If you love classic blueberry pie but also can’t resist a crumble topping, this blueberry crumble pie is the best of both worlds. A flaky, buttery pie crust is filled with juicy, jammy blueberries and finished with a generous layer of brown sugar oat crumble. It’s simple enough for a weekend bake, but special enough for holidays and summer gatherings—and every slice delivers that perfect mix of jammy berries, flaky pastry, and buttery oat crumbles!
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and more success tips.
This blueberry crumble pie has become one of my favorite ways to bake with fresh summer blueberries. Instead of weaving a lattice top, you’ll pile a generous amount of oat crumble over the juicy berry filling. As it bakes, the crumble turns deliciously crisp and golden while the blueberries bubble underneath into a thick, perfectly sliceable filling. Every forkful has flaky crust, sweet-tart berries, and crunchy crumble—a trio that’s hard to beat!
If you’ve made my apple crumble pie or peach crumble pie before, you’ll recognize the same winning formula here. 🙂 It’s an approachable pie that looks impressive, doesn’t require any fancy lattice work, and always disappears quickly at summer gatherings.
Great for beginner pie bakers.
The filling is packed with blueberries and brightened with a touch of fresh lemon. A combination of cornstarch, flour, and a longer bake time ensures the juices thicken properly, so you get a neatly sliceable pie instead of a runny filling. The crumble topping bakes up crisp and buttery, adding just enough sweetness and texture without overpowering the fruit.
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Crumble Pie
- Butter pie crust creates the perfect foundation
- Thick, jammy blueberry filling that holds its shape when sliced
- Crumble topping is much easier than a traditional lattice top
- Perfect make-ahead dessert for holidays, picnics, and entertaining
- Wonderful served with vanilla ice cream!
One reader, Angel, commented: “The best blueberry pie I have ever had! The flavor was balanced, just enough sugar and lemon to complement the berries and not overpower them. The crumble topping was the perfect addition and I’m happy I decided to make the recipe as written, truly I cannot find anything that I would want to change in this recipe! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Jane, commented: “I have to say this was the best blueberry pie I ever made. Think I may never make a two-crust blueberry pie again. Absolutely perfect dessert. ★★★★★”
If you’re making it for the first time, be sure to read through the tips below before getting started. A few small techniques—like generously mixing the filling, baking at 2 different temperatures, and keeping certain ingredients very cold—make all the difference.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Filling & Topping
Each ingredient plays an important role, so here’s what to know before you begin:
- Blueberries: You’ll need about 6 cups (about 840g) of fresh blueberries. Look for berries that are plump and firm.
- Flour: You need all-purpose flour for both the filling (to thicken) and the crumb topping (for structure).
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is what transforms all those delicious blueberry juices into a thick filling instead of a runny one. Blueberries contain a surprising amount of liquid, and the cornstarch (paired with the flour) is essential for helping the filling set into clean slices after cooling.
- Sugar: Blueberries are naturally sweet, so this recipe uses just enough sugar to enhance their flavor without overpowering it. You need granulated sugar for the filling and brown sugar for the crumble topping.
- Fresh Lemon Zest & Juice: Fresh lemon brightens the berries and keeps the filling tasting vibrant rather than overly sweet (or one-note).
- Cinnamon: Only a small amount is needed for the topping. It adds warmth without making the pie taste heavily spiced.
- Old-Fashioned Whole Oats: These add texture and help create those crisp, buttery crumbles on top.
- Salt: A little in the crumb topping to balance all the flavors.
- Cold Butter: Cutting very cold butter into the crumb topping ingredients is what gives us those delicious buttery crumbles. (You’ll also need cold butter if you choose to make a homemade butter pie crust!)
You also need an egg wash (egg + milk) for brushing on the crust edges.
Overview: How to Make Each Component of Blueberry Crumble Pie
Prepare the pie dough: Make the pie dough ahead of time and chill it for at least 2 hours. Start with my favorite all-butter pie crust. It bakes up exceptionally flaky and is easy to work with. You could also use this butter/shortening pie crust, which holds shape nicely. Both recipes yield 2 crusts, so you can pop one into your freezer for the next time you crave blueberry crumble pie.
Make the crumble topping: Make the oat crumble topping first and refrigerate it while you prepare the filling. Keeping the topping cold helps it bake into crisp, distinct crumbles rather than melting into the filling. Use cold and cubed butter; cut it into the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt using a pastry cutter or 2 forks; then stir in the oats.
Make the filling: 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 toss them with sugar, flour, cornstarch, lemon juice & zest.
