Peach season is upon and lemme tell you sumptin’ people… I LOOOOOOOOOVE fresh peaches! I’ve had this recipe for a century and make fresh peach pie filling every summer. Now you can either jar/can it when it’s done OR you can use it right away.
Trust me.. when it’s butt-crack cold outside (presuming you live in the a place where it gets butt-crack cold in the winter) nothing speaks ‘summer’ like a warm fresh peach pie.
Homemade Peach Pie filling
- Yield: 2 quarts or 7 quarts 1x
Find more fantabulous recipes, tips and tricks at www.thekitchenwhisperer.net. Also, join our TKW Family on Facebook
Ingredients
For 2 quarts of Filling
- 7 cups sliced peaches
- 2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup ClearJel plus 2 tbl
- 1 1/2 cups cold water or peach juice
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 qt jars/lids/rings
For 7 quarts of Filling
- 6 qts of sliced peaches (about 7–8 pounds of peaches)
- 7 cups sugar
- 2 cups ClearJel plus 3 tbl
- 5 1/4 cups cold water or peach juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 7 qt jars/lids rings
- Plus an additional 1/4 cup lemon juice or Fruit-Fresh pectin
Instructions
- Make an ‘X’ in the bottom of each peach.
- Place into boiling water for 30-60 seconds
- Remove and place into ice cold water
- Remove skins
- Cut up the peaches
- To keep from turning brown mix in 1/4 cup lemon juice or Fruit-Fresh pectin. Stir to coat.
- Combine the water, sugar, ClearJel and cinnamon in large pot.
- Stir and cook over medium high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
- Add the lemon juice and boil the sauce for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Add in the drained peach slices and cook for 3 minutes.
- Fill the jars within ¾”-1” from the top.
- Put the filled jars in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1” of water.
- Boil for 30 minutes.
Notes
ClearJel is not the same as SureJel – read THIS article that explains the difference and what will happen when you try to substitute one for the other.
My local stores do not carry ClearJel so I order it off of Amazon.
Thank you for sharing this! I have been eating the canned version so this is perfect timing as I am cutting down unhealthy snacks and habits. Perfect also for my pescatarian diet!
Wow! This is what I’ve been looking for. I’m so glad I found it. Can I add mangoes in the jar too? Peach mango version. Haha
★★★★★
You could try it with mangos. I’ve personally not tried it but it sounds awesome!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
My filling turned out ridiculously sweet 🙁 and I even cut down the sugar to 6 cups. What did I do wrong? Is there anyway to save these and make them less sweet?? I used an entire case of Palisade peaches…I’d hate for ALL this to go to waste!!
Also, at least 3 of my jars wouldn’t seal no matter what I did (emptying some filling out, cleaning the rim/changing sealing ring, re-processing)…did I do something wrong?
Hi Michelle,
The amount of sugar with the lemon juice is actually calculated that way for reason due to how chemistry works (I had to google it to understand how lemon juice affects things like this). This recipe I’ve been making since I was little and my Mom since she was little. I’m thinking it had to due with how naturally sweet the peaches were to begin with. The only thing I can think of to save it is to add more acid (lemon).
As for the jars not sealing I’ve had that happen more a bunch of times in my life whether I’m making filling, apple sauce or even spaghetti sauce. It had to do with the actual seal, not how clean the jars where. The seals themselves were bad.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
There are two different kinds of clear jel. The cooking or regular kind works best in canning recipes because it can handle the higher temperatures, keep the clear filling appearance ie: not turn cloudy, and not separate after canned which increases shelf life. The instant clear jel is better in making fresh pie filling you will eat immediately or in freezer jam, ice cream, puddings, gravies, etc, and does not necessarily require heating to thicken. So this recipe would use the regular clear jel…NOT the instant. Clear jel in general is superior to regular cornstarch, its modified to thicken faster and have better shelf life in canning.
Thank you so much Heather for your explanation! I’ve never seen or heard of Instant Clear Jel until someone a while back asked about it. Very detailed response – thank you!!!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! Thank you!
Would this recipe work with Certo liquid pectin?
Hi Rikki,
I’m not familiar with that brand, sorry. I’ve only ever used Clear Jel.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Is there much difference using peach juice rather than water? Can you buy peach juice at the grocery store?
