Save Your Harvest with this Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Making Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling is easier than you think 🍎. With just a few simple steps, you can turn fresh-picked apples into cozy jars of cinnamon-spiced goodness. It’s a fun way to stock your pantry and enjoy fall flavors anytime. Grab your canning pot and let’s walk through the whole process together. Your future self will thank you!

Three large mason jars filled with Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling, surrounded by fresh apples and sunflowers for a fall-themed look.

My friend Meaghan and I spent a day together last week canning the best homemade canned apple pie filling!

It was so fun to hang out with a good friend, let our kids play, and make super yummy apples! Meaghan went apple picking in Michigan at the end of September and was willing to share her bounty in exchange for teaching her how to can.

Two smiling women in a well-lit kitchen after finishing a batch of Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling together during a fun canning day.

Of course, I was happy to oblige because homemade canned apple pie filling is one of those ingredients that no cook minds having in the pantry. It can be used in a variety of ways!

Getting Started with Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling

Homemade canned apple pie filling is easy to make when you have fresh ingredients and the right tools. Let’s dive into the process step by step to create this delicious pantry staple.

Close-up of two jars of Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling with sliced apples and syrup, topped with silver lids and surrounded by fresh sunflowers.

Step 1: Start with Freshly Picked Apples

Meaghan and I have become great friends in the last two years. We have so much in common and do a lot of the same things together. We both homeschool our kids, attend the same homeschool co-op, go to the same mid-week Bible study at church, and are in the same Mom’s support group.

Step 2: Preparing for Canning

I enjoy making homemade canned apple pie filling. Believe it or not, I even find it somewhat therapeutic. With our garden here in Tennessee I have canned okra, jalapeños, dill pickles, spaghetti sauce, cilantro lime salsa, cranberry sauce, peaches, jam and Crockpot cinnamon applesauce. I use the water bath method using a large canning pot, wire rack, and canning utensils. If you really want to get into canning, I would suggest buying an all inclusive canning set. When you buy the items separately, it is often more expensive.

I have an awesome canning recipe book from Better Homes and Gardens that was passed down to me from a fellow canner here in Appalachia. This is where I found our recipe for Homemade Apple Pie Filling.

The process was a bit time-consuming, but I have already made an apple pie with it, and it is wonderfully delicious!

Step 3: Preparing the Apples

Peel and slice about 45 small apples. It should amount to about 12-14 pounds, not including the peel and cores. Put all the apples into large bowls of water mixed with lemon juice in order to keep them from getting brown.

Boil a large pot of water on the stove. Once boiling, cook batches of the apples in the hot water for about 30 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them back into a large bowl.

Step 4: Making the Syrup

In another large pot, you’ll need to combine 5 1/2 cups of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of unflavored gelatin. You can also use ClearJel food starch, but Meaghan and I couldn’t find it at any of our grocery stores. The gelatin ended up working fine, so we used the generic store brand. You should be able to find it in the jello/pudding aisle or near the baking ingredients.

Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves to this mixture. Pour in 5 cups of apple juice or cider and 2 1/2 cups of water. Cook this over medium heat until it boils, stirring constantly. It should thicken as you stir.

Step 5: Combining Apples and Syrup

Once this is boiling, add 3/4 cup of lemon juice and stir for another minute. Pour in all the apples and stir them up. It will be really thick! I didn’t have a pot big enough for this step, so I had to divide the homemade canned apple pie filling mixture into two separate batches.

Now, separate the apples evenly among the seven (7) jars. Make sure they have been sterilized first. When all the apples are divided, then add the leftover liquid to the jars. Meaghan and I found this to be a lot easier than trying to make sure each jar got enough apples and liquid at the same time.

We made a BIG mess trying to divide them together the first time and learned our lesson for the second time around. Leave about 1 inch of headspace at the top of each jar. You may have some cinnamon liquid left over.

Step 6: Sealing the Jars

Gently press the lids onto the jars, then screw on the bands. DO NOT twist the bands on too tightly. If the bands are too tight, not enough pressure can build up during the cooking process, and the jar won’t seal.

A full row of freshly filled and sealed mason jars with Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling cooling on the counter after processing.

While the jars are still hot, process the homemade canned apple pie filling using the water bath method. Once the water is boiling, add the jars and cook for 25 minutes. Once removed and cooled, check to make sure the lids are sealed and then tighten the bands.

Enjoying Your Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling

Now you have beautiful homemade canned apple pie filling that will last you all year long! The contents will be warm and liquidy, but over time, it will cool, and the gelatin will become more solid.

I can attest to how great this recipe is because I have already used it! It tastes great in a traditional apple pie, fried pies using biscuit dough, and even Crockpot apple spice cake. If you have a Pinterest account, pin this image for later, but read on to save 3 different recipes where you can use this pie filling.