One especially important success tip: If your filling looks dry and powdery, your baked pie filling will be cloudy and runny. If your filling looks shiny and juicy, your baked pie filling will set beautifully.
Mash a few blueberries to help absorb some of the flour and cornstarch, so your filling looks juicy. Place the filling in the refrigerator while you finish your pie crust.
Fill the pie crust: Roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle, and fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. I recommend using a glass pie dish, so you can see when the crust on the sides is browning. Flute or crimp the pie crust edges, then brush the edges with an egg wash.
Add the blueberry filling and top with the cold crumble topping. Don’t be shy with the crumble! It may seem like a lot before baking, but it settles as the pie bakes and creates that irresistible crunchy topping we all love.
Baking & Cooling Steps
These steps are particularly important to this recipe, so don’t be tempted to shorten the times or take any shortcuts here.
Start baking the pie at a high temperature. Why? Baking this pie at 400°F (204°C) for 25 minutes helps set the pie crust shape, and helps the cornstarch and flour begin thickening the filling. After that, reduce the oven temperature down to 375°F (190°C) to continue baking the pie. We use this same trick when we make strawberry rhubarb pie and peach pie as well.
If you notice the edges of the crust are getting too dark, add a pie crust shield. And if the crumb topping is browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil over the entire pie to prevent it from over-browning, while giving the filling the time it needs to finish baking.
How to Tell When Your Pie Is Done
Don’t judge doneness by crust color alone. The blueberry juices should be actively bubbling around the edges before it comes out of the oven. Those bubbles indicate the cornstarch has reached the temperature needed to properly thicken the filling.
For a more accurate test of doneness, check the pie with an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature should reach 200°F (93°C).
This might be the hardest part: you have to let it cool for several hours (overnight is even better). During this time, the filling thickens and fully sets. If you cut into it too soon, it will be runny—no matter how well you baked it.
On the plus side, that means blueberry crumble pie is an excellent make-ahead dessert! Perfect for hosting summertime celebrations like Father’s Day, 4th of July, graduation parties, Labor Day, and more.
Once you slice into that perfectly baked and cooled pie, you’ll realize it was worth the wait. Warm your slice back up, then add a scoop of ice cream and a dollop of homemade whipped cream for good measure. Pie perfection.
If you’re torn between baking a classic blueberry pie or blueberry crisp, this blueberry crumble pie gives you the best of both desserts in every bite.
Blueberry Crumble Pie Tools
Instant-Read Thermometer
Blueberry Crumble Pie
- Prep Time: 3 hours (includes pie crust)
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 7 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 8-10
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This blueberry crumble pie combines a flaky pie crust, juicy blueberry filling, and buttery brown sugar oat crumble topping. With plenty of fresh blueberries, bright lemon flavor, and a thick, jammy filling, it’s a beginner-friendly pie that’s perfect for cookouts and summer occasions! No need to pre-bake the crust.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 unbaked Flaky Pie Crust or All-Butter Pie Crust (what I used)*
- egg wash for pie crust: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
Crumble Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup (43g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
Filling
- 6 cups (about 840g) fresh blueberries*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare my butter pie crust recipe through step 5.
- Make the crumble topping: Whisk the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or forks until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the oats. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- After the pie dough chills, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Roll out the chilled pie dough onto a lightly floured surface. Remember, when rolling out the pie dough, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center and work your way out in all directions, rotating the dough with your hands as you go. Roll it out into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough in a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s smooth. For a beautiful edge, fold the overhanging dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a nice thick rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. For visuals and a video of this, see how to crimp and flute pie crust. Brush the edges with egg wash. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes as you prepare the pie filling. This helps keep the crust cold and prevents shrinking.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, flour, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix together until it’s no longer dry and powdery; burst a few blueberries if necessary to moisten. See photo above for a visual, if needed.
- Assemble the pie: Spoon the filling into the crust. Top evenly with the cold crumble topping.
- Bake the pie: Place the pie on the center oven rack. Place a baking sheet on a rack below it, to catch any juices that may bubble over. Bake the pie for 25 minutes. Then, keeping the pie in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Place a pie crust shield (see Notes for homemade shield) on the edges to prevent them from over-browning. Continue baking the pie until the filling is bubbling around the edges, 35–40 more minutes. 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 4–5 hours before slicing and serving. Filling will be too juicy if the pie is warm when you slice it. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
- Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: There are a couple ways to make ahead of time! Make 1 day in advance: After the baked pie cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. 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. Baked pie also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Note that the topping will taste a bit mushy after freezing/thawing. Prepared filling can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
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- Remaining Pie Dough: You can freeze the second half of the pie dough for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Blueberries: I strongly suggest using fresh blueberries, not frozen. The pie will be quite soupy if using frozen. If you decide to use frozen, do not thaw first. The pie will take several more minutes in the oven due to the increased liquid. Again, I highly encourage fresh.
