How to Bake Blueberry Pie

A double-crust pie with a juicy, sliceable blueberry filling thickened with cornstarch and brightened with lemon.

Makes

One 9-inch pie, 8 slices

Active time

About 40 minutes

Bake

About 1 hour 10 minutes

Cool

At least 4 hours

Blueberry pie is a double-crust pie filled with whole berries, sugar, lemon and a starch thickener. Blueberries are lower in natural pectin than some fruit, so the filling relies on cornstarch and a long, thorough bake to set into slices instead of running across the plate.

This recipe works with fresh or frozen berries. The two keys are baking until the juices bubble thickly through the vents, and letting the pie cool completely before you cut it.

Ingredients

For the double crust

• 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup (227 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

For the filling

• 6 cups (900 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw frozen berries)
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small bits

For finishing

• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the dough. Stir the flour, salt and sugar together. Work in the butter with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until it is in pea-sized and flat, walnut-sized pieces. Sprinkle in the ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing until the dough just holds together when squeezed.
2. Chill the dough. Divide the dough into two disks, one slightly larger. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
3. Heat the oven. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and set a rimmed baking sheet on it. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). The hot sheet helps brown the bottom crust and catches drips.
4. Line the pie plate. On a floured surface, roll the larger disk into a 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Ease it into a 9-inch pie plate, letting the edges hang over. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
5. Mix the filling. Gently toss the blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, zest and cinnamon, if using. If the berries are frozen, mix them straight from the freezer so they do not release extra juice.
6. Fill and dot. Pour the berries into the crust, mounding them in the center. Scatter the butter bits over the top.
7. Add the top crust. Roll out the second disk to a 12-inch circle. Lay it over the filling, trim the edges to 1 inch past the rim, then fold the edge under the bottom crust and crimp. Cut 5 or 6 vents in the top, or use a lattice.
8. Brush and chill. Brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Freeze the assembled pie for 15 minutes so the butter firms up before it goes into the oven.
9. Bake hot, then lower. Set the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake 45 to 55 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and thick juices bubble slowly through the vents. Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
10. Cool completely. Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 4 hours. The filling continues to thicken as it cools, and cutting early will make it runny.

Common problems

• Runny filling: the pie was cut too soon or not baked long enough. Wait for thick bubbling in the vents and cool for 4 hours or more.
• Soggy bottom crust: the oven was not hot enough at the start or the pie sat on a cold rack. Use the preheated baking sheet on a lower rack.
• Gap under the top crust: the berries shrink as they cook. Mound them high when filling the pie.
• Filling bubbled over: the pie was overfilled or the vents were too small. The baking sheet underneath catches the drips.

Store blueberry pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5. For more on why a cold, lightly mixed dough bakes up flaky, see Why Cold Butter Makes a Flaky Pie Crust.