Canning Apple Pie Filling {Low Sugar}

An easy step by step tutorial for beginners on Canning Apple Pie Filling. This simple guide teaches you how to preserve a low-sugar apple pie filling recipe in a water bath canner.

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I’ve reached the tail end of canning for this season, and I’m so excited that it’s almost over. For reals yo. Just a few batches of this canned apple pie filling, and I’m done!

Just like Canning Peaches or Canning Tomatoes screams “it’s summer”, canning apples heralds the starts of fall.

Can You Can Apple Pie Filling?

Yes, and there are many different ways to do so. Recipes for canned apple pie filling used to include flour or cornstarch, but the canning experts have determined that is an unsafe canning practice. You cannot use flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch for your pie filling prior to canning.

For people who prefer a pre-thickened pie filling, you can use Clear Jel to create a traditional filling. Follow these steps for a safe and tested recipe.

The recipe I am sharing today is for a mostly unsweetened filling that hasn’t been thickened. My preference is to keep the apples as close to their fresh state as possible. Doing so gives you more options for how to use them at a later time.

How to Use Home Canned Pie Filling

The possibilities are endless! You can make apple pie (obvs), use it for apple crisp, as a topping for instant pot yogurt, as the starring ingredient in Cinnamon Pretzel Bites With Apple Syrup, apple pie egg rolls, apple pie pancakes, or whole wheat muffins. Add it to fresh oatmeal or sprinkle some granola over the top for a sweet and crunchy breakfast.

Two quarts of the homemade canned pie filling will fill a 9-inch pie. To use: drain the apples, toss with your preferred pie seasonings (I use 1/2 cup brown sugar (related: how to make brown sugar), 1 tablespoon of organic cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg) and bake as normal.

How Long Does Homemade Apple Pie Filling Last?

I use my home canned goods within one year of canning. Of course, use common sense and monitor your jars for signs of spoilage, unsealed jars, etc.

Here’s How to Make It {Step by Step}:

*A printable and detailed recipe card is available at the bottom of the post.

Canning Prep

Prepare your water bath canner by filling it with water. You just need to have enough water to cover the jars by 2 inches once the water is boiling.

Set the canner on the stove. Turn the burner to high. Once it reaches a boil, reduce it to a simmer. You want to keep the water hot so that everything is ready when the apples are.

Apple Prep

Fill a bowl with cold water and 1/4 cup of lemon juice (or 2 tsp of citric acid). Set up your workstation with a peeler, cutting board, sharp knife, and a bowl for the peels and cores.

Clean your apples, and peel, core, and slice the apples thinly. If using a hand-cranked peeler, put the apple on the spikes and lock the peeler into place. Turn the crank slowly, and the peeler will begin to remove the skin.

Place the peeled apple on a cutting board and cut down once the middle. You’ll now have perfect apple slices.

Return the canner back to high on the stove and bring the water back to boiling.

Cover the apples with some of the hot water or syrup, allowing for 1/2 inch of headspace. Headspace is defined as the space between the top of the food and the top of the jar.

Use a wet clean rag and wipe the rim of the jars to make sure it is free of any food.

Place a clean lid on the jar and tighten the ring to fingertip tight (tight enough that it won’t come off, but not so tight that a normal person couldn’t budge it).

Once the water in the canner is boiling, gently place your jars in one at a time using tongs (I prefer canning tongs, but you can use any rubber-tipped tongs).

Once your jars (typically 6-7 quart jars can fit in the canner) are completely covered with the boiling water, put the lid on and boil for 20 minutes (pints or quarts). For canning at different altitudes, check out this guide for adjusted processing times.