Reader Comments and Reviews
The best blueberry pie I have ever had! The flavor was balanced, just enough sugar and lemon to complement the berries and not overpower them. The crumble topping was the perfect addition and I’m happy I decided to make the recipe as written, truly I can not find anything that I would want to change in this recipe!
I have to say this was best blueberry pie I ever made. Think I may never make a two crust blueberry pie again. Absolutely perfect dessert.
Made this yesterday. Came out perfect!! I didn’t change a thing. Lots of compliments.
This pie came out great for me! I prefer an all butter crust so I used a Claire Saffitz recipe for that, and it held up really well to the wet filling. The only change I made to the filling was swapping the lemon for lime. I think lime complements blueberry so well! I probably used about double the amount of citrus called for because I like a pronounced flavor. My tasters rated it a 10/10!
Excellent recipe! I used an All-Butter Crust and 4-inch fluted tins with removable bottom, as I prefer to make individual portions (I baked them at 375F until they were bubbly). After macerating in the fridge and baking, the blueberries acquired a lovely taste of European bilberries. I bake a lot, and this is one of the very few recipes I will not change one bit in the future. Everyone really enjoyed them at a picnic; the pies were so rich and yummy that they didn’t need ice cream.
This recipe does NOT need the lemon addition. This is the 2nd time I’ve been told this by different people who both love blueberry pie above all other desserts. I wish I had listened the first time, but here I am. Label this recipe “Blueberry and Lemon Pie”, not blueberry crumble pie. Besides that, it’s a decent pie flavor. I would give it IA 6 or 7 out of 10 as would the others who I’ve given this pie to m
Would it be possible to use the same filling recipe for a blueberry crumble, without the pie crust? Just baked in a casserole dish?
Hi Lauren! We recommend using our blueberry crisp recipe instead (you can use all blueberries – 6 cups – instead of blueberries and peaches).
Oh that looks great! Thank you!
This is the BEST blueberry pie recipe EVER!!! This is the first recipe I’ve ever commented on, and I’m 56 years old. I’ve tried and failed several other recipes. THIS ONE IS A KEEPER!!! THANK YOU!!!
Can the leftover juices be cooked to thicken up and added back to the blueberries as you do for your cherry pie? Or would this be to saucy for the pie?
Hi Pam, we don’t find that step necessary for this pie. Hope you enjoy!
If I am using frozen blueberries, can I add an extra T. of cornstarch to help thicken juices?
Question: can i use a store bought pie crust? Will it alter the recipe at all meaning cook time etc?
Hi Gabrielle, yes, you can substitute store-bought crust. Same recipe instructions.
I find myself coming to your website for every baking recipe I need ever since I found your quiche recipe. I’m tempted to make this over the weekend along with some apple pie I’m gonna make ahead for Thanksgiving. Thanks for being so thorough. I tend to get overwhelmed when baking but youe recipes make everything much easier and fun.
Another amazing recipe! I think I would back off the amount of lemon juice next time but might have just been that my blueberries weren’t as sweet. I also added 20 minutes to maximum bake time because it didn’t look bubbly and browned enough, and it wound up perfect!
I absolutely love the flavour of this recipe, but I can’t get it to stick together! I’ve made it twice now and both times it’s been a lot more liquid than the pictures suggest!
For info: I use the all butter crust, lots of time in the fridge all that good stuff, I find the bottom doesn’t really get crisped up at all? And I find the filling ends up having a creamy whiteness too it after cooking and cooling fully. Not sure what exactly I may have done wrong, my only thought is that I didn’t dry my blueberries sufficiently after washing them and the excess moisture from that is causing my problems.
This is genuinely delicious though, I just wish I could get the texture right!
Hi Kyle, we’re happy to help! If the filling wasn’t set and the crust under the filling wasn’t cooked through, it sounds like your pie could have used longer to bake. Fruit pies can take a long time to bake through, so don’t be afraid to bake it for longer! You want to see bubbles in the filling all around the pie.
Well, I made the Blueberry Crumble pie yesterday for a potluck dinner. Everyone who tried it loved it. There wasn’t any left to take home. It was the only dessert present that was completely eaten. so this recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you !
