This is my mom's Homemade Apple Pie Filling for Canning recipe. It is a shelf stable canning recipe with a sweet, spiced filling that brings cozy flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg into every bite!
I've been making this filling for years as a way to use up apples in the fall, it's my mom's tried and true recipe for apple pie in a jar, and it reminds me of baking pies with my mom during the holidays.
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Why You'll Love Apple Pie in a Jar
Easy baking: skip the prep work and enjoy ready-to-use filling straight from the jar.
Cozy flavor: cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh apples bring the best balance of sweet and spiced.
Pantry staple: perfect for quick pies, cobblers, and crisps year-round.
Key Ingredients for Apple Pie Filling
See recipe card below regarding ingredient amounts and recommendations along with instructions on how to can the apple pie filling.
- Apples: tart, firm varieties like granny smith, Honeycrisp, Crimson crisp, and Paula red
- Sugar: balances the natural tartness of apples.
- Cornstarch (mom's version) OR Clear-Jel (recommended): thickens the sauce for pie-ready consistency.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: classic spices for depth of flavor
- Lemon juice: keeps the filling bright and fresh tasting.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
- Brown sugar: instead of white sugar for a caramel-like richness.
- Apple pie spice blend instead of separate spices for convenience.
- Maple Spice Apple Pie Filling: replace some of the sugar with maple syrup for a natural twist.
- Cranberry apple pie: add dried cranberries to a quart of pie flling when making a pie for tart pops of flavor.
Tips for making Apple Pie in a Jar
- Sterilize jars: hot, clean jars are key for safe cleaning.
- Pack tightly and leave headspace: firmly fill jars with apples. When filling with sauce, leave 1" headspace to prevent spillage while canning.
- Wipe rims: clean jar rims before sealing for a tight closure.
Storage
Keep sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months. After opening, refrigerate and use within 1 week.
Serving Suggestions
This canned apple pie filling makes a classic apple pie effortless. Fill my mom's Oil Pie Crust with 1 quart jar of filling for the classic pie, or make mini tarts using a muffin pan. Try it in my Apple Filled Cinnamon Rolls, Caramel Apple Dessert Pizza, and Apple Fritters Donut with Canned Pie Filling recipe.
More Easy Apple Recipes
If this recipe makes its way into your pantry, you might also enjoy my Apple Upside Down Cake, Salted Caramel Apple Cake, Hot Fireball Apple Cider Toddy, and Easy Apple Dumplings with Salted Caramel Sauce
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
September 2025 update:
I made this apple pie filling on September 25, 2025 to test it yet again due to questions regarding amount of apples and yield. Below is what my results were:
- Note - I used cornstarch, but I have been doing it for years and am confident in using it for myself. I do however recommend you buy clear-jel to use instead as it is made for canning.
- My apples, before peeling and coring, weight 7 pounds 11 ounces.
- After peeling, coring, slicing, the net weight was 5 pounds 12 ounces.
- My total yield was 6 quarts of apple pie filling. This may vary depending on how much you pack the apples into the jar. I recommend packing them tightly.
- I had about a cup of leftover sauce. I stored it in my fridge and will use it to top pancakes so I don't waste it.
- This recipe is for hot water bath canning only. A pressure canner is not recommended.
📖 Recipe
Mom's Homemade Apple Pie Filling for Canning
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Ingredients
- 7 lbs apples peeled, cored, and sliced
- 3½ cups sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch or clear jel
- 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoons nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the water, sugar, cornstarch*, cinnamon, and nutmeg, to a large stock pot.
- Cook over medium high heat until sauce has thickened. Add the lemon juice.
- Fill the hot sterile jars with the freshly cut apple slices. Using a ladle and funnel, pour the hot sauce mixture into jars until 1" from the top.
- Wipe lip of jar with clean cloth, Cover with sealing lid and cap and screw cap on tightly. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.
- Once processed, turn off burner and pull rack up to rest on edge of canner. Let set 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner and place on a dry towel. Allow jars to cool completely.
- Once cool, test jars by tapping the top of the lid. If the jar pops, it did not seal and should be refrigerated until ready to use. Any unsealed jars can be reprocessed if desired or stored in fridge and once open, used within one week.
- Sealed jars can be stored on the shelf up to 1 year.
Pam says
Hello.
For whatever reason I only put 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in the sauce. Have I really Messed it up?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Pam, lemon juice is used to add brightness to the filling so just two tablespoons probably won't hurt the flavor much. You can always add a little extra when using the filling in a recipe if you feel it needs more balancing of flavors.
Brittany says
I followed this recipe with exact measurements and ingredients. After making it, it was thick bit after canning it, it turned out runny.
I decided to go ahead and still try it out in a pie with fingers crossed that it will do something lol. nope. Super runny 🥲 I'm sad.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Brittany, I'm sad that was your experience. It could be your filling was not cooked long enough to thicken before adding to the jars. You can still use it though! Just thicken it with a cornstarch slurry on the stove top before adding as a filling. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Grace says
How many pints/quart jars will the recipe make? Needing to know how to adjust to get the amount of jars I need.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Grace, in the past this has made me 3 quarts and 1 pint. I am making this again this weekend and will keep this in mind while doing so to see if I get the same results. Others have had different results if you read in the post comments. Thanks for asking! Shelby
Debbie says
my mother used to make this recipe. Thank you for this recipe, I love it.
