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.
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 2016 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.
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. 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.
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 or this berry cobbler will satisfy your berry cravings and require half the work. 😉
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 mixed 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; 900g) 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 9×2-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 1.5-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 edges with a fork.
- Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the 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.
- Blueberries: You need 6 cups (3 pints) of blueberries, which is about 2 lbs. (900g) 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.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Pastry Blender, Pie Dish, Rolling Pin, Zester, Citrus Juicer, Pastry Brush, Sparkling Sugar, Pie Crust Shield
Keywords: blueberry pie
Tasted great.
I made this recipe for my son for his Bday ….probably the best blueberry pie I have ever tasted!!
★★★★★
The absolute best blueerry pie I’ve ever made! So thick and jammy. Delicous!
★★★★★
My granddaughter and I want to try this pie at the cabin next week, but all my pie plates are more shallow than yours. In the pictures, it looks like your berries don’t quite come to the top of the pie plate before you put the top on. Can we just use a similar approach with the slightly shallower plate, and watch for the temperature to get to 200 degrees?
Absolutely! That’s what I would do if I had a shallower pie dish.
Made this yesterday and it was a major hit! Husband said it was probably the best pie he’s had. Fresh lemon juice and zest really make it taste fresh and I used blueberries I picked local two days prior, highly recommend the recipe. Only changes I made was using my own no roll pie crust and a crumb topping to save time.
I am going to make your blueberry pie tonight. Have you ever substituted Tapioca for the flour.
Hi Betty, Tapioca powder can be a great thickener in pies, but we haven’t tested it in the place of the flour and cornstarch mixture in this pie. Let us know if you do!
My first pie so it was a learning experience, but the steps were easy to follow. I made the buttery crust and the pie is truly amazing. Best pie I’ve ever had. So proud of myself! 🙂
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Stephanie!
I’m an experienced baker, but never quite mastered pies. I followed the directions and the end result looked like the photo. The crust was outstanding and filling wasn’t runny. Success! But when we bit into it, the filling was so tart from the lemon. It completely overwhelmed the blueberries. I’ll definitely try this again, but without the lemon.
★★★★
The pie baked beautifully but I also thought the lemon was too overwhelming.
This recipe is amazing. I’ve made SBA’s blueberry pie many times and it’s always amazing. I tried the updated version with less cornstarch and added flour and it was still a great pie, but I think I like the taste of the previous version slightly better. Both are amazing but the cornstarch version was just a touch brighter in flavor for me. It could have also been the berries, but I might stick with the OG recipe and risk a runnier pie. Mine was not usually runny before, but when I incorporated flour I will say cutting the pie into slices for freezing was very easy. I am the only blueberry pie fan so that was a plus. Either way, you can’t go wrong. I also love when I find those mini frozen tart crusts so I can make individual pies since I don’t usually share this pie.
★★★★★
Hello,
Just made your revised receipt it’s in the oven and is smelling awesome!! – last year made it and as you have stated – my first try was a bit running and didn’t really set – so tried it again with a bottom coating of graham crack crumbs on the crust before adding the filling which work well and helped it to set
★★★★★
It is hard to get a blueberry pie that sets and this turned out amazing. Thanks for sharing. Love your soft pretzel recipe, too!
★★★★★
Thanks for the feedback, Sarah! We tested this blueberry pie a LOT in order to find the best way to get it to set up!
I’m gonna use this recipe and instead of blueberries I’m gonna use fresh raspberries so hopefully it’s all the same instructions
When making this pie are you able to substitute the blueberries for another fruit such as blackberries or raspberries?
Hi Raegan! You can use blackberries. If they aren’t super sweet, we would use 3/4 cup (150g) sugar as mentioned in the notes. Raspberries don’t hold up great in pies because they’re so mushy – you can use them in combination with another berry, though! Let us know what you try.
I’m an adept baker and this Blueberry Pie recipe is outstanding! The most difficult part is [im]patiently waiting for it to cool completely before slicing into it Thanks for another great recipe!
★★★★★
A delicious pie with easy to follow directions. Highly recommended!!!