I used large, fresh blueberries from the local farms (yum). While the filling and topping were fabulous, as well as the crust around the edge, the dough under the filling was very soggy. The pie cooled much of the day and was still very very wet when we dug in (but ate it anyway!). Were the blueberries too large? Should I keep with the smaller berries from the grocery store? Everything else about the pie was fabulous and I followed the recipe as written.
Hi Anita! If the filling wasn’t set and the crust under the filling wasn’t cooked through, it sounds like your pie could have used longer to bake. Fruit pies can take a long time to bake through, so don’t be afraid to bake it for longer! You want to see bubbles in the filling all around the pie.
Excellent Pie!! Can I make this with peaches and blueberries? Or will the peaches make the bottom crust soggy?
Hi Patty! Here is our blueberry peach pie–you can use that filling with the crumble topping here. Enjoy!
The best blueberry pie I ever made event made. Modified for gluten & dairy free & still delicious! Used a g.f. Frozen crust, cup for cup g. f .flour in berries & crumble & Earth Balance butter in crumble.
Hi Sally, any thoughts on a blackberry pie!
Hi Emmy, a blackberry pie here would be delicious! For your first attempt, we would keep the rest of the recipe the same besides using blackberries instead of blueberries. Blackberries might be a bit juicer than blueberries so just discard the juice at the bottom of the bowl when filling your crust so you don’t end up with a soggy pie. Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!
Hi! I currently do not have fresh blueberries on hand. I’m wondering what I could do to make the filling not as runny? Could I increase the amount of cornstarch/flour? If so, how much more should I put? Or could I maybe just use 5 cups of blueberries? Would love to know your thoughts! Thanks so much!
Hi Annie, If you decide to use frozen, do not thaw first. You could try adding just a bit more cornstarch, but you don’t want the filling to become too gummy, and we wouldn’t recommend reducing the amount of blueberries. The pie will take several more minutes in the oven due to the increased liquid. If you can wait until you have fresh blueberries on hand, that would be best!
Always get compliments with this pie! My My favorite blueberry pie recipe, I keep coming back to it!
Made this today with a single crust from your crust recipe I had in my freezer. I used frozen berries, which I tossed in a colander to get as many icy bits off to reduce the wetness of the frozen berries.
Baked exactly as you instructed above, then an extra 10mins at 350 to firm up the centre as it was more moist from the frozen berries.
Turned. Out. Amazing. I wish I could attach a pic to this review!
Thank you for another incredible recipe. This one received rave reviews from everyone! So much fun to bake your recipes. I always know they will turn out perfectly as long as I follow each step.
My daughter was just diagnosed with Celiacs… do you think this would work with a gluten free pie crust and gluten free flour??
Hi Diane, we don’t have much experience with gluten-free substitutions, so unfortunately we can’t give you any recommendations, though some of our readers have reported having success with using 1:1 GF flour.
I used a premade frozen GF crust from Trader Joe’s and Bob’s 1:1 GF flour and it turned out great. Excellent recipe!
This looks so good! I’m planning to try it, but I have a question – could you use a crumble topping without oats, like the one for your Cranberry Pear Crumble Pie, or is the oat version best suited for this recipe?
Hi Kathy, you can absolutely use that crumble topping on this pie if you prefer.
I just made this (hasn’t even cooked yet) and I would highly recommend adding that frozen blueberries do work great! We’re on Maui and the only decent and also affordable blueberries are frozen organic Costco blueberries. Fresh are like $9 per 1/2 pint!!! I followed the instructions exactly and kept the blueberries cooled right up until I put them in the oven under the crumble. My pie dough was straight from the fridge as well. Not soupy at all once cooked at the time and temp in the recipe (didn’t need to add time for the frozen blueberries). I sneaked a bite while it was hot and it was delicious and had great texture!
I just made this with frozen blue berries. I will let you know how it went.
This is my new favorite blueberry pie! Easy and delicious!
Love this recipe! I just went blackberry picking, do you think I can use this recipe and just replace the blueberries with blackberries?
Hi Amanda, a blackberry pie would be delicious! Blackberries might be a bit juicer than blueberries so just discard the juice at the bottom of the bowl when filling your crust so you don’t end up with a soggy pie. Enjoy!
I don’t have any lemon zest and I’m in the middle of making this. Is that ok, or should I do something different?
Hi Pat, you’ll lose some flavor without the zest, but it will be okay in a pinch.