Author: Learning how to can apples is easy with this tried-and-true recipe for canning apple pie filling! This apple pie filling recipe can be used right away for a classic American dessert, or it can be canned for use later on! Either way, this is a must-try recipe for canned apples!
Apple pie is my husband’s favorite dessert… apparently. Of course, I found that out after over a decade of marriage! The really sad thing is, I had only made it twice in that whole time! So, in an attempt to make up for such a terrible lapse in my cooking patterns, I’ve made it a lot more in the 10 years since I found out!
Canning Apple Pie Filling
The first few times I made apple pie, I peeled the apples right before making the pie. But just as I’m never peeling another tomato before canning, I wanted to find a way to reduce my labor anytime I wanted to make apple pie filling!
So, I started canning the apple pie filling instead. And after realizing that canned apples make an even better pie than fresh, I knew canning apple pie filling was going to be a new standard. Don’t get me wrong, I still love fresh apples in a nice homemade apple galette, but for a quick apple pie any time, home-canned is the way to go!
Best Apples for Canning
While any type of apple can be processed in a water bath canner, here are a few of my best tips for creating the perfect home-canned apple pie filling experience!
- Apple Variety – Firm apples are best for canning, as they hold their texture and don’t turn all mushy. Some varieties that I like to use include Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Jazz, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith apples. Any firm, crisp apple will do, but these tend to hold up better than others.
- Mix and Match – You can just use one variety of apples, and I frequently do – especially if you are growing your own apples, or find a good sale on a particular variety. However, if you can mix a sweet apple with a tart apple, then your finished jar will have a wonderful depth of flavor over a jar with just one variety.
- All Others – For any apples that you have that are either bruised or mealy, don’t toss them! Instead, you can turn those into homemade apple sauce or apple butter!
Pro Tip: Use an apple peeler to peel and core the apples at the same time. Then save the peels for homemade apple cider vinegar!
Instructions
This recipe for canned apples is processed in a water bath canner, and the apples are hot-packed, which means they are boiled in syrup before canning.
You can raw pack the apples instead, and just pour the syrup over the top of fresh apple slices, but you will lose a lot of liquid during the process, and your apples will be partially sitting in the air (inside the jar). That’s a matter of personal preference, but for the recipe, we will be hot packing the apples before canning.
This is a water bath canning recipe, so follow those directions here, but process the jars for the time indicated below.
- Prepare jars according to canning directions
- Wash, core, and peel apples.
- Cut apples lengthwise into 1/4 inch (ish) slices.
- Combine sugar and water in a large pan and bring to a boil.
- Add apples to the syrup, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pack apples into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle syrup over apples, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Use a plastic canning knife to remove all air bubbles.
- Process quarts in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
Turning it into Apple Pie Filling
You may have noticed that there is no flour or cornstarch used in the canning recipe. This is because those ingredients are not recommended for safe canning. Instead, you will thicken the syrup after the canning process, and right before you bake your pie. The whole process takes only a few minutes!
- Drain the juice from a quart of canned apples in a small saucepan. Set the apples aside.
- Add 1 TBSP all-purpose flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla extract.
- Stir over low heat until well combined.
- Raise the heat to medium and stir until thickened.
- Pour the thickened liquid back over the apple slices and use as you would any can of apple pie filling!
Canning Apple Pie Filling
Equipment
Instructions
- Prepare jars according to canning directions.
- Wash, core, and peel apples.
- Cut apples lengthwise into 1/4 inch (ish) slices.
- Combine sugar and water in a large pan and bring to a boil.
- Add apples to the syrup, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pack apples into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle syrup over apples, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Use a plastic canning knife to remove all air bubbles.
- Process quarts in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
To Make Apple Pie with Canned Apples
- Drain the juice from a quart of canned apples in a small saucepan. Set the apples aside.
- Add 1 TBSP all-purpose flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla extract.
- Stir over low heat until well combined.
- Raise the heat to medium and stir until thickened.
- Pour the thickened liquid back over the apple slices and use as you would any can of apple pie filling!
Notes
Best Apples for Canning
While any type of apple can be processed in a water bath canner, here are a few of my best tips for creating the perfect home-canned apple pie filling experience!- Apple Variety – Firm apples are best for canning, as they hold their texture and don’t turn all mushy. Some varieties that I like to use include Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Jazz, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith apples. Any firm, crisp apple will do, but these tend to hold up better than others.
- Mix and Match – You can just use one variety of apples, and I frequently do – especially if you are growing your own apples, or find a good sale on a particular variety. However, if you can mix a sweet apple with a tart apple, then your finished jar will have a wonderful depth of flavor over a jar with just one variety.
- All Others – For any apples that you have that are either bruised or mealy, don’t toss them! Instead, you can turn those into homemade apple sauce or apple butter!
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Would it be possible to add the flour, cinnamon, and vanilla to the syrup prior to canning? What would be the disadvantage to that? Would it end up getting too thick in the jar? Thank you!
Hi Lynn! Great question! You can include the cinnamon, but the vanilla will break down in the canning process. Flour is not recommended for canning at all.
I hope that helps! Thanks for stopping by!