Today we’re preparing a fresh blueberry pie from scratch. The filling for today’s piece is decadently thick, remaining firm through cutting and plating, while being deliciously moist on the palate. While the fresh blueberries are the main attraction, a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, and fresh lemon juice add blissfully pleasant complexity to the filling, heightening and framing the flavor of the blueberries.
As a nice bonus, we’ll be preparing today’s pie with a homemade pastry crust.
The ‘Why’ Behind the Pie
1) Worth the Effort. I won’t try to convince you that today’s pie is ‘super simple’ or ‘effortless’ to make. It isn’t, but it is definitely is worth the effort. There are simply very few things more satisfying in one’s culinary journey than a pie that comes out ‘simply perfect.’ This brings us nicely to our next point, which is the…
2) Homemade vs Store Bought Debate. This article from Greatist covers the debate between homemade and store-bought pie crusts rather nicely, and in far more detail than I have space to do here. The long and short of the article is roughly that a ‘good’ homemade pie crust is much more flavorful and flakier, as well as cheaper, than the store-bought equivalent – but the store-bought crust saves on time and effort. I personally believe that same logic applies to the ‘entirety’ of the homemade pie.
Ingredient Notes, Tips, and Substitutions
1) Cinnamon – The Most Illusive of Spices (until recently). Today, cinnamon is just about everywhere, from rolls and candies, to pastries, soups, stews, and even meat rubs. However, would you believe me if I told you that ‘most’ of the world either had never tasted cinnamon up until a few centuries ago, or simply didn’t know of its existence at all? What if I said the stuff was once gifted to royals as a wedding gift? It’s true. Unlike most other spices, whose origins and production were (mostly) well understood by those who traded them, cinnamon was a closely guarded secret by those at the ‘production end’ of the trade route. This secrecy was strategic, and lucrative, allowing the producers, and their favorite merchants, to monopolize the cinnamon trade. For millennia (yes, millennia, people have been engaged in long-distance cinnamon trade for ‘at least’ 3000 years, this ‘monopoly-via-secret’ worked. This secrecy not only allowed a select few producers to maintain their monopoly, but this ‘elusiveness’ or ‘mystery’ also had the added effect of turning cinnamon into something of a ‘mystique,’ thereby artificially bloating prices on an already scarce (and impossibly pricy) spice. Then the Portuguese set sail in search of cinnamon’s origin story (spurred on not by curiosity but rather by increasing demand across the Mediterranean and Europe). They found what they were looking for, but their victory was short lived, as the Dutch promptly waged war with them (and the locals) over the stuff (yes, literally blood for cinnamon). The Dutch won, spread cinnamon production throughout Southeast Asia, and then fought and lost a war over the increased cinnamon supply with the English. By the 1800s, the stuff was everywhere, and readily available at reasonable prices, as opposed to being a prize worthy of a royal wedding gift.
2) Nutmeg. The spice that ‘tastes like Christmas,’ nutmeg is beloved for its ‘warming’ and ever-so-slightly ‘sweet’ taste. However, in larger quantities nutmeg rapidly becomes sour or even astringent tasting, and since it’s quite strong this is one spice where ‘a little goes a long way.’ Useful in everything from baked goods to roasted potatoes, nutmeg also features prominently in various beef and pork spice mixes (in both dry rubs and marinades), as well as in stewed, grilled, and roasted vegetables, as well as in a variety of beverages both warm and cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike, it’s safe to say that nutmeg is a blissfully versatile spice that’s worth learning to how to use.
3) The Blueberries. I ran a little long here, and so decided to make this point its own section.
Blueberries – How To Select and Store Blueberries
1) The Feel. Blueberries that are firm to the touch are not yet ripe. However, blueberries should ‘not’ feel like they are about to burst or crumble to nothing in your hands either – those berries are overripe. The skin should be smooth, free of smudges and fuzz. Those blueberries are well past their due date.
2) The Color. Blueberries that have a reddish tinge to them are underripe. Deep blue or blue-black berries are the way to go.
3) The Grey ‘Dust.’ On the topic color, contrary to popular belief, fresh, well kept blueberries will have a slight dusting of ‘grey’ in their blue color. This is perfectly fine.
4) Storing your Blueberries. Keep them in a cool, sun-free area. Exposure to heat or direct sunlight will rapidly spoil your berries. Also, it is best to keep them in a perforated plastic container or basket. Bags will result in crushed and overripe berries.
More Great Pies from Living the Gourmet
1) Apple Pie. Talking about pies, how could I possibly leave this recipe out? This is my take on the ‘classic’ apple pie formula everyone knows and loves.