Hi Kristi,
Yes you can buy pure peach juice in some stores but make sure it’s not like peach cocktail. The only difference is it will add a more ‘peachy’ taste to the pie filling that is most notable in the ‘jel’ filling part.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Is ultra gel the same as Clear Jel?
Hi Kristi,
I’ve never even heard of it. It may work but the beauty of Clear Jel is that it’s clear when it sets.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
After I reduced the lemon juice down to 6 tbsp for 7 quarts of pie filling.
I made the recipe as written with 1 3/4 cups lemon juice for 7 quarts of peach pie filling. It made the peach pie filling taste like lemon pie! What a waste of great peaches!
★★★★
Hi Marita,
Sorry it was too lemony for you but this is the standard measurement on 7 quarts of peach pie filling. 6 quarts of fresh peaches = ~8 pounds of peaches with the 7 cups of sugar. As I mentioned to someone else the lemon juice isn’t there for flavoring but rather to balance out the pH level. This is what affects how the pie filling will set. In a nutshell the lemon juice lowers the pH which neutralizes the negative charges on the strands of pectin. The Kitchn did a full article on it – https://www.thekitchn.com/why-do-you-have-to-add-lemon-juice-when-making-jam-223840
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I learned that you would use half as much Ultra Gel, so 1 cup for 6 quarts peaches.
This is delicious. Thanks for the tip on putting an “X” on the bottom of the peaches. This was the easiest time I’ve had pealing peaches.
★★★★★
Yeah! Thank you so much Nikki! And you’re most welcome for the tip!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
About how long do you bake the pie filling in the shell? Or do you? Thanks!
Hi Terri!
I typically bake mine (double crust) at 400F on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch spillage) for about 45-60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
It is way too lemony!
I should have followed my thinking and cut the lemon juice in half.
★★★
The amounts listed are pretty standard. Additionally the lemon juice isn’t there for flavoring but rather to balance out the pH level. This is what affects how the pie filling will set. In a nutshell the lemon juice lowers the pH which neutralizes the negative charges on the strands of pectin. The Kitchn did a full article on it – https://www.thekitchn.com/why-do-you-have-to-add-lemon-juice-when-making-jam-223840
Best Kitchen Wishes!
How much time in a pressure canner.
Hi Mike,
I’ll be honest, I have no clue. I don’t use a pressure canner; just the water bath method.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Loved the peacheck pie filling. I want to try the apple version next. I see the recipe in the comments, but it appears to make 6 or 7 quarts of filling. Do you have a version of the apple filling for a smaller batch? Perhaps 2 or 3 quarts finished pie filling?
★★★★★
Hi Elizabeth
So happy you loved it! No unfortunately I don’t have a smaller batch for canning. At that point, why can only say a quart when you can just freeze or use it right away.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
This is the first time making pie filling and using ClearJel… and it’s a success!
The ClearJel is weird and pretty amazing at the same time. It’s a great thickener!
I made peach pie filling using your recipe and… it’s amazing!! Can’t wait to actually put it into a pie or cobbler!!
Looking forward to using what wouldn’t fit into the last jar for crepes in the morning 😉
Thanks so much – looking forward to trying the apple too.
★★★★★
Yeah!!! Thank you so much Julie! And I love your idea for crepes! YUM!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! It’s delicious. I have a few questions, though. Of my seven quarts, three came out perfectly. I followed the recipe exactly as written. The other four quarts had a result I’ve never experienced before (and I’m no stranger to canning fruits and veggies). The pie filling in these four quarts expanded so much inside the jars that there’s hardly any headspace left in the finished product. When the jars went into the boiling water bath, all seven jars had 3/4 inch of headspace.. now these jars have MAYBE 1/4 inch. Of the four suspicious jars, two of the lids buckled. Maybe I had screwed the bands onto these two too tightly, or maybe it had something to do with the expansion of the contents? I replaced those two lids, loosely screwed the bands and reprocessed them. During reprocessing, I also emptied a bit out of these jars to get them back to a safer headspace (this time 1 inch). After putting these two through the boiling water bath a second time the contents expanded again! Any idea why this would have happened? This is my first time using ClearJel but I’m not sure it’s at fault considering that a few of my jars were just fine. I’m also debating what to do with the 4 suspicious jars; I have never had a jar lose headspace during processing and am not sure whether it’s hazardous, especially since they all have a strong seal.
