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Canning crabapples is one of the simplest (and most beautiful) ways to preserve the fall harvest. These tiny fruits hold their shape beautifully in jars and make a tart-sweet treat that’s perfect for holiday platters, side dishes, or snacking straight from the jar.
Canning whole crabapples is one of the simplest and most beautiful ways to preserve this often-overlooked fruit. With their rosy skins and tart-sweet flavor, crabapples hold their shape well during canning and look like jeweled orbs suspended in syrup. While they can be a bit too sour to eat fresh, canning them in a light syrup transforms them into a tender, sweet-tart treat that works well as a side dish, dessert topping, or even part of a holiday relish tray.
You can use any syrup strength you prefer, from extra-light to heavy, depending on your personal taste. This recipe uses a light syrup, which gently enhances the fruit without making it overly sweet. If you’d rather skip the sugar, it’s also safe to can crabapples in plain water or unsweetened apple juice, though the flavor won’t be quite as rich.
As a bonus, the leftover canning syrup is delicious too—it picks up the tartness and color of the crabapples and can be saved for cocktails, tea, or soaking sponge cake. Whether you’re canning wild crabapples from a backyard tree or cultivated ones from the market, this is an easy and flexible way to make the most of their short season.
This tested recipe comes straight from the Ball Blue Book of Canning and the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, and it’s a great way to put an abundant crabapple tree to good use.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Canning Whole Crabapples
- Recipe Type: Whole Fruit in Syrup
- Canning Method: Waterbath Canning
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Canning Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 pints
- Jar Sizes: half pints, pints or quarts
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Ingredients Overview: crabapples, sugar and water or juice
- Difficulty: Easy
Preparing Crabapples for Canning
Start by choosing firm, ripe crabapples without blemishes or soft spots. You don’t need to peel or core them, but you do need to remove the stems and prick each fruit with a fork to prevent bursting during processing. This step is crucial, especially if your crabapples have a tough skin.
You can leave the blossom ends on or remove them—totally personal preference. Some people find them unsightly, while others don’t mind.
Making the Canning Syrup
The original Ball recipe gives options for using light or medium syrup, but you can use any of the USDA-approved canning syrups, including:
- Extra Light: ¾ cup sugar to 6½ cups water
- Light: 1½ cups sugar to 5¾ cups water
- Medium: 2¼ cups sugar to 5¼ cups water
- Heavy: 3¼ cups sugar to 5 cups water
In this version, we’re using light syrup, which provides just enough sweetness to balance the tartness of the crabapples without being overpowering. If you’d prefer less or more sugar, adjust the ratio accordingly.
To make the syrup, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stir until dissolved, and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Simmering the Crabapples
Once the syrup is ready, add the pricked crabapples to the pot. Let them cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes, just until they’re heated through and slightly tender. Do not boil hard or overcook them—they’ll fall apart if you do.
You want them to be tender enough to eat with a spoon, but still firm enough to hold their shape in the jars.
Canning Instructions
While the crabapples simmer, make sure your water bath canner, jars, and lids are ready to go.
Use a slotted spoon to pack the hot crabapples into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Then ladle the hot syrup over the fruit, still maintaining that ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe the rims, and apply two-piece lids.
The standard processing time for crabapples is 20 minutes for both pints and quarts if below 1,000 feet in elevation (see altitude adjustments below for higher elevations).
Let jars cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months.
Altitude Adjustments
The altitude adjustments for canning crabapples in a waterbath canner are as follows:
- 0–1,000 feet elevation: 20 minutes for both pints and quarts
- 1,001–3,000 feet: 25 minutes for both pints and quarts
- 3,001–6,000 feet: 30 minutes for both pints and quarts
- Above 6,000 feet: 35 minutes for both pints and quarts
FAQ
You can, but it’s better to remove the stems and (optionally) the blossom ends. Leaving them on can affect flavor and texture during storage.
No, the skins soften during simmering and add color and flavor to the finished jars. Peeling is unnecessary and time-consuming for such small fruit.
Yes. You can can crabapples in plain water or unsweetened juice. However, sugar helps preserve texture and flavor, so the result may be bland or mushy without it.
Choose firm, tart varieties that hold their shape well. Dolgo and Chestnut crabapples are especially good choices for whole-fruit canning. I’m using Dolgo crabapples from our backyard tree in this recipe.
Yes! Try simmering the syrup with a cinnamon stick, whole cloves, or star anise before adding the fruit. You can remove the spices before canning, or leave them in the jars for a decorative touch. Keep in mind flavors will intensify over time if left in the jars, so use less if not removing them.
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Canning Crabapples
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pounds whole crabapples, stemmed and unpeeled
- 1½ cups sugar
- 5 ¾ cups water
Instructions
- Prepare canning setup: Wash 6 to 8 pint jars. Prepare a water bath canner with a rack and heat jars in simmering water until ready to use. Wash lids and keep them warm, not boiling.
- Make syrup: In a large stock pot, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce to a simmer and keep hot.
- Prepare crabapples: Rinse crabapples thoroughly and remove all stems. Do not peel. Use a fork or skewer to prick each crabapple 2–3 times to prevent bursting during cooking.
- Simmer fruit: Carefully add crabapples to the hot syrup. Simmer gently (do not boil) for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fruit is heated through and just tender. Avoid overcooking, which will cause the fruit to split or lose shape.
- Pack jars: Using a slotted spoon, pack hot crabapples into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Ladle hot syrup over the fruit, maintaining ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, apply 2-piece lids, and tighten to fingertip tight.
- Process in water bath canner: Lower jars into the boiling water bath canner, ensuring they are covered by at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Process both pints and quarts for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
- Cool and store: After processing, turn off heat and let jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Place jars on a towel and let cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals, label, and store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months.
Notes
- Crabapple Quantity: You’ll need about 5 pounds of whole crabapples to make 6 to 8 pint jars, depending on size. Smaller crabapples pack more tightly and may yield fewer jars.
- Pricking the Skin: Use a fork or skewer to puncture each crabapple a few times. This keeps them from bursting during heating and ensures even cooking.
- Color Change: Some crabapples may lose their bright red or pink blush during cooking, depending on variety. This is normal and doesn’t affect flavor or safety.
- Use Ideas: Serve canned crabapples with pork, on charcuterie boards, or as a tangy dessert topping.
- Syrup Options: This recipe uses light syrup, but you can safely substitute extra light, medium, or heavy syrup—or even juice or plain water (though flavor will be bland). Here are the ratios for other syrup types:
- Extra Light: ¾ cup sugar to 6½ cups water
- Light: 1½ cups sugar to 5¾ cups water
- Medium: 2¼ cups sugar to 5¼ cups water
- Heavy: 3¼ cups sugar to 5 cups water
Altitude Adjustments
The altitude adjustments for canning crabapples in a waterbath canner are as follows:- 0–1,000 feet elevation: 20 minutes for both pints and quarts
- 1,001–3,000 feet: 25 minutes for both pints and quarts
- 3,001–6,000 feet: 30 minutes for both pints and quarts
- Above 6,000 feet: 35 minutes for both pints and quarts
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
