Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe {with free printable labels}

This canned apple pie filling is way better than store bought.   Delicious apples in a sweet sauce won’t disappoint. Add these cute canning labels for your homemade apple pie filling recipe!

If you too like to can you must try my Harry and David Onion Pepper Relish knock-off recipe…..so yummy. Jam is also another fun item to make and I have printable strawberry jam labels. Can you believe you can even make strawberry jam with only four ingredients and no pectin? These also have darling labels to print.

Homemade Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

• 6 quarts sliced fresh apples – firm crisp apples are best (about 30 apples, if apples are small do a few extra)
• 5 cups of sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Clear Jel
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• a couple of pinches of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 cups apple juice no sugar added
• 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
• 6 – 1 quart canning jars regular mouth

Canning Tools

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• water bath canner (this one will need care if you nick the surface it will rust) this canner is much more durable, You can also use a large pot with a rack placed in the bottom. I use the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker
• jar lifter
• canning funnel
• magnetic lid grabber and bubble remover
• apple peeler

How to Make Canned Apple Pie Filling

A few years back I made homemade apple pie filling in a jar and it was a huge hit.  It really isn’t hard to make this homemade apple pie filling recipe. Pick some apples and you are ready to get started. I love this apple peeler.  It only peels the apple which is important. Other models will peel, slice and core. However, for this recipe since the canning process is 25 mins, apple slices that are too thin turn mushy. Peel and core all the apples.  I then slice each apple into about eight pieces.

How do you keep apples from browning?

A great trick for keeping the apples from browning is to add the apples to a large bowl of cold water along with three to five vitamin C tablets ( 500mg) that have been crushed.  This is really an important step because the apples do brown quickly and it takes time to peel all the apples.

Combine sugar, Clear Jel, cinnamon, nutmeg, water, salt and apple juice in a large pot. Stirring occasionally cook on medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add drained apple slices to the sauce.

Fill jars with mixture, leaving 1 -inch headspace. I packed the jars with the apples and then divided sauce among the jars.  Use a skewer or plastic bubble remover to remove air bubbles along the side of the jar.

Wipe jar rims clean, tighten lids and process immediately. Place jars in a pot of boiling water with water 1 inch above the top of jar lids and boil for 25 minutes (For 0-1,000 ft altitude). Carefully remove jars from the hot water and let jars cool 12 to 24 hours. Lids should be indented if properly sealed.

Printable canning labels

Download the file and print in color on a solid sheet of sticker paper.  I email the file to my local copy shop and ask them to print in color on 1 Up label paper. Printable apple pie filling labels Cut out sticker and place on your homemade apple pie filling. What a delicious and useful homemade gift!

{Printable homemade apple pie filling labels}

What apples make the best pie?

I wish I knew the type of apple I picked off my neighbors tree. They have a sweet flavor but do become soft in the canning process. No worries because this canned apple pie filling makes the most delicious Apple Crisp. They also work great for a rustic apple pie. Try Ina Garten’s Apple Crostata Recipe. These apples are fabulous spooned over ice cream!

Here are some apples you might try. It is also okay to use a mixture of apples.

• Granny Smith -This apple has a medium sweetness with a touch of tang. They stay firm while baking.
• Honeycrisp -A sweet flavorful apple that stays relatively firm, although less firm than a  Granny Smith.
• Golden Delicious -This yellow apple is a blend of sweet and tart.  this apple doesn’t stay as firm as a Granny Smith.
• Jonathan or Jonagold Apples -These classic apples have a blend of tart and tangy flavor. Jonagold apples are the cross between Golden Delicious and Jonathan apples. This variety that has both a firm texture and a sweet and tart flavor.
• Braeburn -This citrus smelling apple is very firm, which is perfect for baking apple pie. It does have an interesting flavor more like a pear.

Recipe Tips

• It is important to use bottled lemon juice and not freshly squeezed. Bottled lemon juice has a consistent and dependable acid level.
• Clear Jel is my preferred thickener over cornstarch. It is much more stable and has less aftertaste than cornstarch and will keep the sauce smooth and clear.

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