The BEST Blueberry Pie (with VIDEO)

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This is my recipe for the BEST Blueberry Pie with a homemade all butter flaky pastry crust and a juicy blueberry filling that's not too runny nor too thick. Probably my favorite way to bake with blueberries is in pies and this is my Dad's favorite type of pie, so there are some high expectations here. They're a type of berry that benefits exceptionally well from some added sugar and a slow bake. There are a few great tips to know about making the perfect filling. Blueberries are actually some of the least acidic berries so they need a bit of lemon juice to balance them out, otherwise the pie can just taste sweet. A perfect blend of flour and corn starch is best since berries leach more juice than, say, an apple pie. Corn starch is a more powerful thickener while flour gives some body and opacity. This filling is just right - not too thick and not too thin so it holds together without running out of the crust yet is also SUPER juicy. The all-butter pastry is flaky AND tender and full of flavor. You can read all about the science of pie crust here. If you also love blueberry pie, but you're short on time, try my very easy Blueberry Pie Bars.

blueberry pie freshly baked out of the oven

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Buttery pastry crust - this recipe uses my easy all-butter pastry which makes such a beautiful and flaky golden crust.
Juicy blueberry pie filling - the filling is SO juicy and full of concentrated blueberry taste. It's well balanced by lemon since blueberries lack acidity and are mostly sweet.
A hint of spice - I found that cardamom and nutmeg pairs the best with blueberries. I tried a lot of combinations - cinnamon didn't win here!
Perfectly sweet and full of flavor - the filling isn't too sweet, but also sweet enough to make it juicy. As the pie bakes the flavor intensifies and it becomes irresistible. If you really think about it, fresh blueberries don't taste all that much. Most of their flavor is in the skins and extracting that flavor is exactly what happens when we let it bake for an hour under flaky pie crust.
Thick and juicy - it's so important to me that a pie filling is thick but still juicy without being too runny that you lose all of the flavor.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE

All-purpose flour - simple all-purpose flour works perfectly for pie pastry. If you want to use half pastry flour, you will get a crust that is more on the tender side instead of flaky, but both versions are delicious.
Sugar - a bit of white granulated sugar goes in the crust and most goes in the filling. I tested this a lot to find the right amount of sugar that will make the crust sweet and thick without being too sweet. I don't prefer brown sugar in this particular pie because I like the blueberry taste to stand out.
Butter - I use unsalted butter to control the salt, but you can use salted butter to make the crust for a rich dairy taste. In that case, reduce the added salt by half.
Lemon juice - lemon juice is here for its acidity since blueberries lack acidity and are mostly sweet. It is imperative to balance the flavor and you will truly miss it if you leave it out.
Lemon zest - this is optional but lemon and blueberry is a lovely combination.
Spice - a bit of spice makes everything nice! I found that cardamom and nutmeg pairs really well with blueberries since it has a floral character that complements the lemon. Spices also really drive home the "pie" concept.
Corn starch - it is essential to thicken the filling. Corn starch will provide a translucent sauce.
Flour - I prefer a blend of corn starch AND flour as flour creates some opacity and a "short" thickening so that the pie filling isn't too gloopy.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR BEST BLUEBERRY PIE

STEP 1). Make the pastry. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoon of butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it is evenly dispersed and the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add remaining cold butter and rub it in, pressing and smearing it between your thumbs and fingertips to flatten pieces of butter for an instant laminated effect. Continue to rub in the fat until it resembles coarse crumbs with some larger oat flake-sized pieces remaining.
STEP 2). Add the cold liquid. Gradually sprinkle in cold water, one tablespoon at a time, while gently tossing with a fork until the dough is moistened and it clings together in clumps. The dough will hold together when squeezed or pressed when it is ready and it will hold the impressions of your fingers, but it should not form a ball. You can add another tablespoon of water as needed if it is too dry. Do this part by hand and don't use the mixer once you add the water since it tends to over-mix in parts. Turn the shaggy mixture out onto a clean surface and bring it together with cupped hands, pressing in loose bits until it is cohesive.
STEP 3). Chill the dough. Divide it in two, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
STEP 4). Make the filling. Combine blueberries with sugar, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, cardamom and nutmeg in a large bowl. Toss everything together with a wide spatula until the berries are nicely coated.
STEP 5). Roll the pastry. Dust a work surface lightly with flour and roll one portion of dough out into a circle with ⅛-inch thickness. Rotate the dough and add more flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Transfer dough to an 8x2-inch round baking dish and fit it into the base and up the sides, letting excess hang over the edges. Refrigerate it while rolling the top crust. Roll the other half into a 12 to 13-inch circle and slice it into 1½-inch strips to make a wide lattice.
STEP 6). Fill the pie. Spoon blueberry mixture into chilled pie crust base, tucking them in gently to fill all the spaces (this will prevent your pie from shrinking too much as it cools). Weave the strips over the filling, letting the ends hang over the edge and press them down to seal against the edge pastry from the bottom crust. Trim excess dough and roll it up to create a thick edge crust. Place the pie in the freezer for 10 minutes.
STEP 7). Bake the pie. Beat egg with salt until blended in a small bowl and lightly brush the top and edges of the chilled pie with egg wash. Sprinkle liberally with sugar. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 45-55 minutes longer until pastry is nicely browned and juices have been bubbling for at least 5 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 2 hours before slicing to let the juices cool and thicken.

