Canning Peach Pie Filling

Why peach pie filling needs a tested recipe

Canned pie filling is thicker than fruit packed in syrup, and that matters for safety. A thick filling heats more slowly in the jar, so the processing time has to account for it. Published recipes for pie filling, such as those from the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) and Ball, have been tested for that purpose. Making your own changes to the thickener, the acid, the fruit amount, or the jar size can leave the center of the jar underprocessed.

For that reason, this guide explains how the process works and which rules should not change, but it does not replace a tested recipe. Use the exact quantities, jar sizes, and processing times from the NCHFP or a current Ball recipe.

Ingredients that matter

Peaches. Use firm, ripe, unblemished fruit. Tested recipes give peeled, sliced fruit amounts in quarts or pounds.

Clear Jel. Tested pie filling recipes call for Clear Jel, a modified cornstarch that holds up to heat processing. Regular cornstarch, flour, and instant thickeners are not substitutes. They can break down or turn the filling so thick that heat does not reach the center of the jar properly. Be sure to buy the “cook-type” product (not “instant”) that tested recipes specify.

Bottled lemon juice. Tested recipes use bottled lemon juice, because its acidity is standardized. Fresh lemons vary, so they are not a safe swap in a canning recipe. Do not reduce the amount of lemon juice, even if the filling tastes tart.

Sugar. Sugar contributes flavor and texture. Follow the tested amount.

Ascorbic acid or a commercial anti-browning product. Often used to keep the sliced peaches from darkening while you work.

Optional flavorings. Some tested versions allow a limited amount of cinnamon or almond extract. Add only what the recipe states.

Best peaches for canning

Freestone peaches, where the flesh separates easily from the pit, are the usual recommendation for canning because they are much easier to slice cleanly. Clingstone peaches can be used, but are more work. Look for varieties sold as freestone at your local orchard or farmers market, and ask the grower if you are unsure. Choose fruit that is ripe enough for flavor but not mushy. Overripe peaches can break apart into the filling.

How to peel peaches

Peeling is typically done by blanching:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water.
Score a shallow X on the bottom of each peach.
Lower the peaches into the boiling water for about 30 to 60 seconds (firmer fruit can take a little longer).
Move them to the ice water to stop the cooking.
Slip off the skins, then halve, pit, and slice.

Peaches that are riper tend to peel faster, so start with the lower end of the time range.

How the canning process works

The outline of a Clear Jel pie filling recipe generally looks like this. Use it for orientation, then follow your tested recipe for the actual amounts.

Peel and slice the peaches, holding the slices in an anti-browning solution.
Briefly blanch the sliced peaches in boiling water, drain them, and keep them hot in a covered pot.
Cook the sugar, Clear Jel, and water into a thick, bubbling mixture, stirring constantly.
Add the bottled lemon juice and boil the mixture for the time specified.
Fold in the drained peaches and heat the filling through.
Fill hot jars right away, leaving the specified headspace (tested pie filling recipes commonly call for 1 inch, but check yours).
Remove air bubbles carefully. Thick fillings can trap them, which is another reason not to skip this step. Wipe the rims, add lids, and tighten bands to fingertip tight.
Process in a boiling water canner for the specified time.

Work quickly through the filling and jar steps. The filling is meant to be hot when it goes into jars, and it thickens as it sits.

Processing and altitude

Tested peach pie filling recipes list processing times by jar size and altitude, and the time increases as elevation rises. Look up your elevation and follow the chart that comes with your recipe. Time only after the water has returned to a full rolling boil, and keep the jars covered with water by at least an inch during processing.

After processing, turn off the heat, wait about 5 minutes, then remove the jars and let them cool for 12 to 24 hours without disturbing them. Check that the lids have sealed.

Do not change these things

Do not swap the thickener for cornstarch, flour, tapioca, or arrowroot.
Do not use fresh lemon juice in place of bottled, and do not reduce the acid.
Do not add extra fruit, extra spices, or other vegetables.
Do not use larger jars than the recipe specifies.
Do not double a batch unless the recipe says it can be doubled.
Do not skip bubble removal or headspace.

If a jar is cloudy, bulging, leaking, or smells wrong, do not taste it. Discard it safely.

Preserving peaches without a canner

Pie filling in a jar is a shelf-stable product that has to be properly processed. If you do not have a boiling water canner, you cannot safely make shelf-stable filling by other shortcuts such as oven canning, or by inverting hot jars to seal them. Those methods are not considered safe.

The alternatives are:

Freeze the filling or the fruit. Freeze peach slices in lemon juice or syrup, then thaw and make a pie from them. Our guide to storing fresh peaches long term covers freezing options.
Refrigerate. Fresh cut peaches keep for only a few days.
Dry the peaches. Dried peaches are a different product, but they store well. Our comparison of dehydrated and freeze-dried food explains how the drying options differ.

Use the NCHFP freezing pages for details on thawed-fruit pies if you freeze unthickened slices.

Using the filling, and upgrading canned pie filling

Open a jar, pour it into an unbaked crust, and bake. Taste before adding anything; the jar is already sweetened and thickened.

To brighten commercial or home-canned pie fillings, such as cherry, add flavor at serving time rather than in the jar. A squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt, a little almond or vanilla extract, or a dash of cinnamon often helps. Add these after opening, not before canning, since adding them before canning changes a tested recipe.

If you find canned peach pie filling more convenient than baking with store-bought canned peaches, note that a pie made with drained canned peaches uses a different recipe and needs its own thickener.

Storage

Remove the bands, wash the jars, label them with the date, and store them in a cool, dark place. Use within about a year for best quality. Refrigerate leftover filling after opening.

For another fruit project that uses the same hot pack and boiling-water technique, see our guide to canning pears with cinnamon.

FAQ

Which peach varieties are best for canning? Freestone varieties, since they slice and pit more easily.

How long do you blanch peaches to remove skins? Usually about 30 to 60 seconds in boiling water, followed by an ice bath.

Can I use regular cornstarch? Not in a canned pie filling. Tested recipes use Clear Jel.

Can I can peach pie filling in a water bath canner? Yes, tested recipes process peach pie filling in a boiling water canner when the recipe is followed exactly.

Can I make a smaller batch? Only if the source recipe gives one. Scaling a recipe yourself can change the density and heat penetration.