My homemade blueberry pie is better than ever and bursting with sweet juicy blueberries that sit in a golden-brown buttery, flaky pie crust. Follow my precise baking instructions for a filling that sets perfectly and is neither runny nor soupy. From-scratch pie can be hard work, so my team and I made sure to repeatedly test this recipe so the results are completely worth your time and effort.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. I’ve also made a few changes to the recipe and baking instructions to help ensure a filling that sets.
This slightly updated recipe produces a better-than-ever blueberry pie. Reader reviews reporting a soupy, runny filling inspired me to rework the baking instructions on my original recipe and make a slight change to the filling ingredients. My team and I tested a LOT of blueberry pies in the last few weeks. We searched for the magic trick to a perfectly flavorful, non-runny blueberry pie.
So what’s the verdict? What’s the magic trick to a perfect blueberry pie? Drumroll please…
The magic trick is: patience.
One reader, Judy, commented: “Wow! I’ve tried and loved many of Sally’s recipes, but this was the best so far! Absolute perfection! I followed the directions exactly as written and it came out perfectly, including the homemade pie crust. The pieces cut out without any mess. Simply delicious! ★★★★★“
Another reader, Nancy, commented: “I’ve been making blueberry pies for many years, but I think this recipe is the best I’ve made! The pie crust is truly great, so nice to work with. It was my first time that I made a true lattice crust. The dough was perfect! The berries were perfect as well. I couldn’t have been more pleased! ★★★★★“
Here’s Exactly Why This Blueberry Pie Recipe Works
It turns out that you need to (1) really work the filling ingredients together, (2) bake the pie for longer than I thought, (3) embrace a bubbling juicy messy pie filling, and (4) let it cool completely in order for the filling to fully set up. Just like peach pie, blueberry pie takes several hours and is undoubtedly a delayed-gratification dessert. But I promise you, they are both worth it. Get ready for the most incredible, juicy-yet-sliceable blueberry pie experience:
6 Ingredient Filling
After I’ve scared you off about the time it takes, let me mention that blueberry pie filling is actually one of the quickest fruit pie fillings to prepare! There’s no peeling, pitting, hulling, or chopping the fruit. Unlike triple berry pie, you do NOT need to pre-cook the filling either (a step we tested but found useless). Just rinse and pat the berries dry and then mix with sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, lemon juice, & lemon zest:
Pie Filling Success Tips:
- Use Flavorful Ingredients: You don’t need to add much to this pie filling to achieve amazing flavor. The berries are already pretty sweet on their own, so we only need to add ⅔ cup sugar. The zest and juice of a fresh lemon + a hint of cinnamon both add a subtle zing that really amplifies the natural flavor of the blueberries.
- Use 2 Thickening Ingredients: In the previous version of this recipe, I used ¼ cup of cornstarch to thicken the juicy filling, but we were still getting reader comments that their pies were turning out too runny. Taking note from my blueberry crumble pie, a reader favorite, I decided to use a mix of both cornstarch and flour. As long as you bake the pie long enough, the jammy filling sets up and thickens beautifully.
- Work the Ingredients Together: Between the flour, cornstarch, and sugar, there’s a lot of dry ingredients. To ensure there’s not too much dry powder, you may have to smash a few blueberries to help soak it all up.
Below Left: Your filling won’t bake properly if it’s this dry and powdery. Below Right: Work the ingredients together until the dry ingredients are moistened.
Assemble Your Pie
You can use your favorite pie dough recipe, but here’s why I encourage you to try mine. To make a perfect pie crust, I use a mix of shortening and butter because the two ingredients work together to make an unbeatable texture. Butter adds flavor and flakiness, while shortening’s high melting point keeps the crust tender and workable. The recipe yields 2 crusts—one for the bottom and one for the top—which is what you need for this pie. You don’t need to par-bake the crust because this pie bakes for so long.
A few topping notes:
- Lattice: I like a signature lattice pie crust design for this blueberry pie (doesn’t it just scream “state fair blue ribbon winner“?!) but decorate the pie however you’d like. Here’s my detailed How to Lattice Pie Crust video & instructions.
- Other Designs: Feel free to check out other pie crust designs.
- Crumble: Or you could try this blueberry crumble pie. Note the slight variation in the filling to make up for a very buttery topping.
Regardless of the design, be sure to crimp or flute the pie crust, too. I simply crimped the edges with a fork in the photos here.
Don’t Forget…
- To dot butter on top of the filling. Like in this cherry pie recipe, a touch of butter adds richness and helps the filling ingredients bind together.
- To brush the top dough with egg wash. Egg wash promises a crispier crust and helps develop that signature golden sheen. Without it, dough is dull and lackluster. You use egg wash on many other bakes, like apple pie, croissants, stromboli, breakfast pastries, and peach cobbler, to name a few.
