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.
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, or these blueberry pie bars 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; 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-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 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.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon | 9-inch Pie Dish |Â Rolling Pin | Pastry Wheel or Pizza Cutter | Zester |Â Citrus Juicer |Â Pastry Brush |Â Sparkling Sugar |Â 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:Â 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.
The perfect blueberry pie!! Absurdly good, thank you!! My first pie ever (had been too nervous) but your careful instructions led to a perfect delicious and stunning pie. One question- sounds like berry consistencies are different- could you do mixed berry (strawberry, raspberry blueberry for example) with this recipe?
Hi Renee, we’re so glad you enjoyed this one! This would work well as a mixed berry pie. We’d start by swapping about half the blueberries with raspberries and strawberries. Blackberries would be great, too. Let us know what you try!
Absolutely perfect recipe! Everyone thought a high-class bakery made it.
Took about 30 minutes to make this county-fair award-winning pie filling. I cooked it open top, without a lattice, more like a fruit tart, and it baked and set perfectly. I wrapped the edges of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent burning. I took it out of the oven with an internal temp of about 205, just a few minutes longer than suggested.
Made a cherry pie using Sally’s recipe and it also came out great, but this is my favorite!
OMG, I wish I could send you a sample. I have never made a Blueberry pie before because I have eaten many peoples attempts and they just don’t come out right. However, I was given some Wild frozen blueberries and I didn’t want them to go to waste so I decided to go for it. Now I always, always, always put my own twist on any recipe I use, my husband calls it “Jessin’ it up.” I will admit that this time I just changed quantities slightly and I did this because you said to use fress and mine had previously been frozen and had been thawed for 2 days in my refrigerator, so there were A LOT of juices which really scared me since I didn’t want a soupy pie. Now, I don’t have a pie pan so I decided to try using a cast iron frying pan. – which by the way I know changes things as well but I can not say enough about how absolutely wonderful this pie turned out! It jelled up beautifully there’s not a single drop of “soupy ness.” Sally, I did tweek your recipe to make it my own but I needed to say Thank you for giving me such great tips and a great recipe to start with. I wish I could post pictures because this is Blue Ribbon worthy in taste and structure.
Can I use frozen blueberries with this blueberry pie recipe?
Hi Randy! See recipe Notes: 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.
I used Pillsbury ready-made pie crust and it got very brown very fast. I’m wondering if the temp was a little too high. The reason I made this recipe was because I hate runny pie filling and wanted to see if Sally’s recipe worked. It did!! I will make this again but will make my own pie crust. Thanks, Sally!!
My first time making a blueberry pie, and this one turned out to be absolutely delicious.
The maths not adding up for me on the lattice. Rolling out a 12″ circle and cutting 10 1.5″ strips = 15″. Also, I am not sure if you are using a new advertisement feature on your site, but it keeps breaking your pages. Glad to send you a screenshot of what it looks like.
Hi Dan, it should be 10 1-inch strips. Please send me a screenshot. The ad behavior you’re describing is concerning. sally@sallysbakingaddiction.com
This blueberry pie was a huge hit with so many people. I made 4 the first week after finding it. I’m thinking about making it with strawberries instead of blueberries. Have you tried that?
Hi Leah! So happy to hear that this blueberry pie was a hit. Strawberries have a different consistency. We haven’t successfully made an all-strawberry pie that isn’t overly runny. You can try subbing out all the rhubarb for strawberry in our strawberry rhubarb pie, but again, it’s always a little too runny for our taste.
I’ve been successful with strawberries it’s just an entirely Different process, as I usually have to cook the filling a little first with the thickeners, to ensure it does not become runny.
Then start the strawberries in a pan with
Hi Sally,
I can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend. Do you think using Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose flour will work? (I’ll be using your pie crust recipe).
Thanks for so many great recipes!!
Hi Gina! Admittedly, we don’t have much experience with gluten free baking and haven’t tackled a gluten free pie crust before. Sorry we can’t be of more help here!
First Time with a blueberry pie and it is fantastic wish I had a way to send you a picture it does not look perfect. But neither am I
This pie is wonderful and much easier than you would think. I used the all butter pie crust, mine was slightly tough, did I over handle it? The flavor was excellent
It’s a perfect recipe, so good !! We couldn’t wait the 4 hours to let it completely cool so after 2 we dug in. It was amazing
Everyone loved it! Takes a long time to bake but it cut nicely!
My pie is in the oven! Can’t wait to eat it after dinner. Super easy yo make.