Kayty says
I’m brand new to canning 😃 any idea if we can use arrowroot powder in place of cornstarch?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
If you are new to canning, I would not substitute anything but the ClearJel I have linked in my post.
Holly Braun says
Can you freeze this in freeze safe containers instead of doing the hot water bath?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Yes, you could could freeze in freezer safe containers.
Lynn says
Hello,
I just made this apple pie filling recipe as described, using cornstarch and canned it in quart sized jars. I am fairly new to canning. When I took the jars out after processing, some of the filling leaked out of each jar. Nonetheless, they all sealed. Would this be prevented by leaving them in the pot for a few minutes off the heat?
Also, the filling mixture washing when I added it to the jars, but after processing, it looks really watery. Will it thicken up again? Its been 24 hours.
Thanks very much!
Lynn
Shelby Law Ruttan says
From the information provided, it sounds to me like the following could have happened: the jars were filled too full (you need to leave headspace in the jar) causing the expansion that happens when canning to pull filling out. It seems like maybe the jars not only were over filled but because of this water got inside the jars while canning. I would not recommend using the product after having an issue with it canning like this, I do not feel it would be safe.
Jessica says
Thank you for amazing your family recipe! I made this today it was easy and so delicious! I used the cornstarch, I am a stick with what you know kinda gal and it came out perfect! I had a little left over (I didn't have enough jars) so I made a small pan of apple crisp that didn't last long! Thank you again!! I will share this with my family ❤️
Jenny says
do you have a recommendation for how much syrup to use instead of sugar?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Jenny, yes, I would recommend using half syrup and half sugar (so 1-1/2 cups syrup and 1-1/2 cups sugar). You could try using all syrup if you didn't want to use sugar at all, but I haven't done so because it's a lot of syrup (and it's pricey).
Alisha says
So sorry if I missed it, I tried hard to find it. How many and what size jars does this recipe fill?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Alisha, expect about 3 quarts and 1 pint (I believe that is what I got the last time I made this).
Lynn says
Lynn again**
The previous comment was meant to read, "the filling mixture was really thick when I added it to jars, but after processing it looks really watery..."
Owen says
I just made this exact recipe (after picking more than 50lbs of apples yesterday) and got more than 6 quarts! Didn’t have enough quart jars so I guess we’re having apple pie for dessert!
Lisa says
I am a canning chicken but I made half a batch and stored it in the freezer. So good and now I will be topping my ice cream with this!
Kristin says
I can't wait to make this Homemade Apple Pie Filling! The combination of fresh apples, sugar, and those warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg is sure to create a delicious filling for pies. I appreciate the clear canning instructions to preserve this sweet goodness. It's a wonderful way to enjoy the taste of homemade apple pie throughout the year. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Eileen Ann Kelly says
This apple pie in a jar is pure comfort food. It was super easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Gwynn Galvin says
We went apple picking and this was the perfect recipe to make with all those apples! We enjoyed having a bowlful of warm apple pie filling topped with ice cream! Excited that we have more jars to enjoy!
CAZ says
Made it without canning it (since I am clueless about hot water baths etc.). It was delicious! Now I need an in person canning class!
Trudy says
I made it, didn't have any trouble making it came out perfect. The flavor was outstanding, I put extra cinnamon and nutmeg in very tasty.
Cindy Gerber says
Can I use half granulated white sugar and 1/2 brown sugar?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Cindy, Yes, I believe it will work, and just add a deeper caramel flavor.
Kathy S says
can sugar substitute be used???
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Yes, you can use a sugar substitute equivalent to regular granulated sugar according to the packaging on chosen sweetener.
Lucy says
This recipe is very confusing if your new to canning it says 3 different times about the gel ? Clearly needs to say clear gel not sure ? And when the mixture is done it definitely does not go over the apples way to thick. Had to modify mostly. But all in all came out good.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
I am not sure what you found so confusing. I went through and read this post several times before responding to make sure I was not missing anything. I made it very clear in my post that it is clear-gel that can be used in place of cornstarch in equal amounts if you felt the need to do so. I also link to the specific product I was talking about. You do not indicate exactly what you did so I cannot offer up any advice as to why your mixture was too thick. I am happy to hear that it turned out good for you anyway. Thanks for trying. Shelby
Debbie says
I tried this also! I had to use cornstarch as I couldn't find anything called Clear Jel only Sure -Jel. So used cornstarch the liquid tasted delicious but also was very thick. We struggled getting it to the bottom of the jar. I believe we probably cooked it to long and got too thick to flow in the jars nicely. But as I said it tasted good.
Tammy Pendleton says
On my last batch I forgot the lemon juice😮 will it be ok!
Shelby Law Ruttan says
The lemon juice adds acid, I would be hesitant to store it on my shelf but rather in the fridge, even if it did seal. It also would affect the flavor a little. I would recommend using it up as soon as possible and keep what you made in the fridge, or put it in freezer safe containers and freeze.