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Everyone who eats this Fresh Blueberry Pie proclaims it the best blueberry pie they ever ate. Fresh berries are lightly sweetened and perfumed with lemon, vanilla and cinnamon in a filling that is done stovetop, and poured into a blind-baked crust. It’s genius!
(This post was originally published June 28, 2010, and has been refreshed, updated and republished today.)
Sometime this summer, stop at the supermarket or farmer’s market and buy four pint boxes of fresh blueberries. They’re abundant in summer months, and the price goes down. Once you get them home, whip up the freshest, most delicious blueberry pie possible, using a method shared by Camille Lesko, my former sister-in-law, who got it from Donna Lesko Weiss, her sister, who got it from her mother-in-law. These girls know how to bake pies, and I have been so lucky to be able to taste their delicious creations over the years!
I really do think the best recipes are those handed from one good home cook to another, with each adding her own special tweak to the process. Isn’t that the way great recipes are developed? I have tweaked this one just a bit, and by now have made it so many times, it is now one of my signature summer pies.
Most of the berries are used fresh and uncooked in this pie, so it retains a just-picked flavor. It also doesn’t fall apart like many baked blueberry pies. What’s more, it boasts a subtle perfumed flavor note that no one will likely guess.
Everyone who eats a piece wants the recipe, and proclaims it the best blueberry pie they ever ate.
Methinks they’re right.
Update: This pie was featured on chef Evan Kleiman’s KCRW “Good Food” blog on Aug. 10, 2010! And even more, Evan baked this pie and brought it to an interview at KNBC Channel 4 in Los Angeles, and declared it “a genius pie! So delicious…easy to make and so pretty.” See the video.
Tips on how to make Fresh Blueberry Pie
- This is best made with fresh, not frozen, blueberries.
- A small portion of the berries are cooked stovetop with sugar, flavorings and thickener to make a sort of “glue,” into which more fresh uncooked berries are folded. Then the top is layered with more fresh, uncooked berries!
- Yes, it truly uses 5 cups of fresh blueberries. That seems like a lot, but it’s the perfect amount for this pie.
- A note on cooling the filling: A quick way to cool the filling before adding the rest of the blueberries is to fill a large salad-type bowl with ice and water. Partially submerge the bottom outside of the pan with the cooked blueberries in this cold bath, stirring the filling every once in awhile, and in 5 or so minutes it will be sufficiently cooled to continue with your recipe. You can also just set the pan on an unused burner while it cools off, but the cold water bath is much faster and lets you get your pie in the refrigerator more quickly if time is important.
- You can serve it plain, with whipped cream dolloped on top, or vanilla ice cream frozen yogurt alongside. Simply dust with powdered sugar, for a professionally pretty yet simple solution.
Fresh Blueberry Pie is lightly sweetened and perfumed with lemon, vanilla & cinnamon in a filling cooked stovetop and poured into a blind-baked crust. It's genius!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2/3 cup water
- 5 cups fresh blueberries, divided use (see bold in recipe directions)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter (not margarine)
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (yellow only, not white part)
- 10-inch pie crust, blind baked and cooled
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon. Blend in water and 1 1/2 cups blueberries. Bring to a boil, stirring and smashing half the berries deliberately (use a potato masher a few swipes if you like). Boil, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick, a minute or so. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, butter, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cool. (A note on cooling the filling: A quick way to cool the filling before adding the rest of the blueberries is to fill a large salad-type bowl with ice and water. Partially submerge the bottom outside of the pan with the cooked blueberries in this cold bath, stirring every once in awhile, and in 5 or so minutes it will be sufficiently cooled to continue with your recipe. You can also just set the pan on an unused burner while it cools off, but the cold water bath is much faster and lets you get your pie in the refrigerator more quickly if time is important.)
- Fold in 2 1/2 cups blueberries, coating them well. Scoop into cooled baked pie shell. Arrange remaining 1 cup of fresh berries over top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours, or overnight if needed.
- Serve plain, or with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. To serve, remove pie from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Sift powdered sugar over top for pretty.
- Serves 8.
Notes
Recipe source: My tweak of a recipe by Camille Lesko and Donna Lesko. Thanks to both of them for sharing their recipe so many years ago.They are seriously great cooks. If you get invited to their homes for a meal, the answer is always, “Yes!” And if they bring something to a potluck, head over to that dish first. Just sayin.’
Note on cooling the filling: A quick way to cool the filling before adding the rest of the blueberries is to fill a large salad-type bowl with ice and water. Partially submerge the pan with the cooked blueberries in this cold bath, stirring every once in awhile, and in 5 or so minutes it will be sufficiently cooled to continue with your recipe. You can also just set the pan on an unused burner while it cools off, but the cold water bath is much faster and lets you get your pie in the refrigerator more quickly if time is important.
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Try my Fresh Raspberry Pie
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At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
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Oh my goodness…this is my family’s favorite pie too. We have been using Marjorie Johnson’s recipe (Minnesota State Fair Blue Ribbon Baker/Jay Leno celebrity) recipe for years…but yours looks even better. So excited for blueberry season!!
