This homemade Apple Pie Jam captures all the cozy flavors of classic apple pie in a sweet, spreadable preserve. Made with fresh apples and warm spices, it's perfect for canning and enjoying year-round. Spread it on toast, swirl it into oatmeal, or use it as a filling for pastries, this jam is an easy way to bring fall flavor to your pantry.
I've been searching for the perfect Apple Pie Jam recipe for years, testing and tweaking until I found the one, and I'm so excited to finally share it with you! This jam truly tastes like your favorite apple pie in spreadable form, filled with tender apples, warm cinnamon spice, and a hint of vanilla. Not only is it safe for water bath canning (so you can stock your pantry for months), but it's also incredibly versatile. I love spooning it into little tart shells for effortless bite-sized desserts at parties, swirling it into oatmeal or yogurt, layering it in cakes, or simply spreading it over warm biscuits or buttered toast for a cozy fall treat.
It also makes a beautiful homemade gift. Just tuck a jar into a basket with fresh bread or scones, and you've got a heartfelt present anyone would love!
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What is water bath canning?
Canning is simply the process of applying adequate heat to high acid food that is sealed in jars for the allotted time necessary to kill off bacteria and micro-organisms that cause food spoilage. During heating, oxygen is driven out of the jars, causing a vacuum seal to form when the jars cool down. This prevents any outside micro-organisms and oxygen from getting back into the food. When done correctly, canning preserves food safely for at least a year, although probably much, much longer.
You can check out my guide on How to Safely Water Bath Can at Home more resources on safe home preserving
Safe Canning Resources
If you are new to canning you can find great resources, recipes and tutorials at Ball Canning and the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
More Preserving Recipes for you to enjoy.
Equipment
For the Apple Pie Jam:
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large pot
- Large slotted steel or wooden spoon
For water bath canning:
- Mason jars: Make sure the jars are clean and that the lids are brand new. You cannot reuse canning lids.
- Large pot with rack OR Electric Canner: If you only can once in a while using a large pot with a canning rack works just fine. As someone who personally does a lot of canning and I absolutely LOVE my Ball FreshTech Electric Canner.
- Jar lifter: You will need a jar lifter to remove the hot jars from the water bath.
- Funnel: I personally love this canning funnel because it also allows you to measure the headspace easily.
- Ladle: This Prepworks Canning Scoop is my favorite.
Ingredients
- Apples: I recommend using more tart apples, such as granny smith, because it nicely balances out the sweetness. But feel free to throw some other types of apples as desired.
- Lemon: I like using a fresh lemon for the zest and juice but you can use bottled lemon juice if preferred.
- Cinnamon, ground
- Ginger, ground
- Cardamom, ground
- Cloves, ground
- Nutmeg, ground
- Apple cider vinegar
- Pectin: You can use Pomona's Universal Pectin or Ball Pectin works great too.
- Apple juice: I recommend using organic.
- Sugar: I recommend white granulated sugar
Recipe FAQs
I like using Granny Smith green apples for this recipe because the acidity really balances out the sweetness. But I often will mix in whatever honey crisp, gala or pink lady I have on hand.
Because this jam uses pectin for thickening I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar. If you do so it could affect the set and you might end up with an apple pie syrup rather than apple pie jam.
Yes. Not only does the acidity of the lemon juice and vinegar balance out the sweetness but it also ensures the right ph level for safe water bath canning.
Absolutely! This combination of spices if the one my family most prefers. However, if you like more cinnamon and less ginger feel free to make those adjustments at will.
If properly water bath canned this jam is best consumed with 18 months of making. If you make it and store directly in the fridge I recommend consuming within 2-4 weeks, though it can go longer as long as there is no mold and it smells fresh.
More recipes for you to enjoy!
Slow Cooker Apple Butter {for canning}
Made this Apple Pie Jam recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Apple Pie Jam {for canning}
Equipment
- Large pot
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Water bath canning equipment See equipment notes above
Ingredients
- 8 cups peeled and diced apples (about 6 apples) I recommend using Granny Smith green apples
- 2 cups apple juice I recommend using organic
- 1 small lemon, zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoon powdered pectin I do not recommend using liquid pectin for this recipe.
