Blueberry Pie
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Celebrate summer with a homemade blueberry pie, complete with a buttery lattice crust and tart-sweet filling that’s pure perfection.
Is there any dessert that screams summer quite like homemade blueberry pie? This version, adapted from pastry chef Stella Parks, has it all: a buttery, flaky crust with a pretty lattice top and a filling that’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
I know blueberry pies can be a bit tricky, with common pitfalls like a soupy filling or an underbaked crust, but don’t worry—this recipe is designed to avoid those issues. The filling is packed with fresh (or frozen) blueberries, brightened with a hint of lemon, and thickened with tapioca flour to ensure it sets up perfectly.
A few tips for success: Bake the pie until the center is bubbling, and let it cool completely before slicing—this helps the crust stay crisp and the slices hold together. To get a head start, you can make the crust in advance or freeze the whole pie to bake later. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or simply a cup of coffee.
“I made this pie using fresh picked blueberries and it is the best blueberry pie I’ve ever tasted!”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Blueberry Pie
- All-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and ice-cold water – These come together to make a tender, flaky crust. The flour provides structure; sugar adds a touch of sweetness; baking powder keeps the texture light; butter adds richness and flakiness; and the ice-cold water brings the dough together while keeping the butter cold—key for that perfectly flaky result. Be sure to spoon and level the flour for accuracy.
- Blueberries – Juicy, sweet-tart, and bursting with flavor—they’re the heart of the pie. Feel free to use frozen berries if you’d like.
- Lemon zest and juice – Add brightness and enhance the blueberry flavor.
- Tapioca flour – Thickens the filling so it sets nicely and slices cleanly.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the crust. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly with plenty of pea-size bits of butter throughout. Add the cold water and pulse again until the mixture is evenly moistened and still a bit crumbly.
Pro Tip: No food processor? Just whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl, cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives, then add the ice water and mix with a fork (and your hands if needed) until the dough comes together.
Step 2: Chill the dough. Dump the dough crumbles onto a clean work surface and divide into two even piles. Make two balls of dough and pat each one into a 5-inch disc. Wrap the discs in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to 3 days.
Step 3: Make the blueberry filling. In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and tapioca flour. Toss until combined; don’t worry if the mixture is powdery.
Step 4: Prepare the Bottom Crust. Take one dough disc from the fridge. Lightly flour the top, then knead just until it’s pliable (don’t overdo it). Roll into a 13-inch circle, flouring as needed to prevent sticking. Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Gently press it into the pan without stretching, and trim the edges so there’s about ½ inch overhang.
Step 4: Fill the pie. Transfer the filling into the crust and press into an even layer (do not mound). Dot the berries with the butter cubes. Refrigerate while you prepare the top crust.
Step 5: Prepare the lattice top crust. Remove the top disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a 10×15-inch rectangle. Using a pizza or pastry cutter, trim the edges and then cut the dough into 14 one-inch-wide strips.
Step 6: Assemble the pie. Lay half the dough strips horizontally across the filling, spaced about ½ inch apart. Fold back every other strip halfway, then lay one vertical strip over the center. Unfold the folded strips over the new strip, then fold back the alternating ones and lay down the next vertical strip. Keep going until the lattice covers the pie. Trim any excess, leaving a slight overhang, then fold the bottom crust over the lattice edges and crimp to seal.
Step 7: Bake. Place the pie on a lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for another 60 to 70 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling in the center and at the edges (if using a thermometer, the center should read at least 213°F). Keep an eye on it during the second half—if it’s browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil (I usually do this around the 40-minute mark).
Step 8: Cool the pie. Transfer the hot pie off the foil and onto a heat-proof surface. If any blueberry juice has bubbled over, wipe it away with a damp paper towel before it hardens—it gets super sticky. Let the pie cool completely before slicing, at least 8 hours or overnight. The center should be 78°F or cooler if you’re checking with a thermometer. As tempting as it is, don’t slice too soon or you’ll end up with blueberry soup!
Once cooled, the pie can sit at room temperature for up to 2 days—just cover it loosely with foil to keep it from drying out. For longer storage, cover it with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the pie before baking. Chill it in the fridge until firm, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, thaw it overnight in the fridge before popping it in the oven.
Video Tutorial
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Blueberry Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2½ sticks (20 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup ice cold water
For the Filling
- 5 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, no need to thaw)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch), such as Bob’s Red Mill
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
- If using a food processor: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly with lots of pea-size clumps of butter within. Add the water and pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and very crumbly. Dump the dough crumbles onto a clean work surface and divide into two even piles. Make two balls of dough and pat each one into a 5-inch disc. Wrap the discs in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to 3 days. If making by hand: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, mixing with a fork, and then your hands, until the dough comes together into a ball. Divide into two balls of dough and pat each one into a 5-inch disc. Wrap the discs in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to 3 days.