★★★★★
I like to have a good amount of crust in a pie, would it be okay to make the bottom pie layer thicker or to add a extra layer at the bottom
★★★★★
Hi Nel, I don’t recommend it for this recipe because the bottom won’t bake through very well if it’s any thicker. You could try par-baking the bottom crust if you’d like, though. Attaching a top crust to a bottom par-baked crust can be difficult though.
I made your revised blueberry pie and since I love cherry pie I made it the same way. They were for a 4th of July celebration…and they were amazing! Compliments all over. My new “go to” pie!
Thanks!
★★★★★
Can I substitute blackberries?
Hi Maggi, You can use blackberries. If they aren’t super sweet, we would use 3/4 cup (150g) sugar as mentioned in the notes.
Hi Sally,
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! This blueberry pie is top notch. So delicious and came out so perfectly. No runny filling at all! And your crust recipe is so flaky and amazing. I’ve been making piecrust for 50+ years and never have come across a more perfect piecrust recipe.
I mistakingly baked my pie at 425° for the whole duration. Still came out Beautiful. Also, I only had 4 cups of blueberries. The recipe worked fine with only 4 cups of blueberries. Thank you for all of your wonderful tips.
Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Trina! We’re glad you enjoyed our pie crust + blueberry pie recipe. It’s a favorite of ours, too!
I followed this recipe exactly as written. I made it the day before I served it. I made the lattice top too. The directions for this were very clear and easy to follow.The pie was delicious. It cut so nicely too. It wasn’t too sweet, just sweet enough. The leftovers did not last long! I will definitely make it again
★★★★★
This pie is perfect. Cuts a perfectly beautiful slice. Zero soupiness. Tastes delicious! Thank you for the recipe I will be making this every year.
★★★★★
Sally, I wish I could send you a picture! This pie looks too good to eat, but of course we’re going to eat it all up, yum!
★★★★★
I somehow ended up with more of the filling than needed. Any ideas what I can do with it? The pie turned out great by the way. The pie crust is just the best!!!
Hi Shreya! Glad you loved it. You could bake the extra filling as a blueberry crisp or mini crisps!
I love making fruit pies. This is by far the best blueberry pie recipe!!! So easy! I did use frozen berries, mixed ingredients together and let it sit about an hour before assembling pie. Cooked maybe an extra 5 min. I did not have fresh lemons so no zest, used arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch. Absolute perfection
★★★★★
Hello! I love the idea of cornstarch and flour for this recipe since that is how I get the best results for my gravies. If I don’t have enough fresh berries, can I add some frozen to make up the difference? If so, should I flour the frozen ones or let them thaw?
Hi Cinder! See recipe note about using fresh vs. frozen blueberries.
Good morning! I LOVE all of your recipes, they are always successful. I’m making this today, can I do half strawberries in the filling? Thank you!
Hi Lauren! That should work, but we haven’t tested it! We did something similar with mixed berries in our Flag Pie recipe.
I’m making your recipe tonight and will let you know, it sounds terrific and I’ve used several of your recipes you are right on as they say in Colorado.
I have been baking homemade pies for my family for 42 years and this is the best blueberry pie recipe I’ve ever tried. My family and I thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you for your kind feedback, Sharon! We’re so glad this pie was a favorite for you and your family.
Would I follow the same instructions if I used a top crust with slits in it instead of cutting into a lattice?
Yes!
Hi Sally
I just wanted to double check that I was reading this right. The sheet pan is supposed to go on the rack under the rack that the pie is on instead of placing the pie on the she sheet pan? I’m sure I have it wrong lol
Hi Diane! Yes, on the rack under the rack with the pie to catch drips!
This is the best blueberry pie I’ve ever made. I did make the filling the day before. Easy peasy and Delish!!!!!
★★★★★
Should you prebake the bottom crust or just put the filling in?
Hi Sheri, we do not prebake the crust in this recipe.
This recipe is amazing! It came out perfectly! Do you have a similar recipe for raspberry pie? Mine always comes out too runny.. Can I follow this recipe only work raspberries instead of blueberries or do you have another you would recommend? Thanks!
Hi Sheri, so glad your pie turned out well! We don’t have a similar recipe for a raspberry pie at this time. We haven’t tested this pie with raspberries, but in general, raspberries are a very different texture than blueberries and behave differently when baked, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting them for blueberries in this pie.