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups white granulated sugar
Instructions
- Combine diced apples, apple juice, lemon zest and juice, apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt in a large pot on the stove. Bring to a boil over medium-high to high heat. Then turn the heat down to low and simmer for around 10-12 minutes until the apples are tender.
- Add in the remaining spices and vanilla extract and sprinkle the pectin over the top while you stir in gradually. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil before adding in the sugar all at once. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Then set the timer for 1 minute and cook while stirring continuously to avoid scorching. Remove the pot from the heat. At this point you can either spoon the jam into jars and store in the fridge or can them using the instructions below.
Water bath canning instructions:
- Ladle the jam into about 5 half pint jars leaving about ¼th to ⅓rd inch of headspace.Remove air bubbles and wipe the jar rims.Place on new, clean lids and bands and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjusting time for altitude).*Remember - do not start the timer until the water has come to a full rolling boil.*Turn off the heat and allow the jars to rest in the warm water for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a towel on the counter (do not place directly on the counter).Allow the jars to cool undisturbed for about 24 hours until all the lids have sealed.Store sealed jars in a cool dry place for 12-18 months for best quality.*Note* If any of the jars do not seal simply store in the refrigerator and consume within 2-4 weeks.Enjoy!
Lauren Gardiner
This recipe was fantastic! I’ll be making it again for sure! Thank you!
Amy
I can't get the jam to not be runny. I followed the instructions exactly. This is the second time and it did the same thing last time.
jamjarkitchen
I’m sorry to hear it turned out runny. That’s frustrating after all the work that goes into jam. Did you give it the full 24 hours to set? It can look loose right out of the canner but often thickens as it cools. If it’s still runny after that, a few things can affect it. Was your pectin in date, and did you use powdered or liquid, and what brand did you use? I’ve found liquid pectin doesn’t set as firmly in this recipe. Also, after adding the sugar, make sure it comes all the way to a full rolling boil before starting the 1-minute timer. On the other hand, boiling for too long can actually weaken the pectin. Let me know if any of that sounds like it could be the issue. If not I’m happy to help troubleshoot more!
Monica Houston-Garrett
I make jams all the time without pectin. On day 2 if it still hasn’t set up, I dump mine back into the pot and continue boiling and stirring. Rarely do I need to add any more sugar. Just cook longer. Hope this helps.
Michele
How do you adjust this recipe to use 1 pint jars instead?
jamjarkitchen
You can absolutely use pint jars instead. Just keep in mind they may take a little longer to fully set since there’s more volume in each jar. The recipe itself doesn’t need to change, just give them extra time to gel once they’re cooled. Let me know how it turns out!
Agnieszka
I made this jam using honeycrisp apples and it turned out perfect. Just the right amound of sweet. So good on toast!
Nora
Added the jam to my homemade torn pancakes! So good! Thanks!
Anjali
This jam turned out so well!! Love all of the spices you added to it - it really did taste like apple pie! We used it on pancakes instead of syrup and it was delicious!
Paula
This apple pie jam was fantastic. So excited to have it canned so I can enjoy it any time of year!
DK
Oh man - this jam was so good I ended up just eating it straight and didn't have any left over for jarring! Well - gotta make more!
Tayler
This was my first time making apple pie jam and OMG was it delicious! I could eat it with a spoon!
Stephanie S.
The recipe calls for apple juice; does that mean the shelf-stable kind in the juice section of the grocery store, or the refrigerated cider-style kind in the produce section? Or does it matter? Can't wait to make this!
jamjarkitchen
Hi Stephanie - I typically make it with the shelf stable kind. The refrigerated apple cider would work it just might have a murkier consistency since its unfiltered. However, from a canning safety perspective either are fine. Hope this helps!
Breanna Simmons
Taste is great, but it did not set. I even put in the fridge to see if it would thicken. I’ll use as syrup.
jamjarkitchen
Hi Breanna- I'm sorry to hear that it didn't set for you. Do you mind me asking what kind of pectin you used?
Nicole
Does anyone know if it’s safe to use pint jars instead of 1/2 pints?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Nicole - Yes, it is safe. The size of the jar doesn't affect the safety of what it is you are canning. Hope this helps!