Oh wow I’ve never heard of that happening ever. I actually called Mama Fantabulous and she never experienced that.
Someone mentioned they used Instant ClearJel which is not what the recipe calls for. I’ve never heard of instant. Now when I did read about the instant that will cause it to rise and swell.
Hmmm I’m really stumped on this. Let me do some digging.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I just had this same thing happen to me. I did not use Instant Clear Jel either. I even reprocessed them again after removing filling and the filling expanded so much it is literally running out of the jars!
Oh emm gee! Best peach pie filling recipe!
I’m experiencing the same thing. Jars are over flowing after I remove from canner.
When cooking the filling….I could not boil it for the three minutes or it would have burned. I did two 2 qt batches in a row…used different pans, turned heat down on second batch too. Not sure if this is adding to the expansion issue???
Going to reprocess those two. Waiting for my other two to come out of the canner.
★★★★★
Thanks Susan! That’s so odd. I’ve never had that ever happen (the expansion). I just made 4 batches of this too and no issues. Let me see if I can dig up some details on why expansion happens.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I believe your jars are cooling to fast. The ones that over flowed…were they on the outside of the 7 cooling on the counter top. Try covering them will a number of towels right away and let cool overnight. This has helped me in the past stop overflow . Hope that helps.
Try leaving the jars underwater in the canner for abut 10 minutes after turning off the heat. Pull one out first to see how it will react to the sudden drop in temp. This has fixed all my overflowing issues.
I read other recipes when researching canning peach pie filling. Some said not to use instant clear jel, but your recipe does stipulate. This is the first time doing this and I didn’t know there were different types of clear jel and I ordered the instant. Would the instant work?
I’ve never heard of instant ClearJel. My container just says ClearJel. Hmmm… let me see what I can find out.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I read somewhere that you can omit clear jel and just add thickening agent when you go to actually make the pie. Have you tried this method?
Yes. Freezing is the best option. It is much safer to add the thickening when you actually make the pie/crisp. Using thickening agents in canning is no longer recommended by the Ball and Kerr companies. You should purchase one of their canning books to be completely safe in your canning journey. (Remember to adjust water bath processing times according to the elevation where you live. Another reason to purchase a canning book)
This looks yummy! I’m going to freeze mine!
Hi Nette!
Can you share the site from Ball and Kerr where it says to not use thickening agents? I checked the USDA site for canning (United States Department of Agriculture) and they actually recommend using ClearJel http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/usda/GUIDE02_HomeCan_rev0715.pdf) or the parent site (https://nifa.usda.gov/press-release/usdas-complete-guide-home-canning-available). Look at the pie filling sections. Interesting though! I’ll reach out to Ball and Kerr as I want to make sure I’m doing it right. Great tip!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I only use ClearJel when I can my pie filling. If I’m making a fresh peach pie right away (meaning I’m not canning it) I do not use it. The purpose of using ClearJel for canning is to thicken it but also to thicken it without it turning cloudy. Cornstarch and the like will make your pie filling cloudy.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I’m so excited to try this recipe! When you say 2 cups of clear Jel do you actually mean two cups or two boxes? I also bought the sure jel brand. I hope that doesn’t make a huge difference.
Bonnie
I mean 2 actual cups. Sure Jel and Clear Jel are 2 different items and you won’t get the same result. Look at this post I wrote recently discussing the difference. https://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2017/08/08/tuesdays-tip-with-the-kitchen-whisperer-when-you-cant-find-clearjel-for-canning/
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Ok… so I think I read every comment written here and I’m still not positive which clear gel to buy??? Instant or the one you cook….???? I am assuming it is the “cook” kind?? I really want to make the peach pie filling, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
I’m so happy, my first canning project turned out beautifully. Thanks for the wonderfully easy instructions. Can’t wait to make some mini peach pies. Marie from Canada
Yeah!!!! Congratulations! Thank you so much!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
This is my second year using this recipe. Water bathing as I write this. It is delicious! I gave 2 jars away last year and both recipients asked for the recipe. Plan to use this recipe every summer! Peach Pie is such a glorious treat in the Winter!
