Homemade Apple Pie Filling

This easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling is a little sweet, a little spicy, and saucier than a front porch rumor. It’s tart enough to keep things interesting, and saucy enough to sass you back! Unapologetically cinnamon-kissed, it’s the kind of canned apple pie filling that makes store-bought hide in the pantry!

Save This Recipe!

Enter your email below, and we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll receive more easy recipes each week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Post Email Post

Email *

Save

This homemade apple pie filling for canning is about to serve up Grandma-level flavor without the Grandma-level effort!

Honestly, it’s so good you’ll forget the crust was ever the point!

Dawn writes: “Makes such a delicious pie.”

Seriously, once you know how easy it is to make your own canned apple pie filling, you’ll never go back to those store bought cans again. It’s made with fresh ingredients you can taste, and the canning process is a cinch!

Just make it now, with fresh apples from your yard or sale priced grocery store apples. Then enjoy your delicious grab-and-go pie filling all year long whenever you want.

I especially love having it on hand during those busy pie making seasons like Thanksgiving and Christmas, to make my Old Fashioned Apple Pie Recipe and heavenly Apple Caramel Pie!

This canning apple pie filling recipe also makes the sweetest little Gifts in a Jar you can give to your family and friends.

If you’re new to canning, this pie filling is definitely one of the best Canning for Beginners Recipes to start with. It’s simple to prepare, and the water canning method is straightforward and hassle-free.

So what is apple pie filling made of?

These 7 simple ingredients…

Ingredients

Nobody likes a watery apple pie, that’s why this homemade apple pie filling recipe starts with my favorite secret ingredient for canning… Clear Jel Thickening Powder! It helps to ensure your pie filling is thick and delicious, and not watery! Just be sure your Clear Jel has a good expiration date before using.

Then, in addition to the Clear Jel, just look around your kitchen for these 6 additional ingredients. You might already have most of them on hand!

• Green Apples – I used Granny Smith apples for this pie filling, to ensure the pie has the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
• Sugar – just regular white granulated sugar.
• Lemon Juice – to prevent your apples from turning brown.
• Cinnamon – I recommend using a higher quality cinnamon for best flavor.
• Nutmeg – to complement the sweetness of this pie filling.
• Allspice – to add additional warmth and depth of flavor.

Canned Apple Pie Filling Equipment

Plan for success pie making success when you also have all of the necessary equipment for canning apple pie filling on hand before you start.

For this recipe you’ll need…

• Three Wide Mouth Quart Sized Mason Jars – You can substitute regular mouth jars in a pinch, but wide mouth jars make it much easier to pour the apples in. Be sure to also have 3 bands and new clean lids, too.
• Sauce Pan – used to simmer the 3 lids prior to canning.
• Large Stainless Pot – for blanching the apples.
• Large Slotted Spoon – to remove apples from pot after being blanched.
• Large Mixing Bowl – for storing apples after they’ve been blanched.
• Aluminum Foil – to cover blanched apples and keep them warm and tender.
• 8 Quart Stock Pot – for preparing your sugar and spice mixture.
• 20 Quart Stock Pot + Canning Rack Insert (or Water Bath Canner) – for canning apple pie filling.
• Funnel – To ensure a clean transfer of your pie filling into jars.
• Jar Lifter – To safely remove the hot jars from their water bath. (mine came with a magnetic jar lifter which comes in handy, too)

How to Make Apple Pie Filling

You are going to love how simple it is to prepare this easy apple pie filling recipe.

Here’s what you’ll do…

1. Start by preparing your jars for canning.

2. Then slice your apples into thin pieces, before blanching them.

3. Whisk your Sugar, Clear Jell & Spices together.

4. Then boil the Water and Sugar mixture with Lemon Juice.

5. Once done, remove from the heat and fold in the apples.

6. Fill your jars, then process the jars in boiling water.

7. Once done, remove & wait for lids to pop… and you’re done. Easy peasy!

Then, when you’re ready to make your apple pie with canned apple pie filling, just take a few minutes to make up my easy, buttery wonderful Double Pie Crust Recipe.

That way you’ll have everything you need to create THE Homemade Pies everyone will be drooling over! 🙂

Scroll down for the printable homemade apple pie filling recipe card with detailed, step-by-step instructions.

How To Store

You can either store your canned apple pie filling in your pantry, or a cool, dry cupboard for up to 1 year.

I recommend labeling the top of each lid with the type of pie filling and the date it was made. Then remove the bands when storing, and be sure to never stack jars on top of each other. And remember… always inspect lids to ensure the seals are good before using!

This canned pie filling can also be fashioned into the cutest little homemade gifts. Just add some pretty ribbon to the lids of your canning jars and they’ll be ready to go!

Reviews

Here’s what your frugal friends are saying about this easy homemade apple pie filling for canning…

Rebecca writes: “Yummy!”

Dawn writes: “Makes such a delicious pie.”

Jenna writes: “It maks a gorgeous gift.”

