This recipe for Mom's Homemade Apple Pie Filling is a shelf stable canning recipe. Made with fresh apples, sweetener, pectin, and spices, Mom's Apple Pie in a Jar can be enjoyed year round.
My family enjoys this homemade apple pie filling in pies, caramel apple cheese danish, apple fritters and more!
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Mom's Canning Recipe
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This recipe for Mom's Apple Pie in a Jar is one that I received from her later in my momhood. When she gave it to me, it called for cornstarch as a thickener which is apparently how she has always done it.
After a reader comment on whether cornstarch was safe, I did my research and read that only approved recipes for canning pie filling should use cornstarch. I cannot tell you this is an approved recipe. I do not know where my mother got it from. This website
At this point, I encourage you to decide what is best for you to do. If looking to use something other than cornstarch, Clear Jel is the recommended thickener (a modified cornstarch).I would use the same amount of clear jel as cornstarch and follow the instructions as written.
The Best Apple To Make Apple Pie
When making a pie you want an apple that is firm and will still hold its shape when cooked. Softer apples will become applesauce. The best apples to use would be Braeburn, Cortland, Honeycrisp (my fav!), Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or Jona Gold.
How Many Apples in a Pound
If you are like me you may be wondering how many apples make a pound and how many cups equal 7 pounds? I did the math for you! Four medium sized apples are approximately one pound. This recipe calls for 7lbs of apples. So approximately 28 medium sized apples.
If going by pounds to cups, one pound of apples will yield approximately 4-⅓ cups of apple slices. This means you would need approximately 37 cups of apples for this entire recipe.
🥘 Ingredients
Cornstarch or Clear Jel
Fresh apples
Water
Granulated Sugar
Lemon juice
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
🔪 Instructions
Step 1:
- Add the water, sugar, Sure Jell, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a large stock pot.
- Cook over medium high heat until sauce has thickened. Add the lemon juice.
Step 2:
- Fill the hot sterile jars with the freshly cut apple slices.
- Pour the hot sauce mixture into jars until 1" from the top.
- Cover with sealing lid and cap. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.
- Allow the jars to cool completely on the counter top. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator.
💭 Top Tips
- Use a firm apple as indicated above for this recipe.
- Substitute classic monkfruit for a sugar-free pie filling.
- Brown sugar can be used in place of granulated sugar for a deeper caramel flavor.
More Apple Recipes
- Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
- Baked Apples with Chocolate and Caramel
- Sparkling Cider Pound Cake
- Apple Upside Down Cake
- Salted Caramel Apple Cake
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📖 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
- 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. Pour the hot sauce mixture into jars until 1" from the top.
- Cover with sealing lid and cap. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes
Cindy Gerber
Can I use half granulated white sugar and 1/2 brown sugar?
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Cindy, Yes, I believe it will work, and just add a deeper caramel flavor.
Lucy
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
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
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.