blueberry pie with foil pie shields protecting the crust from burning

blueberry pie freshly baked out of the oven on cooling rack

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE

Use cold butter and cold water for the pastry. Cold ingredients will help with flakiness and also reduce the chances of gluten formation when water comes into contact with flour. This will ensure a tender crust.
Fit the berries into the crust snuggly. The berries will shrivel as they cook down during baking and if there are a lot of gaps to begin with, then that means that the level of cooked filling will be much lower than how it started and there will be a wide open space between the filling and the top crust in the finished baked pie.
Cut slits in the top crust for venting. It's important to allow steam to escape since there is so much moisture in the berries which will accumulate under the crust. Vents will allow the crust to bake down against the berries to prevent that gap and also help with keeping it crisp.
Do not thaw frozen berries. Blueberries will lose a lot of their juices as they thaw so you'll want to put them straight into the crust.
Bake very hot for the first few minutes. This will help to set the crust especially on the bottom to minimize chances of sogginess. High temperatures will help with flakiness as well.
Do not under-bake. Bake 5-10 minutes longer than you think. A pie is truly ready when the crust is nicely golden and even singed around the edges with a browned bottom and bubbling juices.

blueberry pie sliced in glass pie dish showing juicy blueberry filling

top view of blueberry pie sliced in glass pie dish with pie slice on a plate

RECIPE FAQ

Can I use frozen blueberries to make blueberry pie?

The short answer is "yes". If you ever do that thing where you buy tons and tons of berries in the Summer and freeze them to bake pie in the winter, then this blueberry pie is the recipe for you! What happens when something as delicate as blueberries thaws and refreezes with the cycle of your freezer is that the water re-crystallizes slowly into much larger ice crystals that puncture the cell walls of the berries and damage their integrity so that when you go to use them and they begin to thaw, lots of violet liquid (that's all your precious blueberry juice!) leaks out almost immediately. This can leads to a soggy crust, so it is important to not let your blueberries thaw before making pie because you don't want to lose the juices before the crust has a chance to set.

What baking dish should I use for the best blueberry pie?

This doesn't normally seem important, but it will affect your baking time. I always recommend baking pies in glass or aluminum pie dishes or pans. You may have lovely decorative ceramic pie plates that will present beautifully to the table, and by all means use them! Just note that it may take 10-20 minutes longer for your pie to bake and you will definitely want to use very high heat at the beginning to seal in that crust (especially the bottom crust). If you have a bottom heating element in your oven, place the pie on the lower-third rack. Ceramic is a great insulator so it will keep your pie warm for longer, but this also means it takes longer to heat through.

Do I need to refrigerate pie dough?

Yes, it is absolutely crucial to rest the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This serves a few purposes:
1) It makes the dough easier to handle and roll out smoothly.
2) It allows the flour to hydrate evenly and pick up the little amount of liquid that is in the mixture.. So, even though initially the mixture will look a bit dry, it will come together during this resting time.

Can I freeze blueberry pie?

Yes, you can actually wrap the whole pie and freeze it or you can cut it into slices and freeze the individual slices for up to 3 months.

How long does blueberry pie last?

Blueberry pie is ok to store at room temperature for a day and then you can refrigerate it for up to 1 week. You can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or keep it in the fridge for 1 week.

How to serve blueberry pie?

Not pictured is a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but HIGHLY recommended (I probably don't need to tell you that).

slice of blueberry pie on a plate with fork

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GLASS VS. METAL BAKING PAN FOR PIE?

METAL: Aluminum pie pans will conduct heat fast and certainly lend a crisp crust, but the obvious downfall is that they are not all that pretty. You might spend the whole day trying to convince people that your pie is not store-bought.
GLASS: Glass bakeware will require an additional 10 minutes or so of baking time, but I prefer tempered glass for two main reasons: 1) It conducts heat faster than ceramic, and 2) Glass allows me to see through the bottom so that I know if my bottom crust is baked through and golden brown.

HOW TO MAKE FLAKY PIE CRUST FOR THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE

You can read my full article for all the details on how to make perfect pie crust. To summarize you want to follow these simple rules:

Use cold fat.
Keep your hands cold
Make the bowl cold
Keep the liquid ice cold
But, have your oven hot. Start at 425 degrees F.
It is also very important to not add TOO much liquid which will encourage gluten formation and make a pasty doughy crust.

If you want to brush up on your pastry skills, here's all you need to know:
How to make the very Best Flaky Pie Crust.

If you love pie, check out these recipes!

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