Tamra S Hansen
Is it safe to add pecans to this canning recipe?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Tamra- Yes, as long as you add the other ingredients as listed (lemon juice and apple cider vinegar in particular), it will be at a safe to add some chopped pecans to this recipe. However, as I haven't tested it this way I'm not sure how it might impact the set of the jam. Let me know how it turns out!
Gina
I made this yesterday and it didn’t gel. Tried again today thinking I missed something, nope. Recipe was followers to a T and still doesn’t gel! What am I missing?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Gina- Sorry your jam didn't gel! If you followed the recipe exactly here are a few reasons it might not have set. The first is to check that your pectin is not expired. Also did you use powdered pectin or liquid? This recipe is made with powdered pectin and I don't find the liquid pectin to be interchangeable. Another possible reason is that it may have been under boiled, which can prevent the pectin from setting, or over boiled, which is basically when you cook it for too long and the pectin begins to break down. Once you added the sugar did you bring it to a full rolling boil before setting the timer for 1 minute? If not, that could have affected the set. And finally did you give it a full 24 hours undisturbed before checking the set? This jam can seem pretty soft right out of the water bath but sets up over time.
Please let me know if this helped!
Marie
If I use bottled lemon juice instead of a lemon, how much should I use?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Marie - You can use a tablespoon of bottled lemon juice. Enjoy!
Janet
Can I use Trader Joes pumpkin pie spice which is basically your same spice ingredients? If so, how much would I use?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Janet- Yes, you can use their pumpkin pie spice instead. I'd recommend adding 2-3 tsps depending on how heavily spiced you'd like the jam to be. Hope this helps!
Stephanie
Hi there! I had the same problem as Gina with it not gelling. I doubled the recipe and used half unfiltered apple juice and half shelf-stable apple juice. It's possible I overboiled it after adding the powdered pectin, but all of my cans sealed properly. So, my question is... is it still safe even though it didn't gel?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Stephanie- Sorry to hear that it didn't gel. Did you mix in the pectin with the other ingredients and then add the sugar all at once? Do you remember how long you cooked it once it came to a full rolling boil?
But yes, if the jars sealed then they are perfectly safe to consume even if they done set. In fact, it'll probably make sure a delicious sauce for ice cream. 🙂
Nat
Would I be able to add alcohol to this recipe to make it a spiked apple pie jam? Thanks!
jamjarkitchen
Hi Nat! You can definitely play around with adding alcohol to the jam (rum or whiskey would be great!), but just keep in mind that too much can interfere with the pectin setting properly. A good rule of thumb is to add a smaller amount, usually a few tablespoons toward the end of cooking, so you get the flavor without throwing off the set. Hope you enjoy!
Steph
Hi! I was wondering if I could up the sugar content.
jamjarkitchen
You can, but just keep in mind that changing the sugar can affect how the pectin sets. A little extra is fine, but big increases may change the texture. Stick close to the recipe and you should be good!
Rita
Could I use a sugar substitute such as splenda as I am diabetic..
jamjarkitchen
Hi Rita - Unfortunately no, a sugar substitute won't work for this recipe. The pectin needs the sugar for it to set up and gel properly. Hope this answers your question. 🙂
Jabria
Can I use this recipe with different fruits?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Jabria - It would probably work with fruits of a similar consistency such as pears. What did you have in mind?
Gab Wilson
I love this jam, I've given it as gifts to my friends and family - They all rave about it!!
Can you use this as an apple pie filling?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Gab - I’m so glad you love the jam, and that your friends and family do too! You could definitely try it in an apple pie, though just a heads up the jam might get a bit liquidy once it bakes. It would work beautifully in tartlets though, bake the shells first, then spoon in the jam and maybe top with a little whipped cream. Hope you enjoy!
Teresa
HI Elizabeth,
I came across your blog and Love it! I tried 4 times to sign up for your newsletters but for some reason it's not coming to my email address so I can confirm my subscription to your newsletters. Could you please sign me up so I can start getting your newsletters.
My email address [email protected]
Thank you.
Hugs,
Teresa
jamjarkitchen
Hi Teresa! Thank you so much for your sweet message. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the blog!
MSN/Hotmail can sometimes block or hide my confirmation emails. Would you mind adding my email to your safe sender or contacts list, it's [email protected] . I'll get you added manually but that way the newsletters won't go to junk either. I send them twice weekly so let me know if they don't come through and I'll troubleshoot some more. Thanks so much!