Unlike the butter and egg wash, coarse sugar is an optional topping. I love adding it to sweet pies because it adds a little crunch and sparkle.
Many More Blueberry Pie Success Tips & Tricks
- Make the Pie Crust Ahead of Time. It has to chill for at least 2 hours, but it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and the freezer for up to 3 months, so make it in advance and it will save you time on the day you actually make this pie.
- Baking Sheet on Rack Below the Pie: This pie gets pretty messy when it’s happily bubbling away for over an hour. Place a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack to catch the bubbled-over juices. If you really want to save yourself cleanup time, line it with foil first.
- Start at an Initial High Temperature: 425°F (218°C) for 25 minutes, then the remainder at 375°F (190°C). The reason for the initial hot oven burst is to set the crust and encourage the cornstarch to begin working quicker.
- Pie Crust Shield: After the first 25 minutes in the oven, when you lower the temperature, I recommend placing a pie crust shield (see Notes) on the crust’s edges to prevent it from over-browning too quickly. You can purchase a pie crust shield, but I often use aluminum foil. See the next photo.
- Bake for a Long Time: Blueberry pie takes a lot longer than some pies (like pumpkin pie and pecan pie). You want the filling to be bubbling at the surface nearly everywhere, and this takes close to 75–80 minutes total. The internal temperature in the test pies (easy to take with an instant read thermometer because of the lattice top) was around 200°F (93°C) when done. If you think about it, in order for gravies and other sauces to begin thickening, they must be boiling/simmering. Same with this blueberry pie filling.
- Cool Completely: Slicing warm will give you a soupy slice of pie. Cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature because the pie filling continues to set up as it cools.
Make a homemade pie crust shield out of a large square of aluminum foil by cutting a circle in the center of it:
There is something so soothing and satisfying about making pie from scratch and I hope you try this endlessly tested pie perfection soon. It’s perfect for summertime picnics, as part of your Father’s Day Recipes, or anytime you have fresh blueberries. Want to skip some pie drama? This blueberry cream pie, berry cobbler, blueberry galette, or these blueberry pie bars will satisfy your berry cravings and require half the work. 😉
Here is even more inspiration for blueberry dessert recipes. And if you can’t choose between this pie or peach pie, go for blueberry peach pie instead! Browse all of my summer pie flavors in this collection of delicious summer pie recipes.
Recommended Tools
- Pastry blender for making pie dough.
- This is my favorite pie dish. I prefer baking pies in a glass pan so I can see the crust browning on the sides and bottom. Want to skip the pie dish? This easy berry galette is always a crowd-pleaser.
- This rolling pin has held up well over several years with constant use.
- Zester for lemon zest.
- Citrus juicer for lemon juice.
- Pastry brush for the egg wash.
Homemade Blueberry Pie
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
After a few additional years of testing, this is now the best blueberry pie. As the pie bakes, expect a messy, bubbly, and juicy filling. As the pie cools, the filling sets into a jammy, yet sliceable consistency. For a truly out-of-this-world summer dessert experience, serve each flavorful slice with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- Homemade Pie Crust or All Butter Pie Crust (both recipes make 2 crusts, 1 for bottom and 1 for top)
- 6 cups (3 pints; about 860g) fresh blueberries*
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar*
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons (14g) cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare either pie crust recipe through step 5.
- Make the filling: Stir the blueberries, sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Mix together until it’s no longer dry and powdery; burst a few blueberries if necessary to moisten. Set filling aside as the oven preheats. Filling can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours if needed.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 425°F (218°C). Place baking sheet on the bottom oven rack to catch any blueberry juices.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9 x 1.5 or 2-inch round pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Pour and spread filling evenly into pie dish. Dot the pieces of butter on top of the filling. Set aside at room temperature or in the refrigerator as you assemble the top pie crust.
- Arrange the lattice: Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle that is 12 inches diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut strips of dough; in the pictured pie, I cut 10 1-inch-wide strips. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. (Here’s a lattice pie crust tutorial if you need visuals.) Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use a small paring knife to trim off excess dough. Flute or crimp the pie crust edges with a fork.
- Lightly brush the top and edges of the pie crust with egg wash. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using.
- Bake the pie at 425°F for 25 minutes; then, keeping the pie in the oven, reduce the oven temperature down to 375°F (190°C). Place a pie crust shield (see Note for homemade shield) on the edges to prevent them from over-browning. Continue baking the pie until the filling’s juices are bubbling everywhere, including in the center, 40–50 more minutes. This sounds like a long time, but under-baking the pie means a soupy filling with paste-like flour and cornstarch chunks. If you want to be precise, the internal temperature of the filling taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 200°F (93°C) when done. Tip: If needed towards the end of bake time, remove the pie crust shield and tent an entire piece of foil on top of the pie if the top looks like it’s getting too brown.
