Apple Pie Filling Canning Recipe Without Clear Gel
Fresh apple pie filling is so wonderful to have on hand. It’s comforting to know you don’t have all the additives in it and can control the ingredients. You don’t even need the all too popular “Clear Gel.” In this Canning Recipe I’ll share how to make apple pie filling without Clear Gel and how to simply use your canned goods without worry!
Upon moving into our 1910 farmhouse it was immediately clear: I needed to learn to make pies. The kitchen was big. There was a window that let in morning light. Anne of Green Gables would’ve thought it so romantic. I’ve taken on the challenge but slowly. I mean, I also wanted to learn to can, make bread and so on and so forth. Then I tried making pie filling and canning it. How simple it made the process! I grabbed a can, opened it and poured the contents into my pie crust. Making a truly homemade pie couldn’t be easier than starting with home canned pie filling.
This Recipe is inspired by Melissa K Norris’s Apple Pie Filling Recipe. You can check out her great canning recipes HERE.
Why Without Clear Gel
There are recipes all over the internet or canning books for pie filling made with clear gel. Questions come, though, from those who can’t use the corn based substance or would rather leave it out. Does it change the entire recipe? How would I prepare the pie without it?
This Apple Pie Filling Recipe is here to help you gain confidence that you CAN make pie filling without clear gel and have it stay simple and tasty when made into a pie.
What is Clear Gel?
As taught by the Kansas State Extension website, “Clear Jel® is a chemically modified corn starch that produces excellent sauce consistency even after fillings are canned and baked.”
The corn is chemically modified to make it withstand heat at high temperatures. It has become a miracle additive for many in canning as it can perfectly thicken canned goods while keeping the jars “safe” to can. As much as it may sound like a good idea, it isn’t safe to can pie filling using cornstarch or tapioca or flour. But using them while putting your pie together is just fine.
Canning Pie Filling Without Clear Gel
The answer to avoiding the addition of clear gel is simply to omit it from the recipe and then add your thickening agent by sprinkling it over the filling as you make the pie. I’ll show you how this works and believe me; it will turn out just fine. I don’t have a problem with it being runny. It thickens up great in the end!
How to Make Apple Pie Filling Without Clear Gel
Make sure to use a good apple pie apple. Red delicious will turn to mush: don’t use it! My favorites are granny smith, Fuji, Jonagold, and Honeycrisp. You can find some ideas for good pie apples HERE.
How to Can Your Apple Pie Filling
To make apple pie filling without clear gel we’ll need to first cut apple slices and then let them boil for a couple minutes in water before stirring together the apples, spices and sugar.
This Recipe makes approximately 6-7 quarts.
Ingredients
24 Cups Apples
5 Cups Sugar ( I use Sucanat)
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
1/2 teaspoon Salt
7 1/2 Cups Water
1 Cup Lemon Juice
Equipment Needed
6-7 Quart size canning jars
Towels and a wash clothes
Brand new lids for each jar
Bands for each jar
A Canner or very large pot with a rack in the bottom
An extra large pot to heat apples
A ladle and slotted Spoon
A jar lifter
A spatula, headspace tool or knife
Don’t have all the equipment you need? Here’s some ideas for making your own!
Make it!
Peel, core and slice your apples. Now gently pour into a pot of boiling water for one minute, six cups of apples at a time.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the apples and place in a bowl. Pour out water from the pot and return apples to the pot. Add sugar, lemon juice, spices, salt and water to apples and mix together over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat.
Ladle the apple pie mixture into warm prepared canning jars with a 1 inch headspace doing your best to split the liquid as evenly as possible. Using your headspace tool, a knife or small spatula, remove air pockets by running it down the insides of the jars.
Wipe the jar rim with a clean towel or washcloth and screw the lid on with your band until finger tight.
Place your warm jars into a hot water bath canner for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the lid. After about five minutes remove jars with a jar lifter and place on top of clean towels to cool. Let sit for 12 hours before unscrewing the bands.
At this point, remove bands, test the seals and wipe down any stickiness on jars. You may store in a pantry out of direct sunlight for up to one year. If any seal fails while being stored, do not consume.
Canned Apple Pie Filling Without Clear Gel
Apple Pie filling canned and ready to make a quick pie or dessert whenever you want.
Ingredients
- 24 Cups Apples, cored, peeled and sliced
- 5 Cups Sugar ( I use sucanat)
- 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 7 1/2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Lemon Juice
Instructions
- After peeling, coring and slicing your apples, heat a large pot of water until boiling. Place six cups of apples at a time into the boiling water for one minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove apples into another large pot. Continue until all the apples have boiled.
- Combine the sugar, spices, salt, lemon juice and water with the apples and stir together. Heat just until boiling. Turn off and remove from heat.
- Using prepared quart size jars, ladle in apple filling to a 1 inch headspace, trying to evenly disperse the liquid between jars. Use a headspace tool or knife to run along the inside of the jar, releasing any air pockets.
- Wipe the rim of the jar and screw on lids with bands until finger tight. Place jars in a prepared hot water bath and allow to boil for 25 minutes (see below for elevations above 1000 ft.).