Prepare the Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and tapioca flour. Toss until combined; don’t worry if the mixture is powdery.
Assemble & Bake the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220℃) and set an oven rack in the lower third position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (the foil will catch the juices that bubble over from the pie, making for easy clean up).
- Prepare the bottom crust: Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and place the dough on it; sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough as well. Gently knead the dough with your hands just until it becomes soft and malleable (avoid overworking it—you want it just supple enough to roll out). Roll the dough out into a 13-inch (33-cm) circle, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Carefully lift the dough by draping it over your rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch (23-cm) deep-dish pie pan (it should be 2 inches/5 cm deep). Gently press the dough into the pan, making sure to ease it into place without stretching. Trim the edges of the dough to extend about ½ inch (1.25 cm) beyond the pie pan's lip.
- Fill the pie: Transfer the filling into the crust and press into an even layer (do not mound). Dot the berries with the butter cubes. Refrigerate while you prepare the top crust.
- Prepare the lattice crust: Remove the top disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a 10x15-inch (25x38-cm) rectangle, following the same process described earlier. Using a pizza or pastry cutter, trim the edges and then cut the dough into 14 one-inch (2.5 cm)-wide strips. Retrieve the filled pie from the refrigerator. Lay half of the strips horizontally over the pie filling, leaving about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of space between each strip. Fold back every other strip halfway over itself. Place one strip of dough vertically over the unfolded strips. Unfold the folded strips over the new strip, then fold back the alternating strips that were previously left unfolded. Lay another strip of dough parallel to the first vertical strip, about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) away from it. Repeat the process, folding back the strips as necessary, until the lattice crust covers the entire pie. Trim any excess dough from the edges of the lattice strips, leaving a slight overhang. Fold the edges of the bottom crust over the lattice strips, then crimp or flute the edges to seal the pie.
- Place the pie on the lined baking sheet and bake at 425°F (220℃) for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190℃) and continue baking for an additional 60 to 70 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling both on the edges and in the center. If you have a digital thermometer, it should be at least 213°F (100℃) in the center. Keep an eye on the pie during the second half of baking and tent lightly with foil if it’s getting too brown on top (I usually tent it at the 40-minute mark in the second phase).
- Immediately move the hot pie off the foil and place on a heat-proof surface. If necessary, take a wad of wet paper towels and wipe any blueberry juice from the edges (it gets extremely sticky as it dries). Let the pie cool completely before slicing, at least 8 hours or overnight. If you have a digital thermometer, it should be 78°F (26℃) or lower in the center before slicing. Resist the temptation to cut into the pie while it’s even slightly warm, or you will end up with blueberry soup!
- Once cooled, you can keep the pie at room temperature for up to 2 days, covering it loosely with foil to prevent it from drying out. If you need to store the pie for longer than 2 days, place it in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and store for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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Can I use Minute Tapioca powder or is that a different product?
Hi Sara, I’m not familiar with Min tapioca powder. While it may be OK to use, I can’t say for sure without testing it myself. Because the pie is a bit of a project, I’m not sure I’d risk it.
I made this pie using fresh picked blueberries and it is the best blueberry pie I’ve ever tasted! Another tried and true Jenn recipe, she is the BEST!
I would like to use frozen blueberries. Is extra tapioca called for? Other suggestions to avoid soupiness? Thank you. I love your recipes!
Hi Michele, you don’t need extra tapioca if using frozen blueberries. Just keep in mind that the pie will take an extra 10 to 15 minutes in the oven. The really important tip to avoid soupiness is to make sure the filling is bubbling in the center. To remove any guesswork, if you have an instant read thermometer, the center of the pie should reach 213°F (100℃). And so glad you liked the recipes!
First pie I’ve ever successfully made. Jenn Segal is the best!
After chilling the dough in the fridge, it comes out hard as a rock. There’s no way I can make it soft and malleable. What can I do about this?
Hi Elizabeth, You can let it sit out at room temp for a bit, then knead until malleable. Hope that helps!
Would quick tapioca ground into a powder in a grinder be the same as tapioca starch/powder?
Hi Corinne, I wish I could say but I really don’t know and don’t want to mislead you. Sorry!
can I use corn starch instead of tapioca starch?
I recommend sticking with tapioca flour. It creates a clear, glossy finish with a smooth texture that holds up well, even if you freeze the pie. Cornstarch, while effective, can make the filling look cloudy and may become grainy or watery.
Would this work with raspberries?
Hi Nicole, raspberries aren’t very juicy, so I don’t think they will translate well here – I’m sorry!
Thank you!