Don’t tell anyone…I’m going to make it for my “Pie Contest in a Box” party 🙂 It’s a WINNER.
Amazing. Made exactly as written with fresh large blueberries.
Wow
Pookette,
Thank you! So glad you like it!
When I lived in New York there was a blueberry tart that I loved at Les Delices which sold out of Zabar’s that I loved. I suspect it was this filling, topped with blueberries, if course, in a sweet tart dough. Must give this a try.
Dorothy , great receipt ! I use one almost the same as yours but for some reason the pie taste great only it falls apart ? I like to use a graham cracker crust ,could this be why ? Or could it be I need to boil a little longer so mixture gets stiffer when cooled ? Thanks for your input .
Sharon,
Yes, I will guess that your graham cracker crust is the culprit. Try a regular crust, which should hold together better. Also, it is good to remember that you heat the filling only enough to thicken it. With cornstarch, if you continue boiling it for a long time (hoping it will thicken more), it will break down and UNthicken! So bring it to a boil and you can observe it thicken and you are good to go. If you think yours isn’t thick enough, add more cornstarch slurry (or use my recipe 🙂 )
Good luck! Love this pie.
Hi Dorothy ~ I’m Twila form Recipes on TOH….I just wanted to let you know how MUCH my family and I enjoyed this wonderful recipe!!
It was a hit and I will definitely be making this again. I did a review of this on TOH…
http://community.tasteofhome.com/community_forums/f/30/t/835908.aspx
I was wondering? Would this work with strawberries as well?
Thanks for sharing your “Wonderful” recipe…..and making me look like a genius as well……I enjoyed the video form the LA station…I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!!….
Thanks Again ~
Twila*
Twila,
I am so happy you enjoyed it! Your version looks goorgeous with the puffs of whipped cream on top — very fancy! I am waiting for blueberries to come down a bit in price to make this. They’re still pretty pricy here…can’t wait!
As to your strawberry question…I don’t see why not! If you try that, let us know how it works for you. Strawberries, of course, will be much juicier….hmmm.
I like your blind baking strategy.
Lovely review…you are sweet!
I made this pie a couple of months ago and you know what I like about it? You can taste the vanilla, lemon and cinnamon in all that blueberry flavor and they are all present, accounted for, and in perfect balance. I was astonished. I thought, oh, maybe leave one of them out but no… they all have to be there, they all have a role in this pie. It’s my new blueberry pie recipe. Well, my only one… it’s really good.
Diana,
Thank you! I agree with your point (all flavors are present and all are needed). You might be interested to know that I have made this so many times that yes, I have played around and attempted to eliminate one or the other ingredient in an attempt to pare down and simplify, and each time I am disappointed and I want that subtle flavor back. So I have stopped trying to improve it, and I have declared it perfect. I cannot wait for blueberry season this year!
This pie looks so delicious! I plan to make it today. I’ll let you know my results. What kind of pie crust do you recommend? Can I buy the crust or do I make it? I forwarded this recipe to my mom and some friends, I know they will love it! My mom goes blueberry picking in Michigan and they taste so wonderful. Thank you!
Congrats on having your pie called genius by Evan Kleiman!
This blueberry pie looks amazing!! Gorgeous photos. I am assuming that is your daughter? She is adorable 🙂 xo
Your aunt Doris turned me on your website and this blueberry pie recipe had my mouth watering…I couldn’t wait to make it. Well, I didn’t get the chance, but my mother did and it became an instant favorite. It was fabulous, the best blueberry pie I had ever eaten. I love the fact that the blueberries aren’t cooked. I like to add one or two melon ball size scoops of vanilla ice cream scoops to the top if I have the extra calories to expend!
We also tried it with a shortbread cookie crust, which is also terrific. We love both pies.
Oh this is exactly what I want right now. Scrumptious!
Thank you Dorothy for this recipe. I have made it many times with fresh and frozen blueberries. I just mix the rest of the frozen blueberries into the hot mixture and it is just like using fresh berries and cools it down instantly. Yum! Excellent either way.
This might be my new favorite pie. Thank you!
Thank you, Michelle! Also check out the newest pie at https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/berrylicious-sour-cream-pie-recipe/
That photo is award-winning!!
Patti,
Thank you!
K’s picture is precious.
The sister
Yet another winner. Pie crust is my downfall in life so I had to overcome the fear of making it. Did the Martha Pate Brisee and then filled it with your wonderful pie recipe. You would have thought I gave Sofia and Vincent a plate of milk chocolate – they licked their plates to get every last drop of this blueberry wonderment. Once again, Grazie! from the East Coast fan club.
My kids made a rectangular (cookie sheet) version of this pie with both strawberries and blueberries one summer for 4th of July. They arranged the berries to create a flag design. Pretty cute. It’s a great recipe!
The sister-in-law. 😉
Can’t wait to try this! Well, I have to wait until we get back from vacation, but then looking forward to giving this a whirl! Yum…
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