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. 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!
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.
Perfect- bakes for well over an hour but great consistency and flavor.
Have made this a few times and it never disappoints. I love a perfect lattice but blueberry overflow just can’t be avoided here!!
Great pie. Mine was a bit of a modification, used bilberries instead of blueberries, and only had 2/3 of the amount (reduced other ingredients accordingly). Didn’t have lemon, added some cardamom for a similar vibe, and I feel like it matched the wild bilberry taste even better. Didn’t dot the filling with butter, couldn’t be bothered. And due to smaller amount baked at 180 C for an hour. It’s not even fully cooled down yet, but it’s not runny, consistency is great.
I have made this blueberry pie recipe 3 times and each time has been a home run! We have blueberry bushes and an abundance of fruit but finally have perfection. Your inclusion of every detail with pictures and the updates have made such a difference. Thank you
Glad you enjoy this pie!
I just put 2 of these pies in the oven. I believe they will be delicious. Let you know tomorrow after we have tried them. Thanks for the recipe.
Am not a pie baker. My pies are usually runny. Can’t wait to try! Instructions look spot on! Question: all my research says re freezing fresh fruit pies to “free pie BEFORE baking. Yours says “bake then freeze”. I mean no disrespect but have you tried this new version and frozen it, thawed it ? Even the lauded Joy of Cooking advised freeze before baking, thaw, then bake. Please advise.
Hi Dru, we have found that when we freeze an unbaked pie, the crust can become soggy. We prefer to bake and then freeze.
I had a frozen bag of blueberries I needed to use up. This was so good.
This was perfect! This will be my new go to recipe! I used freshly picked blueberries, also froze blueberries and would like to use them in my next pie, any suggestions for using frozen blueberries?
Hi Sandy, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! If you decide to use frozen, do not thaw first. The pie will take several more minutes in the oven if using frozen berries.
This was perfect! Not runny at all.
This is the best pie I’ve ever made and it turned out perfectly!! I followed the detailed instructions exactly, and it was such a hit. Ate it with vanilla ice cream for a 10/10 dessert!
Thank-you soo much for all the time and research that you put into this recipe!!! I grow my own blueberries and have been trying to make a non runny blueberry pie. I have not had any luck UNTIL I followed your directions!!!! The 200* finishing temperature seems to have solved my problem!!!!!
Sally, I just took a beautiful pie out of the oven! I won’t be cutting into it for another six hours but it can only be delicious! Thank you for the internal temp… I initially took it out of the oven after an hour, all bubbly, but center registered 177°. So back in for another 10 minutes and it hit 200°. I made your butter/shortening crust and did a lattice (great tutorial on that).
Thanks for what you do!
Blueberry pie is one of my favorites and this recipe is my new favorite. It is sweet but not overly sweet and is not soupy at all! Thank you for such a great recipe
I made this last night and served it today for lunch. It was excellent. My only change was adding a couple of pinches of tapioca to the blueberries. It held together perfectly.
Followed recipe exactly how it was written. I am not new to baking but thought I’d give it a try. My result was far from a delicious pie! There was too much lemon/lemon zest and not enough sugar to counter the tart taste of the lemon additions. I would recommend adding more sugar and less lemon.
Can you use this recipe for other berries too? Such as raspberries or blackberries instead of blueberries?
Hi Maggie, you could replace some (no more than half) of the blueberries with raspberries. Since they are quite wet/juicy, you may need to add a few minutes to the bake time. Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks! And is it the same with blackberries too?
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!
Hello! Do you know think this would be possible as mini blueberry pies such as in small pie pans? Thank you
P.S. I love your recipes!
Hi Hillary, 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. Let us know how they go!
Sally, as usual you don’t disappoint! This is a lovely blueberry pie recipe. I used this filling recipe with a struesel topping from your other blueberry pie recipe. You offer wonderful advice about cooking the filling long enough to make that yummy jammy center. I cooked mine about 15 min longer than you suggested since I was using a nine inch deep dish pie pan. I also ended up making 1 1/2 times the recipe to fill it. Your my version of Betty Crocker as your advice and cooking hints are always spot on. My family loved it and I’ll be adding it to my collection of favorite “Sally” recipes! Thank you again.
I like using minute tapioca instead of cornstarch in fruit pies. Did you test that?
Hi Sandra, we haven’t tested this recipe with tapioca, so are unsure of the results. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
If I make the night before can I sit out or should I refrigerate?
Hi Nancy, the baked pie can sit at room temperature over night, or feel free to refrigerate if you prefer.
This recipe is on point! Highly recommend
This is a great recipe. I made mine with 1 less tablespoon of cornstarch, used a regular top crust (too lazy to weave) and left it overnight to thicken, as I always do with pies. Patience is king! Other than that, I have no idea why anyone would think there was too much lemon juice. People need to taste the filling before pouring it into the crust. My blueberries didn’t have much flavour so I added extra sugar and 3 tbsp. of lemon juice. Perfect.
I am inspired to bake more
Great tip about incorporating the dry ingredients by smashing a few blueberries. Came out perfect. Going to cut back on the lemon – it overpowered the blueberry taste.
Regarding the blueberry pie recipe- when you say this is a great pie to make a day ahead- do you mean go ahead and bake it or keep it in fridge for a day before baking?
Hi Diana! Bake the pie a day ahead of time and allow it to set completely overnight.
Hi Sally , is it possible to use frozen blueberry?
Hi Landan, 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.
Well it was the worst blueberry pie I have made. It clotted as described and was too not juicy and with copious amounts of lemon , the sugar was woefully inadequate. I ended up throwing out the last two pieces and other family members were not raving about it either. I followed the recipe except I forgot to dot the berries with 1 Tbsp of butter but I doubt that Mae or broke the dish. It was too dry and too tart. It may be someone’s favorite but not mine.
I have made this recipe 3 times and it’s always been perfect and delicious. I’m wondering if it will work with a mix of blueberries and raspberries and maybe strawberries.
This would work well as a mixed berry pie. We’d start by swapping about half the blueberries with raspberries (and strawberries, if you would like!).
What about Minit Tapioca to thicken instead of flour? Mum always used it for fruit pies.
Hi Joan, we haven’t tested this recipe with tapioca, so are unsure of the results. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
I’ve made a lot of pies, this one is probably the most successful of all! The crust was perfect (used the butter-shortennint version), and the filling is great, with perfect consistency. I did have to bake it more than the suggested time though, until the center was bubbly. Probably 20 minutes more.
I have made this 3 times and it’s excellent! My only suggestion: mix the berries with all the dry ingredients first, then add the lemon juice. Makes it easier to coat the berries.
Just made 2 Blueberry pies. They smell and look fantastic. Taking them to a small dinner group that meets monthly. I have major expectations of the flavors!
I loved the recipe! Format of website was easy to follow and didn’t have the jillion pop ups, so I cud go back over and over to read. That’s why I tried this one, but after making the pie I loved it. Best pie I have made! Thanks Sally! Bravo
Can I use frozen blueberries in the blueberry pie? Please answer soon as I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Barbara, 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 just tried this recipe with frozen berries and a Tinfoil dish, and it came out perfect! Didn’t have any lemon juice on hand so I tried a splash of sprite. It works if anyone needs to knowThank you for the great recipe