Easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling for Canning Recipe

Plus bonus never fail pie crust recipe!

When the time comes to list the options for dessert at the end of a dinner party, you can be sure that many of your guests will expect to hear apple pie on that list.  But, rather than rushing or fretting to get your timing right, consider making a large batch using this easy homemade apple pie filling for canning recipe ahead of time.

here’s what you need

• 6 quarts apples – peeled, cored, and sliced (approx. 30 medium apples)
• 5 C sugar
• 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 7 1/2 C water
• 3/4 C lemon juice

what is apple pie filling for canning?

My apple pie filling canning recipe makes six quarts.  That’s six jars of apple pie filling in your pantry just waiting to be baked into a pie.

Most apple pie filling canning recipes use clear gel (a form of corn starch) for their thickening agent.  I generally avoid corn starch because corn is the most genetically modified food crop in the US; as much as 85% of it! Plus, organic clear gel seems to be unavailable.  For that reason, I opted to use wheat flour as my thickener.

To be sure, wheat flour will lend a slightly different flavor to your apple pie filling for canning, but it also won’t produce any of those weird globs of tasteless gel.

one crust or two?

Apple pie is usually baked between two thin flaky crusts in my family.  Some people also add an egg wash over the top layer to make the pie shiny and brown when finished.  We don’t do this but it does make for a handsome pie.

Another popular option is to fill the bottom crust from your apple pie filling can and top it with a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, oats, and flour.  This style of apple crumb pie gets dotted with butter before it is baked.  The crumb top then becomes crispy, crumbly, and delicious.

Now, if you wanted to save even more of your precious time during all of your party prep, you could also consider doing what my grandmother does.  Make your pie crusts ahead of time and freeze them.  Now that’s a prepared baker!

“as american as apple pie”

But why do we say that? Apparently the expression that something is “as American as apple pie” stems back to the 1800’s. However it wasn’t widely used until the World War II era when soldiers would say they enlisted “for mom and apple pie”. For more on the History of why apple pie is so American, check out the article at Better Homes & Gardens. You may find it intriguing.

back to our apple pie filling for canning

So, what else will you need to be ready to whip an apple pie together with little notice?  You’ll need a pie crust to hold this apple pie filling for canning recipe.  My grandmother’s (and her mother’s before her) recipe is fail proof. That’s why it’s called “Grandma’s Never Fail Pie Crust”.

Just a few simple ingredients combined together, rolled thin, and laid in the pie plate make the perfect crust to contain your apple pie filling can.  My grandma’s pie crust recipe will yield four (4) crusts.  That means you can either make two pies with a bottom and top crust or you can make four pies with just a bottom crust and maybe a crumb topping.  Or you can simply line four pie plates with a never fail pie crust and stack them with a sheet of wax paper between them.  Then cover them all with aluminum foil and slide them into your freezer.  My grandma says she has kept these never fail pie crusts in the freezer for several months without any issue.

Now that you’ve used the apple pie filling for canning recipe and the never fail pie crust recipe to freeze, you’ll be prepared to bake a deliciously traditional apple pie at any time!  You can decide if you want to tell your guests how easy it was. *wink*

How to Make Easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling for Canning Recipe

3. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Stir mixture often to prevent scorching.

4. Add 3/4 C lemon juice and continue cooking for one minute.

5. Add 6 Qt apple slices and stir carefully.

6. Heat for 3-5 minutes on low until apples are heated through.

more interesting reads for you

This apple pie filling for canning recipe could make for a great last minute gift idea. You can find more last minute gift ideas HERE.

If you do a lot of baking, you surely use plenty of vanilla extract.  But have you ever considered making your own?  It’s easy and super affordable.  Learn how here: How to Make Homemade Pure Vanilla Extact

Learn more about my best suggestions for kitchen utensils here: Reasons to use wooden spoons and other kitchen utensils

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Yield: 6 Quarts

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Filling for Canning

Print

An easy pie filling that you can make when the apples are plentiful and enjoy all year round. The cinnamon flavor is allowed to play a central role in the profile of this apple pie filling. Effortlessly cook the mixture on the stove top before portioning into quart canning jars and processing in a water bath canner for 25 minutes or longer depending upon your elevation. Each quart jar should be enough for one standard sized pie. Cook once and enjoy 6 pies for your effort.

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Processing Time 25 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 quarts apples - peeled, cored, and sliced (approx. 30 medium apples)
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp + 2tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 7 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup lemon juice

Instructions

1. Wash, peel, core, and slice apples
2. In a large stock pot, combine 5 C sugar, 1 1/2 C flour, 1Tbsp + 2tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, and 7 1/2 C water
3. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Stir mixture often to prevent scorching.
4. Add 3/4 C lemon juice and continue cooking for one minute.
5. Add 6 Qt apple slices and stir carefully.
6. Heat for 3-5 minutes on low until apples are heated through.
7. Remove from heat and fill prepared quart canning jars leaving 1 inch of head space in each jar.
8. Use a bubble freer or back side of a butter knife to release any air bubbles caught in the jars.
9. Wipe rim of jars with a clean damp cloth and secure canning lid and ring in place.
10. Process in boiling water bath for 25 minutes (be sure to adjust process time according to your elevation)
11. Remove from water bath and place on towel or cutting board to rest for a minimum of 12 hours before moving or
    removing rings.

Notes

1. Depending on your work space, you may be able to save time by peeling, coring, and slicing your apples while cooking the sauce.

2. If you prefer to avoid wheat flour, you could substitute Clear Jel in equal volume

Elevation Adjustments - Increase processing time by recommended amounts

1,001 - 3,000 ft - add 5 minutes

3,001 - 6,000 ft - add 10 minutes

6,001 - 8,000 ft - add 15 minutes

8,001 - 10,000 ft - add 20 minutes

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Yield: Makes 6 crusts

Grandma's Never Fail Pie Crust

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This crust uses 6 ingredients you are likely to already have on hand in your pantry. A flaky crust that melts in your mouth, this pie crust will level up any pie.

Ingredients

• 1 C lard
• 4 C flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 C water
• 1 tsp vinegar

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients together with shortening until crumbly.
2. Beat egg, vinegar, and water together. Mix slowly into dry ingredients to combine.
3. Divide dough and roll on floured board to desired size and thickness. Place into pie plate and trim.

Notes

1. Try to avoid overworking the dough as it may toughen somewhat.

2. Add trimmings from each crust back into the dough for the next crust.

3. This recipe will freeze well. Line your pie plates and stack them with waxed paper in between. Cover all with foil and they will keep and be ready to go for months.

4. If after all of your crusts are finished, you still have some dough, roll it out, sprinkle generously with sugar and cinnamon. Bake it on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes or until baked through. You just created a special treat for yourself! My husband used to look forward to this when his mother would bake a pie. Now, he looks forward to this every time I make pie.

links in this post

HuffPos:t 7 Most Common Genetically Modified Foods – https://www.huffpost.com/entry/diet-and-nutrition_b_4323937

Better Homes & Gardens: The Historical Reason We Associate Apple Pie with the Fourth of July – https://www.bhg.com/holidays/july-4th/traditions/why-is-apple-pie-american/

Through the Kitchen: How to Make Pure Vanilla Extract – https://throughthekichen.com/vanilla

Through the Kitchen: Reasons to use Wooden Spoons and Other Kitchen Utensils – http://throughthekitchen.com/reasons-to-use-wooden-spoons-and-other-kitchen-utensils/