Blueberry Pie with Frozen Blueberries
When it comes to classic fruit pies, blueberry pie stands out as a beloved favorite. I love using fresh blueberries when in season, but if I get a request for blueberry pie for Thanksgiving, I am always happy to make one using frozen blueberries. With a little extra thickener, the pie filling comes together perfectly and you can enjoy this seasonal berry pie all year long.
Ingredients for Blueberry Pie with Frozen Blueberries
- Frozen blueberries (or fresh, if in season. I like the wild blueberries from TJs)
- Sugar
- Corn starch or tapioca starch
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 rounds of pie dough (bottom and top crust)
- Egg (for egg wash)
Supplies needed for Blueberry Pie:
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Pastry cutter or pizza cutter
- Pastry brush
- Pie pan
- Wire rack
The Process:
- Preheat and Prep: Begin by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). This high oven temperature is key to achieving that beautifully flaky crust and golden-brown finish.
- Blueberry Filling: In a large bowl, combine the frozen blueberries (no need to thaw), granulated sugar, corn or tapioca starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Mix until the blueberries are evenly coated. Cook the filling on the stovetop until thickened.
- Pie Crusts: Roll out one of your pie crusts and place it in your pie pan. Pour the blueberry mixture into the bottom crust.
- Top Crust: Roll out the second pie crust and place it over the filling. You can opt for a traditional top crust or get fancy with a lattice top for that classic look. Trim any excess dough from the edges and crimp as desired.
- Egg Wash: For that shiny, golden finish, brush the top crust with a beaten egg. This step adds a lovely sheen to your pie.
- Ventilation: To allow steam to escape during baking and prevent a runny pie, make a few small slits or cutouts in the top crust if you aren’t doing a lattice top.
- Pie Shield: To protect the edges of the crust from over-browning, cover them with aluminum foil or use a pie shield. This will ensure that your pie has a beautifully even crust. I usually check the pie after 30 minutes of baking and add a foil “ring” if needed.
- Into the Oven: Place your pie on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the crust is a perfect golden brown and the filling bubbles enticingly.
- Cooling: When your pie emerges from the oven, let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. This time allows the filling to set so it slices well and isn’t runny.
Now it’s time to enjoy a slice of this delicious blueberry pie, preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a warm cup of coffee. Using frozen berries for pie is a great way to celebrate the flavors of summer, no matter the time of year.
In conclusion, this easy blueberry pie recipe is a fantastic choice, whether you’re using fresh or frozen berries. The combination of lemon juice and zest elevates the juicy blueberry filling, making it a true crowd-pleaser. So, grab your pie pan, roll out that homemade pie crust, and enjoy a slice of heaven with this perfect blueberry pie recipe.
FAQ:
Should I thaw my berries first?
Nope you don’t need to. The liquids will melt on the stovetop and create a thick filling when they combine with the corn starch.
What is the best pie thickener?
I really love tapioca starch because it always results in a perfect slice of pie. You can definitely use corn starch too!
Other favorite Berry pies:
Blueberry Pie with Frozen Blueberries
This blueberry pie is a perfect blend of sweet and tart, featuring a flaky crust enveloping a juicy filling made from frozen blueberries and a hint of lemon zest and juice. With its golden-brown finish, it's the ultimate summer dessert.
Ingredients
- 5 cups frozen wild blueberries (or fresh, if in season)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons corn starch or tapioca starch*
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 prepared pie crusts (bottom and top crust)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F
- Prepare the blueberry filling: In a large bowl, combine frozen blueberries, granulated sugar, corn or tapioca starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Cook filling: In a saucepan cook the filling for 15 minutes or so, until the juices release and the filling has thickened. It will continue to thicken in the oven, but you want to help it along to control the juiciness. Allow filling to cool.
- Prepare the pie crusts: Roll out one pie crust to about 12 inches in diameter and place it in a pie pan without trimming the over-hang. Pour the cooled blueberry mixture into the crust.
- Add the top crust: Roll out the second pie crust. Either cut into strips to make a lattice top or simply place it over the filling. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges to seal.
- Brush with egg wash: Beat the egg and brush it over the top crust for a golden finish.
