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It’s strawberry season, and if you’ve picked up a flat (or two!) of fresh strawberries, you might be wondering what to do with them all.
One of the best ways to preserve that fresh strawberry flavor is by making canned strawberry pie filling. This easy recipe lets you enjoy homemade strawberry pies all year long without the extra work later.
Tap to jump right to recipe.Even better? Once it’s canned, you can simply open a jar and have pie filling ready to go whenever you need a quick dessert.
Canning Expertise: Rachel Paxton is a certified Master Home Food Preserver with over 25 years of hands-on experience in safe home canning and food preservation.
If you’re new to canning, be sure to read my water bath canning for beginners guide before getting started.
If you enjoy preserving strawberries, you might also love my Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Strawberry Lemonade Jam, or Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate for more delicious ways to use fresh berries.
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
The Amish Canning Cookbook: Plain and Simple Living at Its Homemade BestDIY Pickling: Step-By-Step Recipes for Fermented, Fresh, and Quick Pickles
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Pie Filling
This strawberry pie filling is simple to make and perfect for stocking your pantry. It uses Clear Jel for a smooth, glossy texture that holds up beautifully during canning.
If you’re new to using Clear Jel, here’s exactly what it is, why it’s used in canning, and where to buy it.
Each batch makes enough for about two quarts, which is perfect for two pies or several smaller desserts. It’s a great way to preserve fresh strawberries at their peak and enjoy them long after the season ends.
Ingredients for Strawberry Pie Filling
- Fresh strawberries
- Sugar
- Clear Jel
- Water
- Lemon juice
The full measurements and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
How to Can Strawberry Pie Filling
Here’s a quick overview of the process:
- Wash, hull, and prepare your strawberries.
- Cook the filling base using sugar, water, and Clear Jel until thickened.
- Stir in the strawberries and cook briefly.
- Add lemon juice and stir well.
- Fill hot jars, remove air bubbles, and seal.
- Process in a boiling water canner bath according to safe canning guidelines.
- When the jars have cooled, test the jar seals
Scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions and exact measurements.
Yield and Batch Size
This recipe makes approximately 2 quarts of strawberry pie filling.
One quart is typically enough for one 9-inch pie, making this recipe perfect for small batches. You can easily double or triple it if you have a larger amount of strawberries to preserve.
Important Canning Tips
This recipe is processed using the water bath canning method, which is safe for high-acid foods like strawberries when proper guidelines are followed.
If you’re new to canning, proper preparation is key. If you’ve never done this before, you can learn exactly how in my water bath canning step-by-step guide.
Make sure to:
- Sterilize jars, lids, and rings before filling
- Keep jars hot until ready to use
- Follow proper water bath canning times
I like to sterilize jars in the dishwasher and leave them there until I’m ready to fill them.
Clear Jel vs. Cornstarch
You may notice that some older recipes use cornstarch for thickening pie filling. While that works for immediate use, it is not recommended for canning.
Clear Jel is a modified cornstarch specifically designed for canning. It:
- Holds its texture during processing
- Creates a smooth, glossy filling
- Doesn’t break down over time
Cornstarch, on the other hand, can become thin or cloudy after canning.
For best results, always use Clear Jel when making canned pie fillings.
Ways to Use Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling
This strawberry pie filling isn’t just for pie.
You can also use it for:
- Strawberry cobbler
- Topping for cheesecake or ice cream
- Filling for turnovers or pastries
- Spoon over pancakes or waffles
Related Strawberry & Pie Filling Recipes
If you’re preserving strawberries or making desserts, you might also enjoy:
- Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling
- Strawberry Lemonade Jam
- Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Blackberry Pie Filling
- Peach Pie Filling
- Blueberry Pie Filling
- Cherry Pie Filling
More Canning Recipes to Try
If you’re preserving seasonal produce, be sure to check out more of my Canning Recipes where you’ll find jams, jellies, pie fillings, and pickled favorites.
Easy recipe for canning strawberry pie filling.
- 7 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup Clear Jel
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice
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Measure the strawberries after you have sliced them. This inexpensive strawberry slicer works great for slicing a lot of strawberries in a hurry and they are perfectly sliced every time.
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If you find that your mixture thickened too much, you can add a little water to get the desired consistency.
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Stir in the strawberries.
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Fill your sterilized quart canning jars, leaving 1 1/2 inch head space. This inexpensive canning funnel easily measures the head space for you. It is very important in this recipe to leave enough head space.
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The Clear Jel causes the mixture to continue to expand during the canning process, and if you don’t leave enough head space, you will end up with a mess on your hands.
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Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel or dish towel and place the sterilized lids and rings on the jars.
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Place the jars in your boiling water canner. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.
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Bring the water to a boil and boil for 30 minutes.
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Remove jars from canner and let cool on a dish towel on the kitchen counter.
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Sealed jars can be stored in the pantry for 1-2 years. If you have any jars that didn’t seal, place them in the refrigerator to eat within the next week.
Related Recipes
- Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling
- Strawberry Lemonade Jam
- Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Blackberry Pie Filling
- Peach Pie Filling
- Blueberry Pie Filling
- Cherry Pie Filling
Follow my canning and preserving board on Pinterest.
I just made 28 quarts of strawberry pie filling. It’s very good. I can’t wait to use it for pies, hand pies , over waffles or pancakes of ice cream. And even maybe a strawberry crumble
Can you use frozen strawberries and if so, how do you measure?
I seen recipe were they blanch the strawberries first; is this something you really don’t have to do? that would be a nice step to skip and I figure the strawberries will be firmer.
Hi! The strawberries don’t actually end up as soft as you would think. Not as firm as fresh, but definitely not cooked. They are not in the canner long enough for them to get that soft. You could use this for a cold pie or a cooked pie. I don’t have any recipes for strawberry pie on my web site so will have to look for some good ones! 🙂
This recipe looks wonderful! I was curious what the texture of the strawberries was like after canning. I would think they would be quite soft after the heat of canning. Does that affect the quality at all? I’m assuming you would use this as a “fresh” strawberry pie, not cooked. Maybe you could share favorite ways to use the canned pie filling?
Thank you! 🙂