Samara
Hello!
Love the recipe, have made it twice, once with a friends apples off her tree, but second time I used green grand smith apples, followed the recipe exactly but it came out more so like apple sauce than jam, still chunks of apples but a lot of apple mush. I read elsewhere to avoid that you have to put them in the fridge for four hours at least or over night with lemon. I didn’t do that and I feel you didn’t but your jam wasn’t mushy. Any idea why mine have done that?
Thank you
S
jamjarkitchen
Hi there! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the recipe. Granny Smith apples can sometimes break down more quickly than other varieties, especially if they’re quite ripe, which may be why it turned out softer this time. After bringing the mixture to a boil, be sure to reduce the heat right away so it simmers gently rather than boiling hard. You can also shorten the simmer time if you notice the apples starting to soften too much before adding the pectin. I’ve never chilled mine with lemon beforehand, so no worries there, you don’t need to do that. I’m happy to help troubleshoot further if needed.
KJ
Have you had anyone use the sure jell low sugar/no sugar pectin and reduce the amount of sugar?
jamjarkitchen
Hi KJ - I haven’t tried this recipe with the low/no sugar Sure-Jell, so I can’t say for certain how it would set. I do know that reducing the sugar will definitely change the texture and final yield of the jam. That said, all of the ingredients in this recipe are canning safe, so if you’d like to experiment with a low-sugar pectin, you absolutely can! Just keep in mind you may need to adjust the cooking time or pectin amount to get a good set. If you do try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
nancy friedberg
so delicious! not over sweet. wonderful spice balance. I used random neighborhood apples, so that's not helpful, but I was worried that the apples might melt down to apple sauce and they did not. A double recipe made 7 pints of jam with a little leftover for the fridge. I complete appreciate you posting this recipe with such a detailed method. thank you.
jamjarkitchen
So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
STEPH
You mention vanilla in the intro, but it's not listed anywhere in the recipe.... Are we supposed to use it?
Also what is the water processing time difference if we do pints instead of half pint jars?
Thanks!
jamjarkitchen
Hi there- The vanilla goes in with the spices after you've cooked the apples down for about 10 minutes. You do not need to adjust the processing time when switching from a half pint to a pint jar.The processing time is based on the recipe’s density and acidity, not the slight change in jar size. So you’re safe to follow the same timing of 10 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
nancy friedberg
omg....on vanilla ice cream! omg. I think it's the best thing I've canned this year
jamjarkitchen
Yay! Love to hear that!
Jean
Have you tried making this with Pomona's pectin? My granddaughter has to limit her sugar intake and Pomona's pectin uses less sugar.
jamjarkitchen
Hi there - I have not tried making this recipe with Pomona's pectin. However, I don't recommend decreasing the amount of sugar for this particular recipe as it will almost certainly impact the set and texture. If you want a lower sugar preserve I recommend using a pectin-free recipe or a slow cooker apple or blueberry butter, as those can be easily adjusted to your preference. Or you can use a low sugar pectin and utilize the recipe amounts of the back of the box, as those are tested for set and canning safety. I hope this helps!
Danni
Hi, Has anyone used Royal gala or ambrosia apples instead of granny smith? if so, Do you have any Tips and tricks you can share? I know that since they are sweeter variety of apples, it is likely I will have to use less sugar. Do I need to use more or less pectin? I know ambrosia, are supposed to be a lower acid apple. how will this effect the jam? do I have to increase the amount of lemon and/or apple cider vinegar I use?
Thanks in advance.
jamjarkitchen
Hi Danni -You can use Royal Gala or Ambrosia, but just expect a different result than with Granny Smith as they’re both sweeter and less acidic. That being said, you don’t really have to reduce. The bigger difference is texture: these apples are much softer than Granny Smith, so they’ll break down more as they cook. The finished jam may be closer to a chunky applesauce consistency rather than having distinct apple pieces.
From a safety standpoint, the vinegar and lemon juice listed in the recipe are sufficient. You can always add a bit more lemon juice at the end if you want to brighten the flavor, but it’s not required for canning safety. Hope you enjoy!