Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Homemade apple pie filling is worlds better than what you buy at the grocery store! Make this easy apple pie filling recipe with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to use for pies, crisps, cakes and more!
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cloves optional
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 6 pounds apples peeled and cored
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium heat, mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add 5 cups water and mix well. Cook and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved.
- While the first mixture is heating, whisk the other 5 cups of water with the cornstarch in a separate bowl until thoroughly mixed.
- Add the cornstarch mix to the sugar and spice mixture and continue heating and stirring until the mixture is boiling, thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.
- Fill your jars halfway with sliced apples. Ladle the syrup over the apples, then add more apples to about one inch from the top of the jar. Add more syrup until the apples are covered, but leave at least 1/2 inch of room between the filling and the jar top for expansion.
- Slide a thin plastic, silicone or wooden knife around the sides of the jar to remove air bubbles, then put the lids and rings on the jars.
- Add a few cups of cold water to your boiling water bath to equalize the water temperature to the temps of the filled jars. Place jars in the water, making sure there is enough water to cover the jars with at least a 1/2 inch of water.
- Bring canning water to a rolling boil. Once the water is at boiling, let the jars sit for 25 minutes.
- Remove the jars and place on a thick towel to dry. As they cool, the lids will begin to make “popping” sounds as they seal up.
- After they cool, press down on the top center of each of the jars to make sure the lid doesn't pop up and down. If it does, the jar wasn't properly sealed.