I had my own pie crust made and needed a recipe for the berry filling. It turned out fantastic !
My daughter said it was heavenly. I personally liked how it was juicy without running all over. I made a buttermilk pie crust just because it rolls so well. I will make this again. I do add to it, as i like a fuller pie..but I didn’t alter other ingredients. I may play with adding a tiny bit of almond flavor…oh, and I did add cinnamon as suggested…inusually do. I liked making filling ahead of time as my oven sometimes doesn’t seem to bake most my pies on time when using fresh fruit before cooking a bit. Thank you!
Blueberry pie is my MIL’s favorite and I made this for her birthday. I’m a regular baker but like most, pies, and in particular crusts, are a bit more of a challenge. This pie was easy and the crust was crisp. Baking it again for mother’s day.
Hope this pie is a hit for Mother’s Day, Lisa!
I have made this several times and it’s always a hit. I plan on entering it in a county fair this summer. One problem I have had is that I’ve had to bake it for 80 – 90 minutes in total before the filling reaches 200 degrees in the center. The crust ends up overbaked. Any ideas? I follow the recipe exactly.
Thanks for everything you do!
Hi Andy, do you have a pie crust shield? You can use that (or a foil) to help protect the crust edges from over browning while allowing the filling to continue baking.
Thank you for the Cook Mode button! Due to a disability, I have difficulty with doing many things — even on my iPad that I use whenever I bake. Keeping the screen from going dark really makes a difference for me. I was so frustrating to have the screen go dark mid recipe. Your recipes are favorites of mine — especially your blueberry pie!
I’m so glad you find that feature helpful!
Hello! This recipe looks fantastic – I have a question about the pie dough. IF I were to use a different pie dough recipe (my family usually prefers shortcrust), would I need to adjust the baking time?
Hi Billie, we’re unsure without using that exact recipe ourselves, but we imagine it should be about the same bake time so that the filling can set.
Can I use frozen blueberries in this recipe? I have a freezer full from what I picked last summer!
Hi Linda! See recipe Notes: 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.
I followed this recipe for my daughter’s birthday since she requested a blueberry pie. It turned out SO great. Everyone loved it. The proportions were spot on with the cinnamon, sugar, and lemon. Thank you!
I’ve always wanted to make a blueberry pie and this recipe was so easy and yummy! The lattice turned out great, everyone loved the pie as a whole. I know that any recipe from your site is going to be incredible, thanks for all that you do!
This pie came out excellent. The filling firmed up beautifully, and the lemon & cinnamon notes were just right. Instead of a top crust, I used a cross shaped cookie cutter to make pastry cut out for my Easter dinner.
I have never had luck baking pies until today. My partner says it was the best blueberry pie he ever had. Thank you,! Perfect!
This might be a dumb question but do I need to blind bake the crust before baking?? I couldn’t be clear on that and I’m new to homemade crusts!
Hi Marie, you do not have to par-bake this crust because the pie bakes for long enough. If a pie recipe requires par-baking the crust, I will include it in the instructions.
Hello Sally, I love your recipes, they always turn out wonderfully! I wanted to ask if I could substitute the cornstarch for more all-purpose flour.
Thank you so much.
Hi Alia, I really like the balance of flour and cornstarch in this recipe. Cornstarch provides a little more thickening “power” to the filling. I fear 6 Tbsp of flour won’t do the job adequately, and if you increase that amount, the filling may taste gummy with chunks of flour throughout. For best results, I really recommend sticking with the written recipe.
I have made this over and over again, and will continue to do so. Absolutely perfect, jammy blueberry goodness!
Hi sally, I love all your recipes! My family and friends love them too! I do have 2 questions for the blueberry pie recipe.
I have some left over pie dough and I have some small 5-inch pans I want to use to make multiple pies to share with friends but I know that may require a different baking time than a larger pan size, I know the berries need to cook longer in this recipe, would there be any tweaking I can do to the baking time? My second question, is if I could swap out some of the blueberries to make a mixed berry pie? Any help would be appreciated thank you for sharing all your baking knowledge!
Hi Ruby! We haven’t tested mini pies so are unsure of the exact bake time. Pies will be done when the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. You can swap some of the blueberries (say, about half) for a mixture of blackberries and raspberries. If they aren’t super sweet, we would use more sugar as mentioned in the notes. Let us know how they go!
I’ve been making pies for 40 years and this is the best blueberry pie I’ve ever made. I did add another cup of blueberries to use them up but kept the rest of ingredients as written. Came out perfect. Thank you from Canada