2) Rum Raisin & Chocolate Apple Pie. The above apple pie recipe, but with the addition of rum soaked raisins and copious amounts of chocolate. Basically, a much more decadent ‘classic’ apple pie.
3) Summer Peach Crumble. Take a pie, and remove the crust. Now dust a thick layer of brown sugar ‘crumble’ over the fruit, and you’ve got a ‘fruit crisp.’ Seriously though, this one of my favorite and easiest ways to use up fruit.
Fresh Blueberry Pie
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
Ingredients
- Pastry for a 2-crust pie
- 9-inch pie plate
- 4 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries
- 1 1/4 cups of sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 tbs. butter
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- Dashes of fresh nutmeg - grated
- Dash of ground cloves
- 1 egg beaten with a splash of water - used for an egg-wash for brushing the crust
Instructions
- Preheat Oven 350 degrees F.
- Gently wash the berries. Thoroughly drain the berries and pat the berries dry with a paper towel.
- Divide pastry dough for the crust in half.
- Using half the dough, Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out half of the pastry into a circle to fit a 9 inch pie plate.
- Make the circle about 2 inches bigger than the pie plate. Refrigerate the other half of dough until ready to use.
- Place the dough in the pie plate and using a fork poke a few fork holes at the bottom of the pie plate.
- Bake for about 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Place the berries in a large bowl.
- Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, butter and lemon juice to the bowl and toss.
- Place the berry mixture into the pre-baked pie plate.
- Roll out the remaining pastry into 1-inch-wide strips. Place the strips on top of the pie in a lattice pattern.
- Brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash then sprinkle the crust with sugar.
- Bake until the filling is bubbly and the pie crust is a beautiful golden color, about 60 – 70 minutes or longer until the pie filling is thickened and bubbly.
- Allow the pie to cool for one and a half to two hours before serving so that the berries set.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
DAVID J MYERS says
Catherine, One of my favorite pies for sure! Love blueberries and I buy a pint or so every other week for use with cereal or just to eat. Better yet, they should be in a great looking pie like yours...with a bit of vanilla bean ice cream on the side. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Heather Castillo says
Would you believe that I've never had blueberry pie before? It looks so delicious. I can't wait to try it!
Paula Richie says
I'm curious: Is there a difference between a pie and a cobbler? I love blueberries!
Living the Gourmet says
Hi Paula, traditionally a cobbler is made with a biscuit-style topping baked over the fruit filling while pies are made with a bottom (and sometimes top) pastry crust! Thank you for stopping by and visiting!
Ash B says
great recipe! it's such a classic yet something that takes nuance to bake. I also really appreciate how you informed us on how to store and take care of our blueberries because it's not something that's really common knowledge.
Laura says
Our blueberries never last very long so I always have the best intention to bake with them but then they get eaten! This looks yummy now!
Rosey says
Blueberries are my favorite for a pie. They add a sweet/tart bite that is undeniably delicious.
Jupiter Hadley says
I really love pies and have not had a blueberry pie in ages. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Marta says
I'm so glad I had some leftover pie dough because I knew this recipe was going to be amazing. I love that you added cloves to the blueberry pie filling. It gave it even more flavor and warmth.
Freya says
I have never tried blueberry pie but your recipe makes it look so straightforward!
Gloria says
Blueberry pie is one of my top three favourites. This looks baked to perfection. My family would devour this.
Bernice says
YUM! oh, how I love blueberry pie or really any pie. But blueberry pie reminds me so much of picking blueberries with my grandma (who knew all the great spots!) and then baking up a pie for dinner. Thanks for this post!
Lauren Michael Harris says
Ohh yum! This blueberry pie is amazing! My kids are huge fans of blueberries and are going to go crazy for this pie!
Kayla DiMaggio says
This fresh blueberry pie was so delicious! Perfect for the warming spring weather!
Kathryn says
This blueberry pie is exactly what I was craving and we all loved it! It wasn't too sweet which was perfect and I'm already get requests to make it again. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Amanda Mason says
I've never made a blueberry pie before and was on the hunt for a good recipe to try. This one is SO good! Easy to make and it made my life so much easier to use a store bought pastry crust. Sometimes you need a little easy in your life that still delivers BIG flavor and that is exactly what this recipe does!
Liz says
Nothing beats a homemade pie! This blueberry pie screams summer! I am excited to give it a try!
Tristin says
My daughter helped in the kitchen to create this masterpiece. She, of course, had the most fun messing with the dough, lol. We could barely stand waiting to get to eat a slice. Served with some vanilla bean ice cream. PERFECTION!
Treat and Trick says
This pie looks gorgeous!I don't pre-bake my pie but would try this method and see which one I like, thanks for your lovely comment on my post...
Treat and Trick says
Looks amazing, would love to have a big slice....