple prices go up during the holidays? Plus, when I’m busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas, I can bake a homemade pie with just popping open a jar of this filling… and it also has both water bath and pressure canning instructions, here’s how to pressure can apple pie filling. […]
Hello! I just discovered your site and love it! Can’t wait to explore all the wonderful information.
I was wondering if perhaps gelatin would work in place of the Clear Gel? I try to stay away from cornstarch and corn-based products, and would prefer to use something healhier like Great Lakes gelatin powder. I have no experience with Clear Gel. Thanks for your help!
Hey, Amanda, welcome!
I’ve not tried the gelatin with canning so I can’t say how it stands up to shelf stability and the high heat used with canning. It would be fine for freezing or fresh pie filling I would think. You could always can the pie filling without the thickener and add the gelatin at baking time. Hope that helps.
THIS SOUNDS YUMMY! I just put up 14 pints of apple sauce, some with red hots for color. I should have put up some apple pie filling!
Could this pie filling be frozen instead of being canned?
Evelyn,
Yes, it can. A friend of mine does that frequently!
[…] How to Pressure Can Apple Pie Filling — It’s faster than water bath canning! […]
if we are cooking the filling with out the gel and waiting to thicken until we actually use the filling for a pie how would we incorporate the thickener… i am going to use the corn starch method of thickening. thanks sam
Samantha,
You’d just add the corn starch to the pie filling when you bake the pie. Open the jar, stir in the corn starch, and then dump into your pastry lined pie plate and bake as normal.
Is it the same amount of corn starch as the clearjell or is the amount different? Thanks!
As corn starch isn’t recommended for canning and breaks down, I’d can it without the thickener and when you bake your pie, just add in the flour/cornstarch amount you would when making it with fresh apples.
Sorry my question was confusing. I was planning to add the corn starch/flour in when I was ready to cook the pie. I was just curious if you had a specific amount you added to this recipe. Hope that makes more sense. Thank you!
Ohh, oops, I misunderstood. 🙂 So the amount of cornstarch or flour when baking the pie is 2 Tablespoons flour or cornstarch.
Perfect! Thanks!
[…] saving tip- I also use my pressure canner to can my applesauce and apple pie filling (how to pressure can apple pie filling), though you can use a water-bath because this is an acidic food. One of the benefits to the […]
[…] pressure canner. That includes, beef, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and combination recipes. I also pressure can my apple pie filling, applesauce, and tomato sauce. I find a pressure canner to be faster than water bath canning and it […]
I really look forward to making this but was wondering if pressure canned then baking a pie with it if turns to mush?
Rosz,
No, it doesn’t turn to mush, the apples aren’t as firm as fresh, but it’s still delicious and texture and appearance is good. One of the benefits of having cooked pie filling is you don’t need to bake the pie as long, just until the crust is done, so no more burnt edges of pie crust because the apples aren’t done.
Hello! This is the first time
visiting your site and I love it. I can’t wait to try this recipe. I am just wondering how long the apple pie filling will keep. This would make a great addition to my Christmas presents.
Hi, Kimberly and welcome,
I’ve had jars two years old that were great. As long as your seal is good and they’re stored in a cool and dark area, they’ll last for at least a year. And they do make wonderful Christmas gifts.
My pressure canner keeps making my jars boil over in canner leaving me with 3/4 jar full. What am I doing wrong. My canner is a carey canner electric canner. Says 20 minutes is it to long of a time?help..
Ginger, it sounds like the canner is too hot or not keeping consistent pressure. I’ve never used an electric canner,can you adjust the temperature? Liquid loss usually happens when you have too much pressure or too much variant in temperature changes.
5# pressure for 13 minutes. At sea level? We live in SE Idaho, at over 4,000 feet. How do I adjust time and pressure?
Yes, that’s at sea level. Here’s a PDf for high altitude canning. http://www.freshpreserving.com/tools/altitude-adjusting
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, I wanted to do this today, my apples are getting soft on me. I have Sure Jel on hand, can I use this instead of the clear jel. This is my first year at canning, so there is a lot for me to learn, I just want to be safe. Thanks and Blessings
Deborah,
No, Sure Jel won’t work for pie filling, because it will set too firm like a jam. You can can the pie filling without the thickener and then just add it in when you bake the pie like you would with fresh fruit pie recipes.
Can you use white or brown sugar in place of raw sugar?
I’d use white sugar, as that’s probably bit closer to the raw sugar.
I used this recipe exactly and all of my jars ozzed out in the canned a n d did not seal .what could I have done wrong. Last year I used cornstarch and all sealed
Did you pressure can or water bath? I’ve never had that happen before.
