Blueberry Pie

This blueberry pie recipe bursts with ripe, juicy fruit nestled inside a buttery crust. I use my tried-and-true flaky homemade crust to ensure beautiful, sturdy slices.

Recipe Science

Thicken the blueberry filling with 5 tablespoons of cornstarch per 6 cups of berries, creating a gel-like structure for sliceable pieces.
Roll the top and bottom crust out to ¼-inch thick to achieve the perfect ratio of crust to fruit and sturdy slices.
A lattice crust provides ventilation and concentrates the moisture in the filling for a thicker consistency.

Why It Works

Baking is a labor of love, and when I’m not serving up my classic apple pie, I enjoy experimenting with other fillings. Blueberries are easy to work with and allow you to skip cutting the fruit. Preparation is further sped up when I make my homemade pie crust a day or two in advance. That way, you can roll, fill, shape, and bake without waiting for the dough to chill.

When developing this easy blueberry pie recipe, I ensured the whole juicy berries would suspend in a smooth, thickened compote-like sauce without solidifying into a firm jam. Cornstarch provides a glossy shine and helps firm up the juices, preventing a watery filling. The next time you’re at the market, grab a few baskets of berries. You won’t regret making this pie from scratch!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Serving a slice of blueberry pie from a glass pie plate.

Pie Crust: To achieve a flaky pie crust, I use a Pâte Brisée dough for sweet and savory desserts like pecan pie and chicken pot pie. The homemade pie crust recipe has only four ingredients: all-purpose flour, water, salt, and unsalted butter.
Blueberries: Fresh blueberries work best for this fruit pie! They have the ideal texture contrast of whole pieces, with some that pop and release their juices to form a thick, syrupy coating. Give a few a taste before baking to gauge if you need more sugar for the filling.
Cornstarch: I use cornstarch to thicken the juices released from the berries. A ratio of 6 cups of berries to 5 tablespoons of cornstarch is enough to suspend the fruit in a loose gel without being too watery or hard. Compared to all-purpose flour, you use half the amount for the same thickening power.
Sweetener: Granulated sugar gives a pure sweetness.
Flavoring: A pinch of salt and ground cinnamon enhances the taste without overpowering the fruit instead of letting it shine. Vanilla extract adds dimension. Freshly grated lemon juice and zest add a nice citrus note, and the acidity balances the sweetness.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

Ingredient Substitutions

Now that you know how to make the perfect blueberry pie, it’s easy to customize!

Using Store-Bought Pie Crust: Purchase enough for a double crust. If the crust is frozen, defrost it and bake according to the recipe.
Using Frozen Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, do not defrost them before baking. They are slightly sweeter because farmers harvest and freeze them at their peak ripeness. Fresh wild blueberries generally have more fruit per pound, so the flavor will be more concentrated and denser with more skin-to-flesh content.
Using Canned Blueberry Filling: It’s already sweetened with sugar and has cornstarch, so add directly to the crust.
Sweetener Swaps: Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup can add more dimension to the fruit filling.

How to Make Blueberry Pie

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

Fill a measuring cup with ice cubes and water, then cut the butter into ½-inch cubes. Keep both in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. Chilling these ingredients helps maintain the dough’s flakiness by preventing the butter from melting too soon.

Stand mixer bowl breaking cubes of butter into flour.

Step 2: Break Down the Butter

Combine flour and salt in the stand mixer bowl using the paddle attachment on the lowest speed. Add the chilled butter cubes and mix slowly until the mixture resembles wet sand with coarse crumbles and pea-sized butter pieces.

Break up any large chunks by hand, but avoid over-mixing. The dough should remain crumbly and not yet bind together before adding water.

Pie dough being mixed with water in a stand mixer bowl.

Step 3: Hydrate the Dough

Add ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing the mixer briefly after each addition. Stop once the dough looks lumpy and clumps, with small crumbles remaining. When pinched, the dough should hold together without being wet or sticky.

Two pieces of pie dough shaped into discs and about to be wrapped in plastic.

Step 4: Rest the Dough

Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape into a 1-inch-thick disc. Cover with plastic wrap to protect it from air exposure and preserve its moisture and texture.

Let the dough chill for at least 4 hours to allow the gluten proteins to relax, preventing a tough, rugged texture. I prefer to make it the day before so it’s ready to bake once the filling is done.

Person rolling dough on a floured surface.

Step 5: Roll the Dough

Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling it out. This process allows the butter to soften slightly. Roll one dough disc into a 12 to 13-inch circle, about ¼-inch thick.

Person trimming excess dough around the pie plate with a knife.

Place the dough in a 9-inch pie dish and gently press it into the sides. Trim about a ½-inch overhang, which will make it easier to crimp later.