- Remove pie from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and cool for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving. Filling will be too juicy if the pie is warm when you slice it.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This a great pie to make 1 day in advance, because the filling will have time to set overnight. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Feel free to prepare the filling 1 day in advance. See end of step 2. Baked pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | 9-inch Pie Dish | Rolling Pin | Pastry Wheel or Pizza Cutter | Zester | Citrus Juicer | Pastry Brush | Sparkling Sugar | Pie Crust Shield | Instant Read Thermometer | Cooling Rack
- Blueberries: You need 6 cups (3 pints) of blueberries, which is about 2 lbs. (about 860g) total. I strongly suggest using fresh blueberries, not frozen. If you decide to use frozen, do not thaw first. The pie will take several more minutes in the oven if using frozen berries.
- Sugar: If your blueberries aren’t super sweet, such as in the wintertime, feel free to add another few Tablespoons of sugar. I find 2/3 cup (135g) is the perfect amount for sweet summer blueberries. You can increase to 3/4 cup (150g) if needed.
- Aluminum Foil Pie Crust Shield: You can purchase a pie crust shield or make one from aluminum foil. Cut a 14-inch square of aluminum foil. Fold in half. Cut out a 5-inch semi-circle on the folded edge. Unfold. Carefully fit the aluminum foil over the pie crust edges, securing down on the sides as best you can (careful, the pie is hot!), leaving the center of the pie exposed.
- Updated in 2022: The recipe you see above was very slightly updated in 2022 to produce a thicker, less soupy filling. The old recipe did not call for flour and instead used 1/4 cup (28g) of cornstarch. The old recipe also baked for less time (about 60 mins total), which is why the filling was often too runny. For a jammy, yet sliceable filling, bake the pie as instructed above in step 7.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Best pie ever
I made this blueberry pie and it was a hit. My husband is requesting blackberry pie for Christmas though. Can I sub all blackberries for blueberries without any other changes? Thanks!
You can use blackberries. If they aren’t super sweet, we would use 3/4 cup (150g) sugar as mentioned in the notes. Let us know how it goes!
The pie using this recipie was very dry, no juice whatsoever. I was thinking it was to much using both flour and Cornstarch, but figured I’d follow the recipie. It was also overwhelming lemon flavor. Lemon is much more strong than blueberry, and adding this much the lemon taste takes over. No, I did not overcook it, I set the oven temp 5° cooler and baked it 10 min less.
Hi Sue, so sorry to hear you were disappointed with the outcome of this recipe. Were you using fresh blueberries here?
I’ve made many blueberry pies over the years, but always struggled with getting the filling to set up nicely and still taste delicious (not like jello). This one is it! My Maine native son-in-law’s favorite pie is blueberry, and he gave this one thumbs up at Thanksgiving. I do recommend adding the extra sugar for “winter” blueberries as the recipe suggests.
I was making a pie and everything was going it it it was going pretty good, but I accidentally forgot the dollop of butter on top
I made this Blueberry Lattice pie for Thanksgiving, as part of a pie bar we set up for about 15 people. It was deemed the best pie among the offerings (2 were ones I’d made using your crust recipe). The rest were from Wegman’s. I rolled it out on a Cambria stone counter figuring that would keep the dough cool. It didn’t have much trouble, but where I did, I just patched it. It was my first try with this recipe and 2nd lifetime try at a lattice. My error was not realizing that I’d laid down 6 strips going one way, but only 4 going the other way. You are directed to cut 10 strips. I think mine would have looked better had I realized to do 5 and 5. But, I was sick this wk, and did my best. Anyway, 2-3 said it was their favorite pie of the lot.
I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe and great directions.
Hi! I made the blueberry pie recipe and followed directions to a T, however after it was out of the oven for about 45 mins, I looked at the bottom of the glass pie dish and the bottom seems undercooked and it almost looks like the flour & cornstarch is clumpy (appears like it could be). Can I put it back in the oven after it cools to get it cooked a little more? Thank you
Hi Lisa, you could cover the top and pop it back in.
Most of your readers probably know this, but the real secret to tender, flaky crust is to handle it as LITTLE as possible. No folding, re-rolling, folding, re- rolling. Practice getting it right the first time
and your crust will be delicious. And yes, I have so much trouble avoiding blueberry soup, so thanks for the tips!
hi there! am i able to use brown sugar instead of white sugar. I typically substitute brown for all my baking but never made a blueberry pie before so wanted to reach out before attempting it myself
Sure can, Ana! The flavor will change a bit.
Can I use a mix of blueberries and blackberries?
Absolutely!
