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Food Preservation: Preserving Pie Fillings

HYG-5355
Family and Consumer Sciences
Date: 
06/17/2025
Christine Kendle, Educator and Area Leader; Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences; Ohio State University Extension
Katharine Shumaker, Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension

Pie fillings are an excellent way to preserve an abundance of fruit. The following fruit fillings are excellent and safe products. Each canned quart makes one 8-­inch to 9-inch pie. Additionally, the filling may be canned in pints for use as a dessert topping or pastry filling.View of eight glass canning jars filled with apple preserves.

Because different varieties of fruit may alter the flavor of the fruit pie, it is suggested that you first make a single quart, make a pie with it, and serve. Then, adjust the sugar and spices in the recipe to suit your personal preferences. The amount of lemon juice should not be altered, as it aids in controlling the safety and storage stability of the fillings.

A Note About Thickeners

“Clear Jel®” is a chemically modified corn starch that produces excellent sauce consistency even after fillings are canned and baked. There are other chemically modified corn starch products on the market; however, Clear Jel® is the only one tested in these recipes. Traditional corn starch, flour, tapioca, and other thickeners may break down when used in these pie fillings, causing a runny consistency. You also must use Clear Jel®—not Instant Clear Jel®.Overhead view of three glass canning jars without lids filled with peach preserves, and three peaches placed on the table behind the glass jars.

Apple Pie Filling

Quality: Use firm, crisp apples. Stayman, Golden Delicious, Rome, and other varieties of similar quality are suitable. If apples lack tartness, use an additional ¼ cup lemon juice for each 6 quarts of apple slices.

Yield: 1 quart or 7 quarts.

Procedure: Assemble ingredients, using Table 1 as a guide. Wash, peel, and core apples. Cut slices ½-inch wide, and then place them in a solution of ½ teaspoon ascorbic acid powder, or 3,000 milligrams vitamin C tablets, per 1 gallon of water to prevent browning.Side view of slice of apple pie on a plate.

Place 6 cups of apple slices at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch for one minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep the heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot. Combine sugar, Clear Jel®, and cinnamon in a large kettle with water and apple juice. If desired, add food coloring and nutmeg. Stir the mixture and cook on medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Fold in drained apple slices immediately, and fill jars with the mixture without delay, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust the lids and process immediately (see Table 6 for processing times).

Table 1 (click to download PDF). Apple pie filling.
Table showing ingredients and quantities needed for 1 and 7 quarts of apple pie filling.

Blueberry Pie Filling

Side view of slice of blueberry pie on a plate.Quality: Select fresh, ripe, and firm blueberries. Unsweetened frozen blueberries may be used. If sugar has been added, rinse it off while the fruit is still frozen.

Yield: 1 quart or 7 quarts.

Procedure: Assemble ingredients using Table 2 as a guide.

For fresh fruit: Wash and drain blueberries. Place 6 cups of blueberries at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch for one minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep the heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot.

Combine sugar and Clear Jel® in a large kettle. Stir. Add water and, if desired, food coloring. Stir and cook on medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice, and then boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Fold in drained berries immediately and fill jars with the mixture without delay, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust the lids and process immediately (see Table 6 for processing times).

Table 2 (click to download PDF). Blueberry pie filling.
Blueberry pie filling ingredients and quantities for 1 and 7 quarts of pie filling.

Cherry Pie Filling

Side view of slice of cherry pie.Quality: Select fresh, very ripe, and firm cherries. Unsweetened frozen cherries may be used. If cherries have added sugar, rinse it off while the fruit is still frozen.

Yield: 1 quart or 7 quarts.

Procedure: Assemble ingredients using Table 3 as a guide.

For fresh fruit: Rinse and pit cherries, and then hold in cold water. To prevent stem end browning, place in a solution of ½ teaspoon ascorbic acid powder, or 3,000 milligrams vitamin C tablets, per 1 gallon water to prevent browning. Place 6 cups of cherries at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch for one minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep the heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot

Combine sugar and Clear Jel® in a large saucepan and add water. If desired, add cinnamon, almond extract, and food coloring. Stir the mixture and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Fold in drained cherries immediately and fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust the lids and process immediately (see Table 6 for processing times).

Table 3 (click to download PDF). Cherry pie filling.
Cherry pie filling ingredients and quantities of ingredients for 1 and 7 quarts.

Peach Pie Filling

Side view of slice of peach pie on a plate.Quality: Select ripe, firm, fresh, high-quality, yellow-flesh peaches. It is not safe to can white-flesh peaches.

Yield: 1 quart or 7 quarts.

Procedure: Assemble ingredients using Table 4 as a guide. Peel the peaches. To loosen their skins, submerge peaches in boiling water for approximately 30 to 60 seconds, and then place them in cold water for 20 seconds. Slip off the skins and cut slices ½­inch thick. Place in solution of ½ teaspoon ascorbic acid powder, or 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C tablets, per 1 gallon water to prevent browning.

Place 6 cups of peaches at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch one minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep the heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot. Combine water, sugar, Clear Jel®, and, if desired, cinnamon and/or almond extract in a large kettle. Stir and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Fold in drained peach slices and continue to heat mixture for three minutes. Fill jars without delay, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust the lids and process immediately (see Table 6 for processing times).

Table 4 (click to download PDF). Peach pie filling.
Peach pie filling ingredients and quantities of ingredients for 1 and 7 quarts of pie filling.

Green Tomato Pie Filling

Yield: About 7 quarts.

Procedure: Combine all ingredients listed in Table 5 in a large saucepan. Cook slowly, stirring often, until tender and slightly thickened (about 35 to 40 minutes). Fill jars with hot mixture, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust the lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 6.

Table 5 (click to download PDF). Green tomato pie filling.
Green tomato pie filling ingredients and quantities needed for 7 quarts.
Table 6 (click to download PDF). Recommended process times for apply, blueberry, cherry, peach, or green tomato pie filling in a boiling water canner.
Recommended process times for apple, blueberry, cherry, peach, and green tomato pie fillings in a boiling water canner.

Mincemeat Pie Filling

Side view of a cut open mincemeat pie.Yield: About 7 quarts.

Procedure: Assemble the ingredients using Table 7 as a guide. Cook meat and suet in water to avoid browning. Peel, core, and quarter apples. Put meat, suet, and apple quarters through a food grinder using a medium blade. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, and simmer for one hour or until slightly thickened. Stir often. Fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 8 or Table 9.

Table 7 (click to download PDF). Mince meat pie filling.
Mince meat pie filling ingredients and quantities of ingredients needed for 7 quarts.
Table 8 (click to download PDF). Recommended process time for mince mat pie filling in a dial gauge pressure canner.
Recommended process time for mince meat pie filling in a dial gauge pressure canner.
Table 9 (click to download PDF). Recommended process time for mince meat pie filling in a weighted-pressure canner.
Recommended process time for mince meat pie filling in a weighted pressure canner.

Additional Resources

Note: This fact sheet uses language, recipes, procedures, and data from reliable sources such as the ones listed below. For the most part the original text has been preserved because safety around food preservation is especially important. For safe and healthy preserved foods, be sure to carefully follow directions.

Originally written in 1989 (no authors credited). Revised 2008 and 2016 by Christine Kendle and Katharine Shumaker, Educators, Ohio State University Extension.

Originally posted Jun 17, 2025.
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