Canned Apple Pie Filling

There is a particular kind of kitchen confidence that comes from a shelf of your own canned pie filling: dessert is never more than a crust away. This apple filling is the one we put up every fall — firm apple slices suspended in a glossy, cinnamon-spiced sauce that bakes into a proper pie without turning runny or gluey, because it is thickened the way tested canning recipes intend.

We will be direct about the important part: home canning is a science, and this recipe follows the structure of tested, USDA-aligned methods — bottled lemon juice for reliable acidity, ClearJel (the only thickener approved for canned pie fillings), correct headspace, and water-bath processing times. Check the processing time for your altitude before you start, and this will reward you every month of the year.

ClearJel is not optional

Regular cornstarch and flour break down during canning and can interfere with heat penetration — they are not safe thickeners for canned pie filling. ClearJel, a modified cornstarch sold for exactly this purpose, stays silky through processing and reheating. It is available online and at canning suppliers, and one bag lasts for many batches. If you do not have it, make the filling fresh and freeze it instead of canning it.

Choosing and prepping the apples

Firm, crisp apples hold their shape in the jar and in the pie: Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Jonagold and Braeburn are the varieties we reach for, and a mix of two gives the best flavor. Blanching the slices for one minute before they meet the hot syrup keeps them from floating, shrinking and trapping air — a small step that makes noticeably better jars.

Ingredients

• 6 quarts peeled, cored, sliced firm apples (about 18 to 20 apples / 3.6 kg prepared)
• 5 1/2 cups water or apple cider (1.3 L)
• 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice (180 ml)
• 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar (900 g)
• 1 1/2 cups ClearJel modified cornstarch (190 g) — not regular cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (8 g)
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (2 g)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g)

Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Prepare jars and canner. Wash 7 quart jars, lids and rings in hot soapy water. Keep the jars hot in your water-bath canner filled with simmering water (about 180°F / 82°C) until filling time, to prevent breakage from temperature shock.
2. Prep and blanch the apples. Peel, core and slice the apples into 1/2-inch wedges. Hold them in cold water with a splash of the lemon juice while you work. Blanch the slices in boiling water for 1 minute, in batches, and keep them warm in a covered bowl.
3. Cook the spiced syrup. In a large stockpot, whisk the sugar, ClearJel, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together dry, then whisk in the water or cider. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens into a clear, glossy syrup, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and boil 1 minute more.
4. Combine. Fold the warm, drained apple slices into the hot syrup and heat through for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming evenly.
5. Fill the jars. Ladle the hot filling into hot jars, leaving a full 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic tool, re-check headspace, wipe the rims clean, and apply lids and rings fingertip-tight.
6. Process safely. Lower the jars into the canner, ensuring at least 1 inch of water above the lids. Bring to a full boil and process quart jars for 25 minutes at 0 to 1,000 feet elevation — adjust upward for higher altitudes using current USDA tables. Cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours, then check that every lid has sealed before storing.

Nutrition estimate

Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.

Storage & reheating

Sealed jars keep in a cool, dark pantry for 12 to 18 months. Label every jar with the contents and date. Any jar that did not seal should be refrigerated and used within a week. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 7 days. If you ever see bulging, spurting, off smells or mold, discard the jar without tasting — when in doubt, throw it out.

Canned Apple Pie Filling

★★★★★ FryDaily kitchen score 4.9/5 — our own editorial rating from testing, not reader reviews.

Quart jars of spiced apple pie filling, ready for a year of instant desserts.

Yield: 7 quart jars  ·  Scale: 1x2x3x amounts below are 1x — double or triple for 2x / 3x

Prep45 minutes

Cook35 minutes

Total1 hour 20 minutes (plus processing)

Servings7 quart jars

Calories180 kcal

Ingredients

• 6 quarts peeled, cored, sliced firm apples (about 18 to 20 apples / 3.6 kg prepared)
• 5 1/2 cups water or apple cider (1.3 L)
• 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice (180 ml)
• 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar (900 g)
• 1 1/2 cups ClearJel modified cornstarch (190 g) — not regular cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (8 g)
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (2 g)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g)

Tick ingredients off as you prep — it is the easiest way to never miss one mid-recipe.

Instructions

1. Prepare jars and canner. Wash 7 quart jars, lids and rings in hot soapy water. Keep the jars hot in your water-bath canner filled with simmering water (about 180°F / 82°C) until filling time, to prevent breakage from temperature shock.
2. Prep and blanch the apples. Peel, core and slice the apples into 1/2-inch wedges. Hold them in cold water with a splash of the lemon juice while you work. Blanch the slices in boiling water for 1 minute, in batches, and keep them warm in a covered bowl.
3. Cook the spiced syrup. In a large stockpot, whisk the sugar, ClearJel, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together dry, then whisk in the water or cider. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens into a clear, glossy syrup, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and boil 1 minute more.
4. Combine. Fold the warm, drained apple slices into the hot syrup and heat through for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming evenly.
5. Fill the jars. Ladle the hot filling into hot jars, leaving a full 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic tool, re-check headspace, wipe the rims clean, and apply lids and rings fingertip-tight.
6. Process safely. Lower the jars into the canner, ensuring at least 1 inch of water above the lids. Bring to a full boil and process quart jars for 25 minutes at 0 to 1,000 feet elevation — adjust upward for higher altitudes using current USDA tables. Cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours, then check that every lid has sealed before storing.

Calories: 180 kcalProtein: 0 gCarbohydrates: 47 gFat: 0 gSaturated fat: 0 gSodium: 85 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 38 g

Tested in the FryDaily kitchen, October 2026. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.

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