5 from 1 vote

Blueberry Pie

Blueberry pie in a white pie plate on a cooling rack

I love pie, all pies, but this blueberry pie stands above the rest. I’m not even a huge blueberry fan, but when they are baked up in a pie shell, with just a bit of lemon, some sugar and pats of butter, I could eat the whole thing. I prefer to use fresh wild blueberries. They tend to be smaller, are just a bit tart and have a more intense flavor, but the larger variety works as well and I baked this pie using frozen berries with great success, since blueberry season is a few months away.

This is also my favorite pie crust. I give in-depth instructions on my Instagram page and in my Craftsy class!

Do you have pie questions or need to troubleshoot your recipe? Check out my guide on how to make pie crust.

How to Make Blueberry Pie Step by Step

Here’s how to make this blueberry pie with how-to photos. You can find the full recipe at the bottom of this post!

You can watch me make this dough on my Instagram page, just look for “101 Pie Dough” in my highlights.

You can also find more in-depth videos on pie and other pastries in my baking and pastry class on Craftsy.

A bowl of butter cut into flour next to a pastry cutter

Have all of your ingredients ready and chilled. If it is hot out I even put the flour in the freezer for a little while, which makes it easier to work with.

Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter.

Use a pastry cutter or your hands to work the butter into the flour, until it looks like cornmeal and starts to stick together when squeezed. You want to keep some of the butter in pea-sized pieces. If the butter is too soft and it won’t stay in pieces, place the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes and then try again.

Work in the lard in the same way.

A bowl of pie dough

Mix together the water and vodka and add to the flour/butter mixture.

Stir this with your hand or a wooden spoon, but be very gentle. The goal is to keep the pea-sized chunks of butter in tact.

When most of the flour is coming together, gently knead the dough into a ball. It should not be perfectly smooth,

but, it should also not seem dry or crumbly.

Two disks of pie dough next to a bench scraper

Divide the dough into two pieces and create round disks. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

A rolled out pie crust on a floured surface

To roll out the pie crust:

When you are ready to prepare the pie, roll one of the disks out on a well floured surface. If the dough seems hard, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will prevent the edges from cracking too much. You still want the dough to be chilled, so the butter doesn’t get too soft.

As you are rolling, you can round out the edges with your hands. Cracking edges are part of the beast, but this will help to keep them smoother.

Once you have it rolled out to about 1/8-inch thick round, measure the dough to make sure it will fit the 12-inch pie plate. I usually just hold the plate over the dough and eye it. There should be about 2-inches of extra dough beyond the bottom of the plate.

Pie crust dough folded over the rolling pin next to a pie plate

Fold the dough over the rolling-pin to lift it.

A pie crust laid in a pie plate before baking

Lift it over the plate and gently fit the crust into the plate. Do NOT trim the edges yet. Set the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 425°F, with the rack at the bottom 1/3 of the oven.

To prepare the filling:

Toss together the berries, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, freshly grated ginger, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

A pastry cutter next to strips of pie dough for lattice

Roll out the second disk of dough to 1/8-inch thick and use a pastry cutter to make strips for the lattice top.

Laying out strips of dough over the blueberry filling on a blueberry pie

Pour the blueberry mixture into the chilled pie shell. Lay out strips of dough over the blueberries, about 1/2-inch apart. Fold every other strip in half and lay more strips across the ones that are not folded. Unfold the first strips over the ones you just put down. Repeat this, but alternate which strips you fold, until the whole blueberry pie is covered.

Unbaked lattice-topped blueberry pie ready for the oven

Fold the bottom crust over the lattice top, trimming any extra so it isn’t too bulky.

Unbaked lattice-topped blueberry pie ready for the oven

Crimp a design into the edge. If the dough has gotten very soft while working, place it in the freezer for a few minutes before baking.

Unbaked lattice-topped blueberry pie with pats of butter, ready for the oven

Brush the top of the blueberry pie with egg wash and place the butter between the lattice work. Sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet in case the juices from the pie bubble over the edge of the pie place and slip it into the oven.

Fully baked, golden brown blueberry pie on a baking sheet

Bake for 20 minutes and then drop the temperature to 400°F and continue baking for about 40 or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If the crust is nicely colored, but the filling isn’t bubbling, tent the pie with foil.

