When you have an apple tree in your yard, you quickly learn just how many ways there are to preserve apples. Over the years, I've canned everything from applesauce and apple jelly to apple preserves, but this homemade apple pie filling is one of my favorites to keep on the pantry shelf.
Having jars of apple pie filling ready to go makes homemade desserts so much easier. Of course, it's perfect for a classic apple pie, but you can also use it for apple crisp, cobbler, turnovers, dumplings, or even warm it up and spoon it over ice cream.
I've been making this recipe for years, originally using a Ball canning recipe. Tender apple slices are preserved in a lightly spiced filling made with apple juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The recipe uses ClearJel® cooking starch, which is specifically recommended for thickening pie fillings that will be home canned.
- 12 cups of sliced apples, peeled, cored, & treated to prevent browning
- 2 3/4 cup of sugar
- 3/4 cup of clear gel cooking startch
- 1 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
- Prepare canner, jars and lids.
- In a large pot of boiling water, working with 6 cups (1.5 L) at a time, blanch apple slices for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl.
- In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, ClearJel®, cinnamon, nutmeg, water and apple juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Drain apple slices and immediately fold into hot mixture. Before processing, heat, stirring, until apples are heated through.
- Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot filling. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 25 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.
TIP ClearJel® is a cooking starch that is acceptable for use in home canning. Not all cooking starches are suitable for home canning, as reheating causes some to lose viscosity. Making mixtures too thick can interfere with required heat penetration during heat processing.
CANNING APPLE PIE FILLING
- 12 cups of sliced apples, peeled, cored, & treated to prevent browning
- 2 3/4 cup of sugar
- 3/4 cup of clear gel
- 1 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- Prepare canner, jars and lids.
- In a large pot of boiling water, working with 6 cups (1.5 L) at a time, blanch apple slices for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl.
- In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, ClearJel®, cinnamon, nutmeg, water and apple juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Drain apple slices and immediately fold into hot mixture. Before processing, heat, stirring, until apples are heated through.
- Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot filling. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 25 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.