Canning Peach Pie Filling
Canning peach pie filling is incredibly easy and so much tastier than the store bought stuff. The perfect thing to do with a glut of peaches on your trees.
If you open a jar of this homemade peach pie filling in the middle of the winter, you may even be transported back to a warm August day picking peaches off of your tree.
New to canning? Start with our comprehensive article on “How to Can Everything“. It will walk you through all of the dos and don’ts related to canning.
What peaches to use
Try to find freestone peaches. These will be easier to can than cling stone fruit. Any variety will work. But choose yellow peaches, as opposed to white-fleshed varieties.
If you can, locate a couple different varieties and mix them. Sun Haven, Reliance, Sweet Scarlet, and others are good.
Make sure that the fruit is perfectly ripe.
New to canning? Start with our comprehensive article on “How to Can Everything“. It will walk you through all of the dos and don’ts related to canning.
Why can your own?
Canning peach pie filling at home can be a great way to enjoy the flavor of fresh peaches all year round. Here are a few reasons why you might consider canning your own peach pie filling:
- Freshness: When you can peach pie filling, you ensure it is made with fresh, ripe peaches in season. This results in a more flavorful and nutritious filling than store-bought versions, which may contain preservatives or be made with peaches that were picked before they were fully ripe.
- Cost-effective: Canning peach pie filling can be a cost-effective way to enjoy this tasty dessert. Buying fresh peaches in season and canning them yourself can be more affordable than purchasing canned or frozen peach pie filling from the grocery store.
- Customizable: When you can peach pie filling, you have control over the ingredients that go into it. You can adjust the sweetness, spices, and flavors to suit your preferences and dietary needs.
- Convenience: Having canned peach pie filling on hand can make it easy to whip up a delicious pie or dessert at a moment’s notice. It can be especially helpful during busy times of the year when fresh peaches may not be readily available.
- Fun: Canning your own peach pie filling can be a fun and rewarding experience. It can be a great way to spend time with family or friends and will give you a sense of accomplishment and pride in your culinary skills.
What you need
- fresh peaches plus ascorbic acid (vitamin C to prevent browning)
- white sugar or part brown sugar
- Clear jel – A modified cornstarch specifically for canning. Important do not use regular corn starch, flour or any other thickener if you are canning this pie filling. It is not safe for canning!
- water
- lemon juice
- optional: cinnamon, vanilla extract or almond extract
How to make it
Step One
Start a large pot of water boiling. Set up a large bowl with ice water.
Step Two
Slice an x in the bud end (not the stem end) of each peach.
Once boiling add a few peaches to the pot for 30 to 60 seconds. (It depends one how ripe they are. Ripe peaches will take only 30 seconds, rare peaches more like 60 seconds.)
Step Three
Remove with a slotted spoon. Plunge directly in a cold water bath for 20 seconds.
Notice in the photo the skin will begin to peel away.
Step Four
Set up another large bowl with cold water with ½ teaspoon of ascorbic acid per gallon of water mixed in to prevent browning.
Peel skins off of peaches using a small paring knife. Cut in half. Remove pit. Slice peaches about ½ inch thick slices. Cut the slices directly over the bowl with the ascorbic acid.
Step Five
Once all of the peaches are skinned and cut, replace clean water it the pot that you blanched them in. Bring to a boil. Add 6 cups to one gallon of water. Let the fruit boil for one minute, after the water has come back to boil.
Make the filling
Step Six
Remove peaches from pot with a slotted spoon. Place them in a covered bowl or another pot to keep them hot.
Combine the water, sugar, clearjel and optional ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat until it thickens. (Don’t be concerned if the clearjel clumps. This is common. Just keep stirring until the clumps go away.)
Add lemon juice. Boil one more minute.
Step Seven
Fold in peaches.
Step Eight
Continue to heat for three more minutes.
Immediately fill warm jars with the pie filling leaving a 1 inch headspace.
Step Nine
Remove air bubbles with a chopstick or bubble tool.
Wipe rims with a damp paper towel to remove debris. Center lid on jar. Screw on bands.
This recipe can be processed in a water bath canner.
See recipe notes below for length of time to process filling with adjustment for altitudes.
Once processing time is done, remove the pot from heat and remove lid. Allow jars to cool slowly in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. This step will help prevent siphoning. (when liquid is pressed out of the jar, even if it sealed.)
Remove jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place jars on kitchen towel on the counter for 12-24 hours. Check seals. (Press the middle of the lid. If lid flexes up or down, it is not sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a week.
New to canning? Start with our comprehensive article on “How to Can Everything“. It will walk you through all of the dos and don’ts related to canning.
Jars that haven’t sealed can also be frozen. Remove the lid and freeze solid (so that the jars don’t burst during the freezing process). Then reapply the lid and freeze for at least 6 months.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. All of the recipes on this site are based on one or both of these trusted sources. We just do a more thorough job showing you how to do it, step-by-step.
How to use this peach pie filling recipe
- Peach Pie, obviously, one quart is perfect for one 9″ pie. To make a pie, pour the filling into a 9 inch pie crust. Top with a crumb topping or use a second pie crust for a top crust. Crimp edges. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet (to minimize spills in the oven) for about one hour until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
- Peach Cobbler
- topping for ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal and the like.
- Peach Crumble
- Make jam filled cookies and use it as a filling.
More homemade pie fillings
- Blueberry Pie Filling
- Apple Pie Filling
- Cherry Pie Filling
- Blackberry Pie Filling
- Strawberry Pie Filling
More peach recipes
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Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Peach Pie Filling | Canning Instructions
Ingredients
- 3½ cups chopped fresh peaches
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Clear Jel modified cornstarch
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup Bottled Lemon Juice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract optional
- lemon juice or ascorbic acid
Instructions
- Before starting, wash and heat jars and lids. We heat them in the canning pot because we need to have that heating anyway. Jars do not need to be sterilized because process time is over 10 minutes.
- Start a large pot of water boiling in canning pot.
- Once boiling add a few peaches to the pot for 30 to 60 seconds. (It depends one how ripe they are. Ripe peaches will take only 30 seconds, rare peaches more like 60 seconds.)3½ cups chopped fresh peaches
- Remove with a slotted spoon. Plunge directly in a cold water bath for 20 seconds.
- Set up another large bowl with cold water with ½ teaspoon of ascorbic acid per gallon of water mixed in to prevent browning.lemon juice or ascorbic acid
- Peel skins off of peaches using a small paring knife. Cut in half. Remove pit. Slice peaches about ½ inch thick slices. Cut the slices directly over the bowl with the ascorbic acid.
- Once all of the peaches are skinned and cut, replace clean water it the pot that you blanched them in. Bring to a boil. Add 6 cups to one gallon of water. Let the fruit boil for one minute, after the water has come back to boil.
- Remove peaches from pot with a slotted spoon. Place them in a covered bowl or another pot to keep them hot.
- Combine the water, sugar, clearjel and optional ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat until it thickens. (Don’t be concerned if the clearjel clumps. This is common. Just keep stirring until the clumps go away.)1 cup Sugar, ¼ cup Clear Jel modified cornstarch, ¾ cup water
- Add lemon juice. Boil one more minute.¼ cup Bottled Lemon Juice, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- Fold in peaches and continue to heat for three more minutes.
- Immediately fill warm jars with the pie filling leaving a 1 inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles with a bubble removal tool or a plastic or wooden chopstick.
- Apply lids. Wipe rims of jar clean with a damp paper towel. Screw on bands finger tip tight. Process immediately.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
Nutrition
Originally published August 24, 2022.
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