What kind of pressure canner/cooker do you have and how do you like it? Is it an electric one? And how many quarts does it hold?
This recipe looks yummy, a must try!
Hi Judy,
I use a Miro pressure canner, it’s not electric, I don’t believe any pressure canners are electric, at least not ones I”ve seen or used. Mine hold 4 quarts at once, but you can get bigger ones that will hold up to 7 quarts at once. Here’s a link to my guide on deciding which pressure canner is best for you.
Melissa,
I have several of your books. I love your website and blog. I just received your book, The Made from Scratch Life. I am excited to try your recipes and now your apple pie filling. Thank you for all the information on gardening and canning and cooking.
Betty
I just pressure canner apple filling. Why did filling ooze out of my jars when I removed them? They were clean & lids were sterilized beforehand. Would I be better off to use glass lids?
Also, won’t blanching make them mushy? How long did you do that for? The apples I had (don’t know the variety) went quite soft after being canned.
Sandra,
The jars vent while being processed, so sometimes part of the liquid will leak out. It’s pretty normal, which is why you should wash the jars off and remove the bands before storing. And no, blanching them before packing doesn’t make them mushy (actually, not blanching usually creates a mushier product), it actually creates a better end product because the apples are evenly coated as they go into the jars. I walk through the time and procedure in the above instructions in the post, but for 1 minute. They will be soft after their canned because they’re cooked. I usually pick crisp apples and slice them thick instead of using my peeler, corer, spiral slicer.
Thank you for this post. I have a couple of questions for you. How long does it take for your pressure caner to reach temperature? I find mine takes a couple of hours. I did dry beans yesterday and it took a total of 3.5 hours to can! Am I doing something wrong?
#2 – Do you have to have lemon juice in the pie filling? I thought I would try caning my husbands grandmothers recipe but her’s does not call for Lemon juice.
Thanks you for your time if you get a chance to answer. 🙂
Cheryl,
What type of stove are you using and are you turning it up to medium high? After allowing my pressure canner to vent steam for 10 minutes, it only usually takes about 5 minutes to reach 10 pounds of pressure, perhaps about 20 to 25 minutes from when I first turn the stove on, including venting time.
You do need to use the lemon juice, it’s there for acidity reasons. My older recipes didn’t have it either, but different apple varieties vary on their acidity (depending upon harvest time as well) so using lemon juice helps make sure it stays in the safe range.
Thank you for inspiring me to can and freeze this season more than I ever have!
I am intrigued to try this apple pie filling except I keep thinking about the clear jell being gmo. Do you know if there is a good non gmo option or is this one gmo free?
Thanks so much! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience so freely with others!
Mary,
I’m so thrilled to have inspired you and what an awesome job you’re doing!
When I first used and purchased the ClearJel it said on their website it was GMO free, it’s not certified however. I’ve done extensive research and haven’t been able to confirm one way or the other for certain if it is GMO free, but I can’t confirm that it isn’t either. One option is to make the pie filling without the thickener and then just add some flour/cornstarch at the time of baking your pie or using the pie filling. I wish I could confirm one way or the other for my own self as well. Thanks so much for asking as I do try to keep all GMO items out of our home and pantry.
Going to try your recipe this week. I don’t have any clear jel so just going to can it without. I live at a little over 6000′ elevation, would I process at 15 lbs of pressure? Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
Cindy,
Yes, at 15 pounds of pressure with our elevation if using the pressure canner. 🙂 I’m getting more apples Wednesday and can’t wait to whip up another batch.
After blanching, do you plunge the apples in ice cold water?
Melissa,I have just discovered the joys using a pressure canner. I really don’t want to ever do a hot water bath again, but I can accept only doing that for jams, jellies, or pickles (which I rarely do anyway).
Thank you for the post. I just bought a bushel of apples and will get to work on the this weekend.
Nancy
Hi Melissa,
I am excited to try this recipe this year. I was reading about Clear Jel (trying to find it locally- looks like only online unfortunately). The website I was on said that a one-pound bag (3-3/4 cups) would be sufficient for 7 quarts of pie filling, but your recipe calls for only 3/4 cup for four quarts? Would it hurt to put more in, or are you purposely only putting in 3/4 cup for some reason?
Thanks!
Sara,
You don’t want to use too much, no more than 1/4 cup per quart jar or it can be too thick and that can cause issues with canning safety.
This turned out SO GOOD! Ive already eaten 1 of the 8 qts I filled only a week ago. I do have concern about the canning process and the bubbles that have formed on the inner walls of all my jars. Can I directly contact you?
Hey Amanda,
You bet, I’ll shoot you an email.
Hi, I precook my apple pie filling and was wondering if I can still can it this way? I precook just enough to make them a little tender, so when put in a pie it really only has to bake about 30 minutes until the pie crust is brown.
