This homemade peach pie filling for contains fresh, ripe sliced peaches with cinnamon and nutmeg in a thickened sauce and is approved for safe home canning.

Peach Pie Filling for Canning

This homemade peach pie filling for canning contains fresh, ripe sliced peaches that are cooked in a thickened sauce spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. This peach pie filling is one of the best ways to preserve fresh, summer peaches to use in recipes all year long. Not only can you use this recipe to make a delicious, fresh tasting peach pie any time of year, it is great to use for recipes like kolaches or this pastry braid. This recipe is approved for safe canning since it uses Clear Jel, which is the only approved thickener for safe home canning.

How to Make Peach Pie Filling for Canning

The method for canning this peach pie filling uses water bath canning. If you are new to canning, I highly recommend reading the USDA’s Principles of Home Canning to ensure you are following safe canning guidelines. Additionally, make sure you read the instructions for this recipe in its entirety before you start the canning process, including the tips. While this process can be laborious, it is so worth it to enjoy seasonally preserved fruit year-round.

Equipment

water bath canner or a very large stockpot with a lid and rack
6 half-pint or 3 quart glass preserving jars
3-6 lids and bands for preserving jars
ladle and funnel
kitchen colander
large mixing bowl
kitchen towels or paper towel
tongs or jar lifter
knife or skewer
large sized saucepan

Ingredients

10 cups freshly peeled & sliced peaches, drained
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup Clear Jel *cooking type
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups cold water
¾ cups bottled lemon juice
1 tsp almond or amaretto flavoring, optional

Instructions

To prepare jars: place jars (without lids or rims) in an upright position in a water canner or large stockpot with a rack and fill with hot water. Cover the jars with water by about 1 inch. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer; keep jars in a low simmer until ready to fill. Place lids in a separate saucepan and keep on low heat to keep warm for sealing. Leave clean bands nearby.

In a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, Clear Jel and spices. Whisk in the cold water, whisking until no clumps remain. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently. Once the mixture comes to a boil, cook 1 minute while whisking constantly. Add in drained peaches and lemon juice; stir gently over medium heat an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add in flavoring (if using).

Using a ladle and funnel, carefully spoon hot pie filling into jars and leave 1” headspace at the top. Use a knife or skewer to remove any large air pockets. Wipe each rim of jar with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Then place a warm lid on top and then a band and screw on tight. *Any pie filling that does not fill an entire jar will need to be refrigerated for immediate use.

Processing

Place filled jars back into water canner or large stockpot using tongs or jar lifter. Ensure jars are still covered by at least 1″ of water. Place lid on water canner or stockpot and bring to a full boil. When the water is boiling, set timer and allow jars to process according to your altitude * see below for processing times.

Remove from heat, take lid off water canner or stockpot and allow jars to sit in water 5 minutes. Then, carefully lift jars out using jar lifter or tongs and place on a kitchen towel and dry them off. Check to see if the jars are sealed by pressing down on the top of each lid. It is firm and does not move, it is sealed. Jars can still “pop” (seal) for several hours after removing from water bath after processing. If the lid still bounces after several hours, it is unsealed and will need to be refrigerated for immediate use.

Tips for peach pie filling:

Be VERY careful and TAKE YOUR TIME!
Clear Jel is a thickening agent approved for safe home canning and you can purchase online; be sure to buy the cook type and not the instant for this recipe
Bottled lemon juice is preferred by the USDA for safe home canning due to the acidity it contains; read more about bottled lemon juice for safe home canning here
Refrigerate any unsealed jars. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year per USDA guidelines (some manufacturers state can be used up to 18 months).
Depending on your altitude, processing times will be different:
- 0-1000 ft: 30 minutes
- 1000-3000 ft: 35 minutes
- 3000-6000 ft: 40 minutes
- 6001 + ft: 45 minutes
The USDA has a great guide to canning foods found at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to rate and leave a comment below or on Instagram or Pinterest!

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