Chill the bottom crust in the refrigerator to keep the butter firm while you make the other components. Doing so prevents the dough from thinning out before the fruit is added.

Person using a pizza cutter to make strip of pie dough for a lattice crust.

For the lattice top, use a rolling pin to roll the other pie dough into a 13×10-inch rectangle, then cut into ten 1-inch wide, 13-inch long strips. Transfer the strips to a sheet pan and refrigerate for easier weaving.

Tips for Perfect Execution: I use a shallow 9-inch pie pan about 1 ½-inches tall, which gives thick slices with a crust that nicely lays on the edge of the pie plate. I prefer glass cookware. It takes a little longer to get the temperature up, but it retains heat better over time. Plus, I like to see when the sides of the crust turn golden in color.

Sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Step 6: Blueberry Filling

Mix the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt before adding the fruit or liquids to ensure that the fine particles of sugar and cornstarch evenly coat the berries.

Blueberries coated in sugar and cornstarch filling mixture.

Combine with the berries, lemon juice, and vanilla. I used nearly two pounds of blueberries, about six cups. This amount ensures a concentrated fruit flavor as the berries cook and condense during baking.

Person pouring blueberry pie filling into the bottom crust.

Step 7: Add the Filling

Distribute the blueberry filling into the bottom crust so it packs together. Dot the blueberries with the cubed butter to prevent them from sticking to the crust.

Laying strips of pie dough and cubes of butter over a blueberry pie. — Layer

Weaving two strips of dough together to make a lattice crust. — Layer

Step 8: Weave the Lattice

Make a lattice pie crust for a pretty presentation that gets all the compliments. You weave strips of dough about 1 inch wide, then crimp the edges to hold the top and bottom layers together. I like how you can see the fruit peaking through the crust. A lattice crust also provides more ventilation and concentrates the moisture in the filling for a thicker consistency.

Experimentation Encouraged: Feel free to get creative and use cookie cutters to make fun shapes like hearts or stars. Otherwise, keep it classic with a smooth double crust with just a few small vents poked in on top.

Brushing egg wash over a blueberry pie crust.

Step 9: Preheat the Oven and Add Egg Wash

Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 400°F (204°C). Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil. I brush whole egg and milk to create a golden brown color on the surface of the pie crust. The yolk adds a yellow hue, while the egg whites help the egg wash stick to the crust.

A small amount of milk or cream has milk solids that brown, adding a nice flavor and a more profound color change. I like to sprinkle a generous amount of granulated sugar or more coarse granules on top for extra crunch and sweetness.

Step 10: Bake the Pie

Place the pie dish on a lined baking sheet as the filling bubbles, and it may spill over. You want to ensure that the filling is getting hot enough to activate the thickening powers of the cornstarch.

Bake in the center of the oven rack at 400°F (204°C) for 30 minutes, which kickstarts the color change on the surface. To gently cook the pie, reduce the heat to 350ºF (177ºC) for 40 to 50 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Pro Tip: I use an instant-read thermometer to check for the filling’s doneness. It should be about 203ºF (95ºC) deep in the center. If you see the edges or top getting too brown, loosely tent foil over the surface or around the edges.

Beautiful blueberry pie cooling on a wire rack after baking.

Step 11: Cool the Pie

Although you’ll want to dig in immediately, you must let the pie cool down. This process allows the hot butter in the crust to firm up, making it easier to slice. It also gives the cornstarch time to set. Otherwise, the fruit filling will be too thin and will flow out.

Ideally, the filling should hold and cling together but still have a soft pudding-like consistency. I recommend cooling it for at least 4 hours or letting it sit overnight on a wire rack on the counter, then serving it the next day. It’s delicious warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Slice of blueberry pie with melted scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between blueberry and wild blueberry?

Cultivated blueberries are larger and more uniform in size. They are also available year-round. Wild blueberries are grown naturally and harvested between July and September. They are smaller, with varying sweetness levels, and frozen within 24 hours of picking to lock in the nutrients.

What is the best thickening agent for blueberry pie?

Cornstarch is highly effective at thickening the fruit filling and giving an attractive glossy sheen. Equal amounts of tapioca flour/starch make for a suitable substitute. If using flour, double the amount and note that it may taste pasty. For arrowroot powder, use 1 ½ times the amount. Use thickening agents carefully, as too much will cause the filling to overly harden.

Can you use frozen blueberries?

Yes! Don’t defrost the berries before using them, or they will prematurely rupture the cell walls, releasing too much moisture. If you drain off the moisture, the texture will become dry and less flavorful. Immediately toss frozen berries with the filling ingredients, then bake. You’ll need extra baking time to get the fruit to defrost in the oven. The filling must reach about 203ºF (95ºC) to ensure proper thickening.