Homemade Apple Pie Filling

A sweet, faintly spiced aroma graces the warm kitchen, giving me a hint of what I’ll find as I pop open the oven door and take a look. Mmmmmm… The topping is nicely browned. The juices are bubbling merrily, oozing enthusiastically over the side here and there. The fluted crust is golden. I think it’s about ready! I pull out the pie and set it on the counter to cool…

Homemade apple pie filling is so handy to have tucked into the pantry, at the ready whenever the pie-baking mood strikes during the chilly winter evenings. When you pop open a jar and bake it up with a simple crumb topping, it really is easy as pie to treat your family to something special!

Today, I’d like to share the recipe I use to make canned apple pie filling. It all starts with the apples. I use our handy peeler to peel, core, and slice the the apples, using a mixture of varieties for extra flavor. Using a paring knife, cut the apples in halves or thirds to create perfectly-sized slices that are about 1/4-inch thick.

Once the apples are prepped, the syrup thickened, and the jars are ready, it’s time to layer the apple slices into a jar and add the hot syrup. One tip: It’s not necessary to try to cover the apples with syrup all at once. Fill the jar most of the way with syrup, remove the air bubbles with a knife, then finish covering the apples completely with the syrup and remove any remaining bubbles. This helps the air to escape without making a mess of overflowing syrup!

This recipes makes a lightly sweetened pie filling, relying more on the sweetness of the apples themselves. If you prefer a more traditionally sweet filling, you can increase the sugar to a total of 4 cups.

Canning apple pie filling is a fun project and an excellent way to preserve some of the fall season for the coming winter. I hope you’ll give it a try!

Canned Apple Pie Filling
Makes 7 Quarts

6 pounds apples – peeled, cored, and sliced
2 ½ cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
10 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon powdered citric acid (OR 3 tablespoons lemon juice)

• Prepare apples.
• Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large pot. Add water and salt, stirring to mix well. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and add citric acid or lemon juice.
• Prepare 7 quarts jars (wide-mouth jars are best for this) by washing thoroughly and sterilizing with hot water. Prepare 7 rings and canning lids.
• Layer apples into jars, packing as tightly as possible, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace at the top.
• Ladle hot syrup over apples. Remove air bubbles from each jar with a knife or thin spatula.
• Add warmed lids and tighten the rings in place. Process quarts in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes.
• Let cool completely, then label and store!

Baking A Homemade Apple Pie

This is my favorite way to bake a pie with homemade apple pie filling. It has a simple crumb topping which makes it quick and easy. Or, if you desire it can also be baked with a traditional double or lattice crust on top. Each quart makes enough to fill one shallow 9-inch pie crust, the perfect amount for a little something sweet to finish off a home cooked meal. For a deeper dish pie, use 2 quarts.

1 (9-inch) pastry crust, unbaked
1 quart apple pie filling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out crust, place in pie pan and finish edges as desired. Spoon filling evenly into pastry-lined pan. Set aside.

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup oats
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter
Mix first 3 ingredients together. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over pie filling.

Set pie on cookie sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until topping and crust are browned and juices are thick and bubbly, tenting with aluminum foil during last 5-10 minutes of baking, if desired. Cool and enjoy!

Please let me know… Are you bookmarking this recipe to try? What is your favorite apple variety to bake with?

Thank you for visiting in my small corner!

Because of Jesus,
Maggie ♥