Apple Pie Filling - A Water Bath Food Preservation Recipe (2024)

Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Who doesn’t love the comfort of warm apple pie seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg? This apple pie filling recipe is a great and easy way to make your favorite all-American dessert or save it for later in the year to bake with whenever you wish.

Home canning can be a daunting task, but this recipe is not so. I do it in a water bath canner, not a pressure canner, which can set your mind at ease. A few hours of hard work now will make it a joy when you bake your pies. You can also prep your ingredients the day before to save time for processing day.

Canning Equipment

Are you new to canning? Or do you need more materials? You can get everything you need to can your fresh garden-grown tomatoes all right here and through Amazon.

• Nine-piece Granite Ware Enamel-on-Steel Canning Kit
• Ball Regular Mouth Quart 12 Pieces Jars

Please note that I don’t give complete directions for water bath canning. If you are a newbie water bath canner or presser canner, please learn the proper methods. Here is a list of reputable places to learn how to can:

• Take a class with your local Extension Cooperative
• Check out more written instruction on Ball’s Mason Jar’s website, FreshPreserving and at the National Center for Home Food Preservation
• There are also several books and bloggers that are great teaching tools.

Cost to make this recipe.

I calculated the cost of this canning recipe at about $10 or $2.49 per quart, which one quart typically fills up a pie crust.

As a homesteader, there are substantial savings by growing the apples yourself. It is typically why I can apple pie filling in the first place. This amount of apples can cost close to $10 itself. My homesteader’s cost is closer to $3.50 or $0.88 per quart.

Similar to recipes for water bath can

Recipe adapted

This canning recipe was taken from Ball’s Fresh Preserving online website.All images and text are all my own and original to Vintage Mountain Homestead. Click here for more information about our home food preservation disclaimer.

Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 5lbs.apples,peeled, cored, and sliced, 12 cups…[$6.45]
• 2¾cupwhite granulated sugar,…[$0.80]
• ¾cupClear Jel,…[$1.03]
• 1tsp.ground cinnamon,…[$0.04]
• 1tsp.Apple pie spice,…[$0.37]
• 2½cupsapple juice,bottled…[$0.95]
• 1¼cupscold water,…[$0]
• ½cuplemon juice,bottled…[$0.31]

Instructions

• Sterilize canning jars and lids. Prepare boiling water canner. Keep jars heated and warm until ready for use.
• Blanch apple slices, working with 6 cups at a time, in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl.
• In a large stockpot, combine sugar, ClearJel®, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in apple juice and cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
• Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Drain apple slices and immediately fold into hot mixture.
• Spoon hot apple pie filling into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
• Process jars in a boiling water canner for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
• Label jars and store in an area with constant temperature.

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