- Turn off the heat, remove the lids and allow to sit for five minutes before removing jars.
- Let jars rest for 12 hours before unscrewing bands. It this point check the seals to make sure they are tight. Place in a cool dry place and store away from direct sunlight for up to one year.
Notes
For 1000-3000 feet above sea level: Process for 30 minutes
For 3001-6000 feet above sea level: Process for 35 minutes
How to Make Your Apple Pie with no Clear Gel
To make a pie with your apple pie filling first prepare your crust! Sprinkle one to two Tablespoons arrowroot, cornstarch or all-purpose flour evenly on the bottom of a 9 in. pie crust. Spoon in half of your quart sized jar of apple pie filling. Sprinkle approximately 1/3 cup arrowroot powder, cornstarch or flour over the apple pie filling before spooning the rest of the apple pie filling on top.
HINT: Try to leave most of the liquid for the very top so it soaks into the starch inside the apples as it runs down through the filling.
Finish your pie with either a basic crust, lattice weave crust or crumble topping. Bake according to instructions for your particular crust. Here’s my favorite crust made with einkorn flour.
Enjoy!
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Best Tips for How to Bake with Einkorn Flour
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I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please let me know how it works for you!
From the Hilltop,
Hi Krista! I made this recipe but ended up having a ton of liquid left over. I packed the apples I had tightly in each jar and ensured there was also liquid. Is it okay to have liquid leftover? I’m worried about the contents of the jars now since not all of the liquid was disbursed amongst them. Any thoughts? Thanks for the recipe!! 🙂
Yes. It’s fine. Different apple varieties will create different levels of liquid. It’s great on yogurt or used as a cider 😉
Could you use2 tablespoons of small pearl tapioca as a thickener?
I haven’t tried this before. Definitely not in the canning but possibly after. My concern is it would create globs in the pie filling. Let me know if you try it! I’d love to hear how it works.
I used about 3 cups of organic apple juice with out added sugar to replace 3 cups of the water to add extra flavor and used only cinnamon for spice it was very good
Thanks for sharing!
Can the leftover syrup after you’ve canned the apples can that be used for something
Yes! Definitely save it in a jar. We love it on yogurt. I’d only keep it in the refrigerator for a week. It’d also be good with oatmeal, over ice cream or ( if strained) in Italian sodas).
Can I go without peeling the apples? Happy that your recipe doesn’t use clear gel.
Great question! It’s actually recommended to peel apples due to canning safety. Here’s a good website to check out: https://www.healthycanning.com/why-you-have-to-peel-some-vegetables-for-home-canning/
I don’t have the crispest apples , I was hoping on packing the hot jars with apple slices than pouring the liquid over the apples than processing.
Note the partial precooking is done to draw out the air in the apples and absorb the extra liquid so it doesn’t absorb all the liquid in the canning process. I haven’t tried not doing the precooking so unfortunately I can’t give you experience of how it works. Let me know if you try it.
Yummy! I canned mine in pint jars so I could make smaller pies. (I still water bathed for the full time, just to be safe.) I made my first mini pie tonight and it was so tasty! Thanks!
I used Paula Deen’s perfect pie crust and baked for 50min at 350F.
Can we replace sugar with stevia? Thank you
You can but know the thickness may very as sugar also helps to thicken a bit. Here’s a website that can help too! https://thedomesticwildflower.com/canning-with-stevia/
Yes, many thanks for a recipe without Clear Gel! I also echo the gratitude for the cups of apples rather than approximate number or pounds of whole apples. A question: maybe I missed it, but I assume the sugar goes in the salt, spices, and friends? Thank you so much!
Thanks for asking! Yes, the sugar goes in with the spices. I’ll change that 🙂
Can I freeze the mixture in baggies rather than jar?
Absolutely! This can be used immediately, frozen, refrigerated a few days or canned.
how long and at what temperature do you bake your apple pie. I use frozen apples in my current recipe, baking it at a higher temperature for a bit then lower temperature for the rest of the time.
Can I use honey (ratio of )3/4 cup honey instead of 1 cup of sugar?
I am eager to can apples to free up space in the freezer.
Thank you so much for this recipe, Krista, AND especially for the measurement of apples in CUPS rather than pounds! When I am using windfuall apples (the only kind available to me), and have to cut out a lot of “yuck”, there is no way to know how many pounds I’ve got when I’m ready to can.
Looking forward to canning apple pie filling from your recipe!
Your so welcome! Hope it turns out great. I’m looking forward to another great batch this year!
I couldn’t wait to make my apple pie filling to can and then realized I have instant clear gel instead of the cook type. So I was so excited to just find this recipe.
Quick question tho – can it be fresh lemon juice or does it need to be bottled?
Glad to hear! Bottled is best in order to keep the ph at a certain level.
I was literally searching for this exact post/recipe!! Apple pie filling without clear gel! Thank you so much! This will be my first time canning and I am super excited to try your recipe 🙂
Oh Good! I’m so glad!
Same here! Making this now. So excited to try it.