Hi! Thank you for this great recipe. I plan on using it for Thanksgiving next week and did a test run this weekend. I noticed the filling actually tasted very tart. Has anyone else encountered this? The blueberries I used were fresh and I taste tested them before using them (no issue). I followed the recipe exactly so I know I didn’t add more lemon than it called for. I’m thinking of adding some more sugar or reducing the lemon juice in the filling next time around. Any thoughts?
Hi Kaitlyn, yes, I would recommend reducing the lemon slightly or increasing the sugar if your filling is coming out too tart. Hope the next one turns out perfect!
Have you ever tried this with Gluten-free flour mix and will it still work? Seeking a GF blueberry pie recipe.
It may be best to search for a GF blueberry pie recipe since we’re unsure of the results you would achieve with this recipe. Let us know if you try!
My first and only blueberry pie did not turn out very well at all. But the directions you give explain why. Thank you. Now I know what I did wrong and hopefully the next one will be sooo much better.
Would it be possible to make 2 6 inch pies with this recipe? How would I change the amount of ingredients?
Hi Mary, we haven’t tested making two smaller pies. It should work well, but we’re unsure of the exact changes needed. Let us know if you try!
Totally delicious! My family loved it with vanilla icecream. My fresh blueberries were really juicy and it did not set up (though I forgot to top the filling with butter). Next time I will add more cornstarch, flour and sugar to the same amount of lemon & blueberries. Still 5-stars. Very-berry yummy! Also, I used Demerara sugar for topping (looks like coarse ‘Sugar In The Raw’). I didn’t have coarse white sugar. This worked well.
My family loved this pie.
This was a wonderful blueberry pie recipe! Blueberry isn’t my favorite flavor fruit pie, but this was way above others I’ve tasted. It was the right amount of sweet with a little touch of lemon. I followed the directions and it was perfect. Thanks for a keeper recipe.
Third pie this summer. Loved by all lucky eaters. So appreciate the crust recipe, it turns out deliciously. The fresh blueberry filling is a revelation. Made this for a celebration dinner for my friend who just walked 3400 miles. That’s how special this pie is.
This is hands down the BEST Blueberry pie recipe. I’m from New England and I had the best Maine low bush blueberries! Put them together with your recipe and heaven happens. Thank you for sharing!
I needed a Blueberry Pie Recipe and when yours popped up I knew I could count on it. It was a big hit at the Ice Cream Social I took it to – okay well a big hit with me and 1 other. Anyway thanks I’ll definitely keep this recipe and make again.
I needed a Blueberry Pie Recipe and when yours popped up I knew I could count on it. It was a big hit at the Ice Cream Social I took it to – okay well a big hit with me and 1 other. Anyway thanks I’ll definitely keep this recipe and make again.
Can u add canned fruit coctail if u don’t have enough blue berries
Hi Mrs. Coco, we don’t recommend it. Canned fruit cocktail typically contains added sugars and ingredients and is very wet, which won’t bake well with this recipe. Do you have more of another fresh or frozen fruit instead?
Have you ever tried making the filling in a saucepan, letting it cool to room temperature and then using it as you would a canned filling in the pie crusts?
Hi Judy, I have a mixed berry filling where I pre-cook it. You can certainly do it with this blueberry pie, too. I don’t find it 100% necessary though because by following the recipe above, the filling still sets nicely with a lovely jammy texture. It’s an extra step you really don’t have to take.
No one else seems to have this problem lol….maybe I just had a cheap dish. I had my nine inch baking pan and right when it got time to lower the temp, the whole glass dish exploded. I didn’t get to try the pie, but by the time I clean this up….I’ll have to try another day lol. Just make sure you keep an eye on it or be sure your dish can take the heat
Baked this pie for a group and everyone was amazed at how good it was. Used fresh berries, all-butter crust, and baked for a little longer than 50min at 375F, but I realized I forgot the cinnamon and it was still amazing. I also used a foil crust protector. I used a little less butter on the berries than in the photo. Definitely chill your crusts!
The detailed instructions for this pie made it a huge success. WOW! It was amazing. My entire family loved it. Thank you!!!
Not much juice and it needed more sugar
Your recipe says you should get 1#8 oz. each when you cut the dough in half but I got about 12 oz each! and I used your recipe exactly. What do you think happened ? I weigh all my ingredients. Otherwise it’s a great recipe!
Hi Cynthia, The total weight we give is approximate because sometimes you’ll have to add more or less water, or more flour when you are rolling it out, etc. If your dough has the right texture then you did everything right!
I loved this entire recipe. My pie was the BEST I’ve ever made. Blueberries from my garden and the only thing I changed was I increased the cinnamon to 1/2 tsp. I took the time and used your recipe for the crust as well. It was excellent. I’ll never use any other recipe for blueberry pie. Thank you-I’ve been baking pies for over 60 years and it’s just proof-you really can teach an old dog new tricks!! Thank you again.
Totally agree