- Ventilation: If you didn't make a lattice top- make a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake: Put the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Add a pie shield or round of aluminum foil if the edges start getting too golden.
- Cool: Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
* If using fresh blueberries definitely use the lesser amount of cornstarch. Frozen blueberries let off a lot of liquid which is why I like using 5T of cornstarch.. If you don't mind a juciier, more saucy pie, you can start with 4T of cornstarch.
Looks really good I’ll try this recipe out but I do want to make my pie crust
How much cinnamon, recipe doesn’t say?
Sorry! That was a mistake. I don’t use cinnamon with this pie, but you could add 1/4 teaspoon to the berry mixture if you’d like
I think this time and temperature incinerates the crust
You really can’t over-bake a pie crust. If the top gets too dark, you can fix by draping some foil over it while it finishes baking!
This seemed like a good idea, I don’t make a lot of pies and was given 10# of blueberries. It was way too much corn starch, I added more berries to try to remedy this and was only moderately successful.
Hi- Did you pre-cook the filling and it was too thick? Because of all the liquid the berries let off, the cornstarch is necessary to make the filling thick. I like to pre cook the filling so move it along part way
I’ll use this recipe again but the amount of lemon was too much – maybe my lemon was oversized? I’ll probably use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice next time.
Thanks for letting me know :)
can I use fresh blueberries.
Absolutely. You likely won’t need to cook the filling as much though.
Can I make the pie and freeze then bake at a later time
I have never tried that, but I don’t see why not! I’m not positive of the baking time, but in general you want the crust golden brown and the filling to be bubbly.
I have tried that with success.
-After baking, let the pie come to room temp.
-place an inverted pie tin onto pie. (I used staples to hold it onto pie tin with pie.
– put it in freezer.
-when taking it out, bake it at 200° for 1/2–1 hour.
Then you’ll have a hot pie w/o a soggy crust!
I followed the recipe exactly. The crust did not incinerate and the cornstarch quantity and lemon juice and zest just right. Thank you for this recipe!!!
I followed this recipe exactly and I feel it calls for too much cornstarch. If I did it again I I would put in 2T of cornstarch. Not sure I can even serve it.
What I have realized is that all blueberries aren’t created equal. Some just hold onto more liquid than others, which is why the cornstarch amount is high. And when using frozen berries they can let off a LOT of liquid. Since cornstarch is flavorless I would think it would still be delicious with a thick filling.
Use this all the time but with half the sugar as Maine blueberries are very sweet. Thx!
Made exactly as directed but temp too high… at 35 minutes already very browned. I covered whole pue with foil to finish baking; afraid the bottom crust wouldn’t be done. Tasted good though!
Did the foil help? Every oven is different and if your heat radiates a lot from the top you may want to bake pies covered in general. How was the bottom crust?
Bottom crust great! I’m at 7000 ft above sea level so I think I should have lowered the temp to compensate. Still tasted yummy, I’ll make another soon.
Ok that’s a good note re: elevation. Glad it was still tasty. :)
I made this pie last night and it is delicious!
I made this with frozen berries and tapioca, and used your butter crust recipe. And I reduced the sugar. It was great! Thank you!
Could I use a Crumb topping I stead of a crust topping?
Absolutely!
Can I use arrowroot powder instead of tapioca starch or corn starch?
I haven’t used that as a thickener before, if it normally thickens similarly you should try it and report back!
Made this again. Used the max suggested corn starch because I like my slices to stand up. It’s just such a simple great recipe. Not everyone loves the lemon zest, but that’s a simple fix (leave it out or use less). Thanks! I’ll make more blueberry pies now. It’s what is called for in these trying times.
I made a blueberry pie without precooking the partially frozen berries and tapioca. Is it possible to bake covered in foil again to melt the sugar, berries, and tapioca?
You can try, but it may just be a bit juicy
My son and I made this using blueberries we froze last summer and it was delicious! We added a couple of sprigs of fresh basil to the pot while cooking the blueberries down and then removed them while it cooled. The blueberry-lemon-basil flavor was an unexpected but tasty treat. Thank you for sharing this easy recipe.