Homemade Blueberry Pie
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Homemade blueberry pie made with frozen blueberries is easy to make year-round with simple ingredients to create a thick (not runny) pie filling from scratch.
Blueberries may be in season during the summer months, but enjoying a blueberry pie any other time of year (i.e. Thanksgiving) can be made possible by using frozen fruit.
Fresh vs. Frozen Fruit
Most berry pies can be made with fresh OR frozen fruit. The biggest difference between the two will be the baking time.
Should you thaw frozen blueberries before baking pie?
You CAN thaw frozen fruit first, but you DO NOT NEED TO thaw frozen blueberries before baking them in a pie.
You will most definitely need to bake the blueberry pie longer than you would with fresh or thawed fruit though.
How do you thicken blueberry pie filling?
There are many thickeners to choose from when making pie like cornstarch, flour, quick-cooking (minute) tapioca, or arrowroot, for example.
It’s tempting to use flour, since it’s a staple pantry ingredient, but I tend to stick with cornstarch. You’ll use less cornstarch than you would flour (flour is about 1.5x as much) and it’s more effective at thickening.
PRO TIP: Combine cornstarch with sugar first to prevent it from clumping up. This will also help disperse it more evenly.
If you don’t have cornstarch, check this chart to decide how much of any other thickener to use.
How To Avoid Runny Pie Filling
For a blueberry pie that is not runny, it must be baked until the filling bubbles in the center. Don’t be tempted to pull it from the oven too soon!
Cornstarch needs high temperatures to create a pie filling that is not runny. You will need to bake the pie until the filling bubbles in the center, not just on the edges.
PRO TIP: Cover the pie crust with foil if the crust starts to brown quicker than the filling bubbles. Check crust 45-60 minutes into baking, then cover with foil and keep baking.
Baking a pie with frozen fruit can take up to two hours to bake completely for the filling to thicken and the crust to not be raw. You will definitely need foil to cover the top crust until the filling bubbles in the center, and the bottom crust bakes through.
Ingredients
For this homemade blueberry pie, you will need:
- Pie Crust – for two layers (the top and bottom). This Pioneer Woman pie crust is my favorite and practically fool-proof.
- Blueberries, fresh or frozen. All of the ingredient amounts will be the same, but the bake time will be different depending on which you use.
- Granulated Sugar for added sweetness, and for sprinkling on top of the pie crust.
- Cornstarch to thicken the blueberry pie filling.
- Lemon Juice and zest to brighten up the flavors and add a slight tang. This can be left out if desired.
- Egg – for brushing the crust.
How to Make Blueberry Pie From Scratch
Start by making the perfect pie crust. I highly recommend homemade pie crust because it tastes better and can stand up to longer bake times when using frozen fruit than pre-made store-bought crusts.
The pie dough will need to chill before rolling and shaping. Check out my full tutorial to make this criss cross pie (aka lattice) crust.
The braided edge is just for fun, but so beautiful. If you can braid hair, you can braid pie dough.
While the pie crust is chilling, combine the filling ingredients. It’s as simple as (fresh or) frozen blueberries, sugar and cornstarch, but I highly recommend the lemon zest and juice in this blueberry pie recipe.
Once you’ve got the bottom crust in the 9-inch pie plate you can empty the blueberry filling inside and top it with another layer of crust.
If you forgo the lattice pie crust, you can place a full sheet of dough over the filling and cut slits in the top for ventilation.
Using egg wash (a whisked egg) helps to seal the top and bottom crusts together, and also creates a beautiful golden crust.
For this homemade blueberry pie, the egg wash also works to stick sugar to the crust to sweeten the dough.
After the pie is assembled it’s time to place it in the oven to bake until the filling bubbles.
PRO TIP: Place sheet tray covered with foil or lined with a silicone mat on the rack below the pie to catch any filling that may bubble over.
Other Pies to Make with Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Berry Pie
- Frozen Raspberry Pie Recipe
- Blueberry Pie with Streusel Topping
- Cherry Crumble Pie
- Blueberry Cream Pie
Homemade Blueberry Pie
Homemade blueberry pie made with frozen blueberries is easy to make year-round with simple ingredients to create a thick (not runny) pie filling from scratch.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe (2 crusts) Pie Dough (link in instructions)
- 5 cups frozen blueberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar (+ extra for sprinkling on top)
- 6 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon, optional
- 1 egg, whisked for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare pie crust recipe and divide dough in half. Keep cold. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate/freeze for 15 minutes if needed. Roll out one half and fit it inside the pie dish, cutting off excess crust.
- Gently toss the blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest. Empty into pie crust shell.
- Roll out the other half of the pie crust and cut 1-inch strips. Weave the strips into a lattice crust. Brush the edges of the bottom crust with a whisked egg (egg wash) and press the lattice strips on top to seal the two crusts together. Crimp edges. [Alternately use leftover crust to make a braided edge. Cut excess pie dough into thin strips. Using three strips, alternate bringing the outer strips over the center piece to braid the dough. Repeat until you have enough braids to cover the edges. Brush edges with egg wash and press braided pieces on top. See images in post or in tutorial here.]
- Lightly brush the crust with the whisked egg and sprinkle with extra granulated sugar.
- Bake at 350˚F until crust browns and filling bubbles in the center (not just the edges). Time will vary. Frozen fruit may take 90-120 minutes. (Fresh fruit will finish in 60-75 minutes.) Cover pie with foil if crust browns faster than filling bubbles. Check pie 45-60 minutes into baking to add foil. Allow pie to cool completely for the filling to gel/thicken.
Notes
- A clear pie dish is recommended to see that the bottom of the crust is fully cooked/browned.
- TIP: Place sheet tray covered with foil or lined with a silicone mat on the rack below the pie to catch any filling that may bubble over.
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FAQ’S
When the crust is brown and the filling bubbles in the center, and not just the edges, that is when blueberry pie is done baking, and is not runny. The filling will also thicken as it cools.
At room temperature, blueberry pie will last 2-3 days when covered loosely with foil or plastic wrap, and up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Use a clear pie dish to ensure the bottom crust is golden brown like the top. This is usually achieved once the center of the pie bubbles. You can also blind bake (pre-bake) the bottom crust before adding the filling.
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Welcome!
Hi, I’m Amber! I am a culinary graduate and dessert lover! This is where I share my favorite sweet and savory recipes alongside my knowledge and skills as a culinary graduate. I hope you find something you like!
6 Comments on “Homemade Blueberry Pie”
Can you exchange flour for the cornstarch?
I haven’t tested it that way, but generally you can substitute 2 Tbsp of flour for every 1 Tbsp of cornstarch. I prefer cornstarch because it creates a shiny glossy filling compared to a matte filling when using flour.
We really enjoyed the pie. The lemon was a hit and the tips were very helpful..thx.
I’m so glad to hear it was a success and well-liked!
My very first time making a pie and it was delicious. Very easy to make.
I’m so glad to hear it was easy to make Teresa! Happy you enjoyed it as well.