Fully baked, golden brown blueberry pie with a slice cut out

Allow the blueberry pie to cool to room temperature and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Blueberry Pie with Lattice Crust

Blueberry Pie

I love pie, all pies, but this blueberry pie stands above the rest. When wild blueberries are baked up in a pie shell, with just a bit of lemon, some sugar and pats of butter, I could eat the whole thing.
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

Pie Crust

  • 3 cups (410g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 1/2 sticks (285g) unsalted butter cut into small pieces and well chilled
  • 1/3 cup (78g) lard or veg shortening or more butter
  • 1/2 cup ice water more may be needed
  • 1 tbsp vodka or lemon juice

Berry Filling

  • 6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar more for sprinkling over the top crust
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger or 1 teaspoon ground dry ginger
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp butter cut into small pieces
  • egg wash 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

To Make the Pie Crust

  • Have all of your ingredients ready and chilled. If it is hot out I even put the flour in the freezer for a little while, which makes it easier to work with.
  • Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to work the butter into the flour, until it looks like cornmeal and starts to stick together when squeezed. You want to keep some of the butter in pea-sized pieces. If the butter is too soft and it won't stay in pieces, place the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes and then try again. Work in the lard in the same way.
  • Mix together the water and vodka and add to the flour/butter mixture. Stir this with your hand or a wooden spoon, but be very gentle. The goal is to keep the pea-sized chunks of butter in tact.
  • When most of the flour is coming together, gently knead the dough into a ball. It should not be perfectly smooth, but, it should also not seem dry or crumbly.
  • Divide the dough into two pieces and create round disks. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

To Roll Out the Pie Crust

  • When you are ready to prepare the pie, roll one of the disks out on a well floured surface. If the dough seems hard, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will prevent the edges from cracking too much. You still want the dough to be chilled, so the butter doesn't get too soft.
  • As you are rolling, you can round out the edges with your hands. Cracking edges are part of the beast, but this will help to keep them smoother.
  • Once you have it rolled out to about 1/8-inch thick round, measure the dough to make sure it will fit the 12-inch pie plate. I usually just hold the plate over the dough and eye it. There should be about 2-inches of extra dough beyond the bottom of the plate. Fold the dough over the rolling-pin to lift it.
  • Lift it over the plate and gently fit the crust into the plate. Do NOT trim the edges yet. Set the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 425°F, with the rack at the bottom 1/3 of the oven.

Prepare the Blueberry Filling

  • Toss together the berries, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, freshly grated ginger, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
  • Roll out the second disk of dough to 1/8-inch thick and use a pastry cutter to make strips for the lattice top.
  • Pour the blueberry mixture into the chilled pie shell. Lay out strips of dough over the blueberries, about 1/2-inch apart. Fold every other strip in half and lay more strips across the ones that are not folded. Unfold the first strips over the ones you just put down. Repeat this, but alternate which strips you fold, until the whole blueberry pie is covered.
  • Fold the bottom crust over the lattice top, trimming any extra so it isn't too bulky.
  • Crimp a design into the edge. If the dough has gotten very soft while working, place it in the freezer for a few minutes before baking.
  • Brush the top of the blueberry pie with egg wash and place the butter between the lattice work. Sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet in case the juices from the pie bubble over the edge of the pie place and slip it into the oven.
  • Bake for 20 minutes and then drop the temperature to 400°F and continue baking for about 40 or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If the crust is nicely colored, but the filling isn't bubbling, tent the pie with foil.
  • Allow the blueberry pie to cool to room temperature and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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15 thoughts to “Blueberry Pie”

  1. the pleasure of wild berries has been a blessing in my now forever pacific northwest home so i found myself cheering you on upon reading of your love for wild berries. your tip, “with the rack at the bottom 1/3 of the oven” is invaluable. can’t wait to go for that next pie bake. thank you, zoe 🙂

  2. Wow! It looks amazing,
    If I have only 3 cups of blueberries is it still possible to make it? Or I must have 6 cups?

  3. tried this for pi day last week. the crust was amazing- flaky, buttery and easy to work with. i had some problems with the filling though, my biggest being that there was a LOT of liquid that spilled into the pan after i cut a slice out. i had to put it back in the oven for an hour to get the filling to set up (the filling was also not cohesive. blueberries were falling out left and right). would cooking it on the stove beforehand help? the flavour was pretty good. i added some blueberry liquor and i’ll probably throw in some more lemon next time too.

    1. Hi Mary,

      It sounds like you may need more binder for your berries. If the filling was bubbling, then it should have been cooked enough to set the starch in the filling. Your berries may have been juicier than mine, so they need more starch to hold them together. Or, as you suggested, you can reduce them down on the stove first, which will remove some liquid.

      Thanks, Zoë

  4. 5 stars
    I made this pie for the first time today following your pie crust recipe. It tastes fantastic and looks beautiful. I did substitute Clear Gel from KAF and the pie set up beautifully. Come back to VT, Zoe! Would love to take an in person class at KAF with you!! Thank you for being such a light!

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