Food Canning Recipes

Breakfast

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Snacks

Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe

Breakfast

Peach Butter

Breakfast

Strawberry Jam Recipe

Breakfast

Blackberry Jam Recipe

Breakfast

Raspberry Jam Recipe

Did You Enjoy This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave a comment & review below!

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

By Heidi Miller

This easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling is a little sweet, a little spicy, and saucier than a front porch rumor. It's tart enough to keep things interesting, and saucy enough to sass you back! Unapologetically cinnamon-kissed, it's the kind of canned apple pie filling that makes store-bought hide in the pantry!

Servings: 3 Quarts (1 quart jar per pie)

Prep Time: 35 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Pin Print SaveSaved Review

Save This Recipe!

Enter your email below, and we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll receive more easy recipes each week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Permalink Email Post

Save

Doubling Recipe Tip

If doubling or tripling recipe with buttons below, ingredient notes found after comma will not adjust. Increase ingredients as needed.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 13 cups Granny Smith Apples, peeled & thin-sliced (approx. 8 – 11 medium apples)
• ▢ 3 cups Granulated Sugar, (White)
• ▢ 3/4 cup Clear Jel , (thickening powder)
• ▢ 2 1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
• ▢ 1/4 tsp. Allspice
• ▢ 3 3/4 cups Water
• ▢ 1/2 cup Lemon Juice

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Gather your homemade apple pie filling ingredients.
  
• Wash your 3 one quart (16 oz.) jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water, dry completely, and set bands aside.
• Simmer lids in warm water in saucepan until ready to place them on jars.
• Keep jars warm by simmering in hot water until ready to use. Do not boil.
• Fill 20 quart stock pot or water bath canner with hot water, and place on stove over medium-high heat. (you’ll need enough water to later cover your jars with at least 1 inch of water)
• Peel and thin slice your apples. (apple slices can be placed in a bowl of lemon water to keep from browning as you work – use 1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup of water)
• Then blanch 6 1/2 cups at a time by adding to a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute.
• Carefully remove blanched apple slices from boiling water with a large slotted spoon, transfer to a large mixing bowl, and cover bowl with foil. Then blanch your next 6 1/2 cups of apple slices.
• Remove apples from water, transfer to the bowl with your other apples, and keep covered.
• In large stainless pot (I used an 8 quart stock pot), whisk together Sugar, ClearJel, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Allspice. Then add water and bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture bubbles and thickens up.
• Once mixture is bubbling, add lemon juice and boil for 1 more minute, constantly stirring.
• After 1 minute, remove mixture from heat, drain any excess water off of apples in bowl, and gently fold in apples to the sugar/spice mixture in the pot until well combined.
  
• Then… one by one, remove a jar from hot water, transfer to a cookie sheet (this will catch any spills), place canning funnel on jar, and ladle in apple pie filling mixture leaving 1 inch empty head space at top of the jar.
• Use a small spatula to remove any air bubbles inside the jar, then wipe off rim of lid and threads of jar with damp cloth.
• Continue until all 3 quart jars have been filled.
  
• Remove warm lids from saucepan (a magnetic lid lifter works like a charm), and place one lid on each jar.
• Then screw one band on each jar just until snug (not overly tight).
• Place filled jars on rack in 20 quart stock pot or water bath canner, then lower down into hot water. Make sure there is enough water in pot that there is at least 1 inch of water above the jars. If necessary, add more HOT water.
  
• Place lid on your pot, and bring to a gentle boil.
• Once water is boiling, set your timer for processing. Boiling time will vary depending on where you live… for altitude 0 – 1,000 feet boil 25 minutes, for 1,001 – 3,000 boil 30 minutes, for 3,001 – 6,000 boil 35 minutes, for 6,001 – 8,000 boil 40 minutes.
• Once jars have finished boiling, turn off heat, remove the lid from the pot and let jars sit for 5 minutes before removing. After 5 minutes, lift up rack to elevated resting position, then carefully remove jars one by one using a jar lifter, and transfer to a folded towel to cool.
• The lids on the jars will begin to ‘pop’ into the sealed position, signifying the pie filling has been preserved. If any lids do not pop within the first 12 – 24 hours, transfer those to the refrigerator and use those up first.
  

Notes

• Shelf Life: Your three 16 oz. quart jars of homemade apple pie filling can be stored in your pantry, or a cool, dry cupboard for up to 1 year.
• Storage Tips: Label the top of each lid with the type of pie filling and the date it was made. Then remove the bands when storing, and be sure to never stack jars on top of each other. And remember… always inspect lids to ensure the seals are good before using.
• How To Make Apple Pie with Canned Pie Filling: When ready to make your apple pie, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pie crust in pie dish and crimp edges, empty contents of ONE 16 oz. apple pie filling jar into dish, add a top crust in a simple lattice pattern, brush the top and edges with an egg wash, sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and bake on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375, add a pie crust shield to prevent edges from burning, and bake for 40 – 45 more minutes, or until hot, bubbly, and the crust is golden brown. Wait several hours before serving, and ENJOY!
• FAQ’s: For answers to Frequently Asked Questions or tips for common substitutions and variations, please refer to the detailed information above this recipe card.

Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!

Recipe adated from FreshPreserving