I hot pack my apple pie filling so this is considered a pre-cook as well.
I admire your works and life Melissa K Norris.
Hey Melissa!
Love your blog and podcast! Thank you for all you do! I am new to canning and put up my first jars this year! 😀 You were one who convinced me that I could pressure can! Is it weird that I pressure canned with tattler lids before I ever water bath canned and I still haven’t used a regular style lid! haha! When I learned about the sustainable lids, I just knew i had ot try them! And they have been working great! 30 jars of green beans later and we are looking at a mountain of apples to process from my in-laws trees! HUGE BLESSING! Anyway that’s how I ended up looking for your apple pie filling recipe! I noticed you used clear jel in this recipe. Because clear jel is modified corn starch and does not come in organic form (so it is almost guaranteed GMO), would it be possible to skip the clear jel and add a thickener in later when you want to bake a pie? (We steer completely clear of GMO foods).
Thanks again! Blessings to you!
In Christ,
Emily
Oh I just saw one that is labeled as non-gmo! I didn’t see that the first go around! My apologies!
Emily,
No worries and the manufacturer of ClearJel (it’s sold by multiple people but as far as I know, it’s all made by one company) is the only manufacturer of non-GMO maize in the US. 🙂
So proud of you and those apples will be so delicious, you might want to check out my new recipe for the apple pie jam, too. 🙂
If you are pressure canning the apple pie filling, do you still need to add the lemon juice? Is the lemon juice needed for taste or for the clear jel to set? I know for water bath canning you need to add lemon juice to bring the acidity up. Can I omit lemon juice if pressure canning?
You still need to use the lemon juice for acidity reasons, we’re not pressure canning it long enough to omit it.
[…] Home Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe […]
Thank you for posting this canning info on apple pie filling. I’m attempting to save a bunch of Delicious apples through the use of our canning equipment, but have never tried to save/can pie filling. Do you think it makes more sense to save it in the freezer? We have plenty or storage space for either method. The total number of bushels of apples are approximately 20. Thank you again.
Bill,
You could try some of both and see which way you prefer it. I like having some on the shelf for when I’m busy, I can just open the jar and go.
Have you ever used chia seeds for your apple pie filling? I love the extra protein and the jelling effect. I’ve had excellent results with all of my jams using chia. My grandmother used to reduce apple juice and pulp to make the thicked part of the filling. Just wondering if you’ve used either method..
Sally, not with canned apple pie filling, chia seeds aren’t a safe canning thickener. But for fresh they’d be just fine!
I used the recipe in the ball canning book. The pie filling is awesome! And much easier than I thought it would be. I have read a number of recipes online and you need an engineering degree to sift through them 🙂
Hi Melissa!
I’ve made this recipe twice and we absolutely love it. Funny though the filling never made it into a pie lol. Is it a quart per pie?
Haha, it’s soo good! Yes, I use a quart per pie.
My son can’t have sugar. If I switched the sugar for honey, will it affect the safety of the pie filling?
Here’s info on using honey in canning recipes http://www.pickyourown.org/SubstitutingHoneyForSugar.htm
I canned apple pie filling for years when we lived close to apple orchards. It was so nice having easy delicious pie filling available during the holidays. I may just have to buy apples and can some. Thanks for this recipe.
Hi Melissa! In your apple pie filling recipe you call for raw sugar. Is that Sucanet or sugar in the raw? Also, anyway to substitute honey for sugar when doing jams?
Thanks, Liz
How many quarts do you put up for your family for the season? Just one recipe doesn’t seem like enough…
Could you make this sugar free by using some kind of sweetener instead of sugar?
It is my understanding that Clear Jel is made from corn starch. Is there something else we can use?
ClearJel is a cornstarch that’s been modified for canning. As stated in the post above, you can just leave it out and when you open the jar of pie filling, use any thickener of your choice just as you do when baking fresh apple pie. There are no other thickeners safe for canning to use.
i was just wondering if the ginger used in his recipe is fresh or powdered?
I use powdered
Using your recipe, I canned apple pie filling. I had 14 cups of sliced apples but it only made 3 quarts of apple pie filling. I used a manual slicer and the slices are thin, could that have been the problem? Otherwise, good recipe.
That’s probably the culprit, I keep mine on the thicker side.
Can this recipe be used for other fruits like peaches, cherry or pineapple?
You are such an inspiration! Thank you for tour videos & recipes! God bless!
Why can’t I print off this recipe to keep for future use? It’s such a good one?
