Canned Apple Pie Filling is a great homemade staple to have in your pantry for quick and easy homemade deserts all year long! This canned apple pie filling recipe is quick and easy, and perfect for preserving your summer apple harvest!

CANNED APPLE PIE FILLING IN MASON JAR ON COUNTER PIN IMAGE

This Apple Pie Filling recipe is a quick and easy option for canning apples in bulk, When apple season is at its peak. A great desert filling to have ready to go in the pantry for apple pies, cobblers, crisps and cakes!

We love apple season! There’s so much yummy goodness that can be made, canned and preserved to make the apple season last throughout the winter.

This year we started our orchard and planted twenty semi dwarf trees that grow best in the Pacific Northwest. Harvest season in the garden, orchard and in nature makes my heart sing.

There’s something exciting about gathering fresh organic local food ( often free in exchange for some sweat equity) for your family.

I’m the squirrel in my family that LOVES to stockpile for the winter, you know what that’s like right?

Take advantage of the apple harvest season and make this amazing canned apple pie filling or try making apple butter, apple sauce or dehydrating apple chips too!

This is a must recipe that I make in big batches over my apple processing weekend.

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CANNED APPLE PIE FILLING

Apples are in abundance in the fall, find free apples in your backyard or pick your neighbours. They are also at their lowest produce of the year in the grocery store.

Choose tart apples such as Granny Smith, Gala and Golden Delicious. Use firm apples and avoid overripe fruit. The lower pH value of tart apples reduces the amount of pectin that breaks down, so the apples hold their shape and get less mushy.

Pre cooking apple pie filling prevents apples from turning mushy when baked. What you get is a sweet apple pie with bits of tart and slightly crisp apples with no more mushy bits.

Once you’ve sourced apples its time to start processing them.

Set up an apple processing station in your kitchen like what I’ve done here.

apple processing station for apple sauce — Prepare apples for making apple sauce

You’ll need the following tools ready on hand for this easy canning recipe using the hot water bath method.

HOW TO MAKE CANNED APPLE PIE FILLING

Canned Apple Pie filling requires a few staple canning supplies that make this recipe easy and successful.

Big stainless steel pot

A stainless steel large pot with a heavy bottom like the one above is perfect for canning lots of apple pie filling at once and allows room for boiling without the mess. The heavy bottom will help prevent sticking and burning.

Ladle

The label above is a Kitchen Aid Silicon Spatula that makes life so much easier! After using a silicon spatula I’ll never go back. It get’s into the crevices of the pan meaning less cleaning and easier removal of pie filling from the pot.

Apple peeler corer

My Mother and Grandmother both had this peeler growing up, so when I moved out on my own and started canning I knew this would be my first canning equipment purchase!

The Peeler corer above makes preserving apples, potatoes and pears a breeze.

Quart Canning Jars with Snap Lids

Hot Water Bath Canning Starter Kit

Ingredients

APPLES and some water

Sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg to taste

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

FIRST

peeled and cored apples using a cast iron apple peeler corer, apples sitting in warm water bath with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Start processing the apples by washing them. Then peeling and coring them. Peels and cores go in one side of the sink, apples on the opposite side in warm water with a few drops of lemon juice to prevent browning.

I like to keep the apple peels to share with my chickens and use in coleslaw. But this year I’m going to expand my uses for Apple Peels!

SECOND

apples peeled, cored and chopped are added to a large heavy bottomed pot with 2" water

Slice the apples in quarters or smaller pieces and place into hot clean sterile canning jars. I prefer wide mouth tops for easier “stuffing.” Just make sure to leave a 1/2 inch headspace.

THIRD

Make Apple Pie filling syrup by adding sugar, apple pie spice, water, lemon juice and clear gel to the large stock pot.

If you don’t want to add it just add cornstarch after canning and when you’re ready to use the Apple Pie Filling.

WHAT IS APPLE PIE SPICE?

The fun part is making the sweet heavy syrup that will turn your canned apples into delicious canned apple pie filling. The secret is in the spices.

Apple Pie Spice is easily added to the apples along with sugar, optional clear gel, salt, water and lemon juice.

Apple Pie Spice is a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom to create a warm and fall inspired spice blend.

Super similar to the popular Pumpkin Spice, but with different ratios and cardamom where as pumpkin spice does not have cardamom.

Mix first five ingredients together in a large stock pot. Stir in water and bring to a boil over medium heat.

12 cups sugar
2 ¼ cup Clear gel
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
5 quarts water
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
12 quarts of apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

Simmer for 25-30 minutes so that the syrup can thicken. This recipe calls for clear gel, before canning it. Clear Gel allows for the syrup to thicken before being canned.

Use a funnel to pour the syrup over the apples. Remove the air by sliding a plastic canning spatula into the jar to get rid of air bubbles.

Makes 14 quarts.

Then it’s time to process jars, eat fresh or store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

CANNING APPLE PIE FILLING

If you’re new to hot water bath canning I highly recommend you read this guide, Quickstart Guide to Water Bath Canning, before you prepare your jars and use your hot water bath. Water Bath canning is simple and friendly but their a science to this art that needs to be understood for the health and safety of your family.

SAFE CANNING TIPS

Steps for Canning apple pie filling are the same as any hot water canning method. Start by preparing the jars and lids for canning.

Fill clean jars using a silicon ladle leaving half an inch of headspace.

Wipe rims and add hot seals and lids

Process in a water bath canner for 25 minutes.

Set jars to cool, label and store for eating over the winter months.

1 quart jar fills a 9” pie shell perfect for apple pie!

HOW TO USE CANNED APPLE PIE FILLING

Like I said before, having homemade canned apple pie filling in your pantry is a great staple to have around the home. Honestly, you can take that jar of sweet summer apples and turn it into many deserts.

All the recipes below showcase just how I use my homemade apple pie filling to make tasty Sunday Dinner deserts my family loves!

HOMEMADE APPLE PIE

Apple Pie is by far THE best desert. Who doesn’t love apple pie? Warm sweet apples, hints of cinnamon and vanilla, and a buttery flaky crust. Learn how to make homemade apple pie from scratch and you’ll be asked to make the pie for all the potlucks and family dinners.

HOMEMADE APPLE PIE RECIPE

APPLE PIE CHEESECAKE BARS

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are a drool worthy summer and fall desert treat that your guests are going to ask you for the recipe upon first bite. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered and this recipe is beyond simple.

APPLE PIE CHEESECAKE BARS RECIPE

APPLE ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

These healthy zucchini muffins are amazing! Made with oatmeal, zucchini, apple sauce and my favourite baking ingredient they are moist a great alternative to the popular chocolate zucchini muffins!

APPLE ZUCCHINI MUFFIN RECIPE