Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe - Skip to my Lou (2024)

This is the best recipe for homemade canned apple pie filling! It is way better than store-bought and fun to make. Delicious apples in a sweet sauce won’t disappoint. Add these cute canning labels for your homemade apple pie filling recipe to make a great gift!

If you like to can, you must try my Harry and David Onion Pepper Relish knock-off recipe…..so yummy. Jam is also another fun item to can and I have an easy strawberry jam with printable labels. Can you believe you can make homemade strawberry jam with only four ingredients and no pectin?

Homemade Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

• 6 quarts sliced fresh apples – firm crisp apples are best (about 30 apples, if apples are small do a few extra)
• 5 cups of sugar
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups Clear Jel (affiliate link)
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• a couple of pinches of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 cups apple juice no sugar added
• 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
• 6 – 1 quart canning mason jars regular mouth (affiliate link)

Canning Tools

(affiliate links)

• water bath canner (this one will need care if you nick the surface it will rust) this canner is much more durable. You can also use a large pot with a rack placed in the bottom. I use the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker
• jar lifter
• canning funnel
• magnetic lid grabber and bubble remover
• apple peeler
• apple corer

How to Make Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling

A few years back when I first made this homemade apple pie filling in a jar recipe it was a huge hit and I knew I had a winner. The best news is that it really isn’t hard to make. Pick some apples (I use apples from my neighbor’s tree) and you are ready to get started. I think you are going to love canning apple pie filling! Let me show you how to make apple pie filling from scratch.

PRO TIP: I love this apple peeler. It only peels the apple which is important. Other models will peel, slice, and core. However, for this recipe since the canning process is 25 mins, apple slices that are too thin turn mushy so a knife works great to cut nice chunky wedges.

Peel and core all the apples. I then slice each apple into about eight pieces.

How do you keep apples from browning?

A great trick for keeping the apples from browning and looking fresh is to add the apples to a large bowl of cold water along with three to five vitamin C tablets (500mg) that have been crushed. This is really an important step because the apples do brown quickly and it takes time to peel all the apples.

Next, you will combine sugar, Clear Jel, cinnamon, nutmeg, water, salt, and apple juice in a large pot. Stirring occasionally cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add drained apple slices to the sauce.

Fill jars with mixture, leaving 1-inch headspace. I packed the jars with the apples and then divided the sauce among the jars. Use a skewer or plastic bubble remover to remove air bubbles along the side of the jar.

Wipe jar rims clean, tighten lids, and process immediately. Place jars in a pot of boiling water with water 1 inch above the top of jar lids and boil for 25 minutes (For 0-1,000 ft altitude). Carefully remove jars from the hot water and let jars cool for 12 to 24 hours. Lids should be indented if properly sealed.

Printable canning labels

Download the printable apple pie filling labels file and print it in color on a solid sheet of sticker paper. I email the file to my local copy shop and ask them to print it in color on 1 Up label paper. You can also purchase label paper and print it at home. Cut out the sticker and place it on your homemade apple pie filling. What a delicious and useful homemade gift!

{Printable homemade apple pie filling labels}

What apples make the best pie?

I wish I knew the type of apple I picked off my neighbors tree. They have a sweet flavor but do become soft in the canning process. No worries because this canned apple pie filling makesthe most delicious Apple Crisp. They also work great for a rustic apple pie. Try Ina Garten’s Apple Crostata Recipe. These apples are fabulous spooned over ice cream!

Here are some apples you might try. It is also okay to use a mixture of apples.

• Granny Smith -This apple has a medium sweetness with a touch of tang. They stay firm while baking.
• Honeycrisp -A sweet flavorful apple that stays relatively firm, although less firm than a Granny Smith.
• Golden Delicious -This yellow apple is a blend of sweet and tart. this apple doesn’t stay as firm as a Granny Smith.
• Jonathan or Jonagold Apples -These classic apples have a blend of tart and tangy flavor. Jonagold apples are the cross between Golden Delicious and Jonathan apples. This variety has both a firm texture and a sweet and tart flavor.
• Braeburn -This citrus smelling apple is very firm, which is perfect for baking apple pie. It does have an interesting flavor more like a pear.

Recipe Tips

• It is important to use bottled lemon juice and not freshly squeezed. Bottled lemon juice has a consistent and dependable acid level.
• Canning apple pie filling with clear Jel is my preferred thickener over cornstarch. It is much more stable and has less aftertaste than cornstarch and will keep the sauce smooth and clear.

I think this the best recipe for apple pie filling and will become one of your favorites. It has been pinned over 10,000 times!

Marilynsays…. “I have just completed making the apple pie filling again. I think I have made about 30 jars – all for gift giving. I also made the quiche yesterday – very good! (My husband had leftovers this morning) I use your recipes extensively – I have never had one I didn’t like! Keep up the good work.“

It makes an easy apple pie in a jar gift for friends and to keep in my own pantry for an easy dessert. Canning is so rewarding! Let me know in the comments if you give it a try!

You might like these fun apple ideas …..

Apples, Apples, Apples!!!

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• Apple Theme Teacher Gifts
• How to Draw an Apple
• How to Keep Apples from Browning
• Apples for Teacher Appreciation Week

I would love to keep you fully stocked with creative ideas, yummy recipes, fun crafts, and loads of free printables. Subscribe to Skip to my Lou to get new ideas delivered to your inbox. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all my latest updates.