There’s a print button to print the recipe so I’m not sure why you’re having issues printing it, maybe your printer settings?
you said I could leave the clear-jel out? If I do that do I just follow the recipe otherwise or do you have other recommendations? I love eating unsweetened oatmeal with apple pie filling on top so the thickening in the pie is not as important to me.
Thanks 🙂 very interesting in learning to can this as I’ve only frozen it previously and would love to be able to make shelf stable apple pie filling:)
Hi Abigail, yes, just follow the recipe with the omission of the ClearJel. This is one of our favorites!
Hi Melissa, when blanching the 6 cups of apples at a time, do you plunge them into ice water after removing from the one minute boiling… like typically done when blanching?
Yes, I pop mine into a large bowl of ice water.
Could we substitute pears for the apples?
I’ve never done it with pear and searching through tested recipes for home canned pear pie filling I didn’t find any, so I’ll err on the side of caution and say best not to swap it out. I do can a pear butter and pear sauce and I also have a pear spiced canning recipe here https://melissaknorris.com/can-pears-spiced-pear-canning-recipe/
Just a hint. Mix that Clear Jel with the sugar and spices first, and add the water a little at a time at first and whisk as you go so you don’t get lumpy filling. 45 years of using Clear Jel experience.
Thank you for an Apple pie filling that is canned. I made pies in the fall but had to freeze them. I have been looking for a recipe to can. Just made your pie crust recipe today for beef pot pie and it was delicious. A perfect match for a meat pie.
Melissa, I have learned so much from you! The strawberry jam is the best I’ve ever tasted and everyone is raving about it. I’m interested in canning but don’t have any of the equipment. Maybe later on…
Thank you!
Darlene
This truly is the best pie filling ever! I also had to lick the pan . I have a question. One of my qts had some pie filling escape into the canner. It fells like the seal is ok. Would it be ok for 2 weeks. I will use it first. Laura
Yes, siphoning does happen with pie fillings and as long as it sealed all the way, it will be fine.
What can you use in place of the clear gel? I haven’t found it locally. If I do order from Amazon, how many batches can you get from a 1.5 lbs. package?
What kind of apples do you recommend using (if you don’t have Gravensteins)?
Thank you for the apple pie filling recipe. I had been waiting for that. I make applesauce in the crockpot but I don’t have any directions for canning it. Can you help. Also I would like to switch to raw sugar after seeing one of your video’s. Is there anything I need to know about the use, storage, or amount needed in a recipe.
Do you think it would be safe to substitute pears in this recipe? Someone gave me a 5 gallon bucket of extremely hard pears that never soften. If not, any other ideas for them? I was thinking pear sauce, but I’m afraid they might be too hard for that.
Can I omit 1.5 cups of the sugar? That’s way too much sugar for my taste.
I tried this recipe and it tastes great. This past weekend I canned 4 quarts. Today I noticed that 2 of them have large air bubbles. The jars sealed but the contents have settled and move around if the jar is tipped. Are they no longer safe to use because of the large bubbles? The other 2 jars sealed and have a few smaller bubbles but the contents don’t move around. I haven’t canned in years and have never canned pie filling before and am worried they have gone bad.
As long as the bubbles aren’t active (when jar is sitting still bubbles don’t move) and it sealed, they’re fine.
We got a bumper crop of apples from our tree this year and I’ve been wanting to try this recipe since I saw the youTube video. I’ve got 4 quarts in the canner right now and we had about a cup of extra apples in the sauce leftover and the family devoured it with spoons. I’m really excited to be able to quickly throw together a pie in the middle of winter.
We put up about 21 quarts of apple pie filling, but the clear gel never thicken. Any ideas on thickening up the pie filling when making pies?
Follow the instructions on the printable recipe card in the notes section where it says Processing instructions WITHOUT ClearJel. I give instructions on how to thicken at time of baking.
Hello Melissa, can I use citric acid instead of lemon juice?
I have made this recipe once without the clear jel and then thickened up afterwards and added raisins. It was delicious. I want to make it again and this time, will reduce the sugar in half. When I make apple pie or crisp using fresh apples, I do not peel them so wondered if I can omit this step when canning.
Hi Melissa. I processed my jars and after they were cooled, a couple had the filling/gooey stuff on the threads of the band. I’m guessing they overflowed sometime. I made sure I was one inch from the top before sealing. The lids are still intact and sealed. Are the jars ok to store?
Siphoning is pretty normal with pie fillings, just wipe them clean and as long as the seal is solid then they’re fine to store.
Why is this only good for one year?
All canning says the best quality used within in one year, it will last longer but best nutrition and color is within one year
I made this pie filling for the first time last fall and it’s wonderful! It’s been amazing to be able to make an apple pie or apple crisp anytime throughout the winter and it’s delicious! Thank you! Definitely making it again this fall!