Thank you so much for sharing!
★★★★★
Hi Virginia!
Thank you so much! I love this recipe too. It’s just so easy and you’re right, it makes amazing gifts. Those types of gifts are my favorite ones!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
should the juice be thick in the jars? Mine is runny…
Hi Sharon!
If it’s runny then it wasn’t cooked long enough (step 8). This could occur due to your peaches being more ripe than some thus being more juicy. That will cause more liquid and a thinner juice. Just cook it a bit longer til it thickens (it should coat the back of a spoon and bubble).
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Yours is the first recipe I have tried with peach pie filling and my mother had me can some for her too because she loves it so much! 🙂 Thank you for the recipe! Also was curious to see if you’ve tried this recipe with apples? Just curious.
★★★★★
Hi Anna!
Yeah I’m so happy you loved it so much! Man I wish I could implement a search functionality in the comments as I gave the apple pie recipe. But here ya go:
Apple Pie Filling for canning –
6 quarts of cut apples, peeled
3 cups of sugar
1 cup Clear-Jel
5 cups apple juice (natural, not the fake stuff)
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbl cinnamon
2 1/2 cups water
now if you like you can add apple pie spice to mix (1 Tbl or go with 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp ginger)
1. Blanche the apples in a huge pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Meaning put the apples in, then once it returns to a boil, time it for 1 minute.
2. Drain and put in a covered bowl (I tend to drizzle a little lemon juice on the apples to prevent browning.
3. In a large pot add in the water, apple juice, spices, clear jel and lemon juice.
4. Bring to a boil over medium heat (while stirring) and boil for 1 minute. You want it thick but watch as it’ll thicken really fast. If it’s too thick, add a bit more apple juice.
5. At this point remove from the heat, stir in the apples and ladle into your clean jars. The mixture will be thick so you won’t be able to pour it in.
6. Process per the water batch instructions above.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
This looks lovely. Do you know if you can freeze it rather than can it? Thanks marie from Canada
★★★★★
Hi Marie!
I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why not.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I’m trying this recipe now. I can’t believe how nervous I am. If I pack them in pint jars, do I still water bath them for the same amount of time.
Hey Marie!
I’m thinking just reduce the time by 5 minutes. And don’t be nervous; you got this!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I thought my other message came thru. They turned out lovely all I want to do is look at them. Too pretty to open. Thanks for a lovely site.
It did, I was just making sure I responded to all messages. I’m so happy they turned out!
And thank you so much for such kind words!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I froze a few quarts in waxed paper lined glass pie pans, then put each frozen peach pie shape in an 11″ FoodSaver bag and vacuum sealed them. (I’m sure someone has a better way to do it.) Removed frozen shapes and put in pastry shell to thaw in fridge. Topped with another crust before baking on the bottom rack of the oven. Worked out okay, but bottom crust not ideal. (I always brush top crust with milk and sprinkle liberally with sugar before baking… crispy top, yum!)
Tried traveling with frozen vacuum-packed peach pie filling in an ice chest, but they did not stay cold enough to keep their shape. Just snipped the FoodSaver bag and poured into pie crust. Turned out great!
Think I read somewhere that someone freezes their pie fillings in gallon ziploc bags. Might be better to thaw and pour into pie crust rather than risk getting a bottom crust soggy while the frozen pie filling shape thaws in the fridge.
★★★★★
Hello,
I am new to canning peaches your recipe looks delish ,now when you say place in canner covered with 1inch water and process 30 is this pressure canner or water bath method
Hi Suzanne!
I use the water bath method.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I tried this recipe last night. I should have read the instructions on the Clear-Gel that I purchased which calls for 1/4 cup per quart of liquid which should be brought to a boil before adding the Clear Gel. Maybe notate on this recipe to see directions for the brand of Clear-Gel purchased. Also, there is a difference in Instant Clear-Gel and Clear-Gel for cooking or canning.
★★★
Have you ever used Tapioca beads instead of the Clear Jel? The beads turn clear when you make a typical tapioca pudding recipe, so unlike corn starch, it should not “cloud” up, correct? Just a thought….
No I hadn’t. Does it have any residual taste? Great tip!
Best Kitchen Wishes!!!