Fresh and simple blueberry pie — a classic homemade pie recipe with an all-butter crust infused with lemon. See the full recipe directions below for instructions on making the dough by hand or in a food processor.

A double-crust blueberry pie with a few servings cut out, and a pie server.

This is a classic blueberry pie recipe, with no fancy crimping, cutting or other pastry tricks necessary. While you can literally spend years learning the fine art of making a “perfect” pie, a delicious homemade pie — humbly imperfect — still tastes incredibly good.

I’m talking about a forkful of pie, loaded with flaky crust and purple, tangy-sweet berries that burst in your mouth and leave your tongue a Harry Potter-shade of blue.

A whole blueberry pie in a glass baking dish.

Why imperfect pie crust is still great pie crust

Where did that saying “easy as pie” come from? If it were true that nothing could be easier than making a pie, then why are so many otherwise good cooks afraid to tackle it?

I’m raising my hand here. It was only after realizing that I’m not interested in becoming some kind of master pastry chef that I let myself off the hook and dove headfirst into pie-making. The pressure to make a flawless pie actually intimidated me from making pie in the first place. Which is ridiculous!

A slice of homemade pie is just about as homey as it gets, right up there with my simple roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. Really, life is too short for pie deprivation, so let’s get started!

A double-crust blueberry pie with a few servings on plates, with forks resting on the edge.

What I use to make homemade blueberry pie

My flaky butter pie crust recipe is one you can use with an array of fruit fillings. It’s the same basic recipe as my favorite old-fashioned homemade apple pie. To make a 9-inch, double crust pie, (one with a top crust and a bottom crust), you only need a few ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour: AP flour has enough protein to hold up to rolling and stretching without tearing, but not so much that the crust will turn out tough. Pastry flour can be more fragile to work with, and AP is what I always have.
  • Butter: I use salted or unsalted depending on what’s in my fridge. I actually enjoy how salt plays off the sugar in dessert recipes. Just be sure to use the best butter you can find.
  • Sugar and fine salt: A little sugar in the dough, not just the filling — it helps the crust brown and adds a barely-there sweetness that plays well against the tart berries
  • Ice water: I mean very cold. Warm water starts activating the gluten and softening the butter. Once the fat melts into the flour instead of staying in distinct pieces, you’ve lost your flakiness.
  • Lemon: Lemon juice plus the zest — I add zest into the dough, which is what makes this crust taste like more than just butter and flour. The juice acts like a mild acid that keeps the dough tender.

Mixing the dough in a food processor is often my first choice because it’s stupid easy, but many pie purists frown on this because it’s less hands-on. It really doesn’t matter which method you use. Choose your own adventure!

How to assemble your pie

  • Start with 4 generous cups of fresh or frozen blueberries (no need to defrost). Mix the berries with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
  • Transfer to a standard pie dish lined with a rolled-out disc of pastry.
  • Cover with the other piece of pastry.
  • Press a rolling pin over the edge of the pan to trim off excess pastry.
  • To vent steam, cut 4-5 slits in the dough.
  • Brush beaten egg over the top crust.
  • Sprinkle with sugar. Bake the pie 60-70 minutes, until the crust is golden.
A homemade blueberry pie with a golden crust sits partially sliced in a glass dish on a white wooden table, surrounded by pink flowers and a pink napkin. A pie server rests inside the dish.
4.91 from 21 ratings

Homemade Blueberry Pie

Karen Tedesco
Fresh blueberries, a lemon-butter double crust, and one baking sheet — this is the pie to make, even if you've never made pie before.
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Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
  • ½ cup (60 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Double Crust Pie Dough, recipe follows
  • 1 lightly beaten egg
  • 1-2 tablespoons demerara raw sugar or granulated sugar

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Toss 4 cups blueberries in a large bowl with ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
  3. Lightly dust the discs with flour before rolling, and also your work surface. A granite or marble countertop is ideal, but a large cutting board or big sheet of parchment will work in a pinch. Roll out one disc of pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Roll the circle around your rolling pin, then transfer to a 9-inch pie pan or dish by unrolling it over the pan. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides, letting the excess hang over the edge of pan. Place in the refrigerator while you roll out the other half of the dough
  4. Roll out the remaining dough into a 12-inch circle.
  5. Add the blueberries to the pie pan. Place the second dough circle on top of the berries. Press the dough together around the edge of the pan to seal. Gently press a rolling pin over the edge of the pan to trim off any overhanging dough. If you like, crimp the edges or press with the tines of a fork to decorate. Or just leave it alone.
  6. Use a small, sharp knife to cut 5 or 6 4-inch-long slits around the top of the pie (this helps steam to escape as the pie bakes).
  7. Brush 1 lightly beaten egg over the top of the pie and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons demerara raw sugar or granulated sugar.
  8. Reduce the oven temperature to 375. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake 60- 70 minutes, until the crust is deep golden on top and the juices are bubbling.
  9. Cool completely before serving (about 2 hours, and preferably 4).

Notes

  • If possible, choose a plain glass or ceramic pie dish. These pans heats slowly and evenly, ensuring the crust and filling will be baked to perfection at the same time. 
  • Keep the pie at room temperature 1-2 days, or refrigerated 3-4 days.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 217kcal Carbohydrates: 39g Protein: 3g Fat: 6g Sodium: 96mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 21g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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Butter Pie Crust Recipe
4.80 from 5 ratings

All Butter Pie Crust Recipe

Karen Tedesco
An easy butter pie crust recipe to make in a food processor or by hand. Makes enough flaky, tender dough for one 9-inch double crust pie.
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Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) grated fresh lemon zest
  • 12 tablespoons (180 g) very cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • ½ cup (125 ml) ice water, plus more if needed
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice or white vinegar

Makes 2 9-inch discs for a double crust pie

Instructions
 

Food Processor Pie Crust:

  1. Pulse the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a food processor workbowl until combined.
  2. Add the butter and process until the butter forms pea-sized pieces (this will take just a few seconds). A few visible chunks of butter in the dough are fine — they create flaky air pockets while the pastry bakes.
    Add the ice water and lemon juice and pulse until the dough just begins to come together, but not so much that if forms a ball (that will toughen the dough) Add more water if it looks dry, one teaspoon at a time.
  3. Dump the dough onto a floured counter or work surface. Knead the dough into a smooth ball, then cut into 2 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a flat disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 1 day before using.

Rolling out the dough

  1. Smack one package of dough with a rolling pin to flatten. Unwrap and put the dough on a large floured counter. Sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour and roll the dough firmly away from you, turning the paper after each roll to create a circle about 2 inches larger than your pie dish (12-inches for a 9-inch pie). Sprinkle lightly with more flour if you notice the dough starting to stick.

Pie Crust without a food processor:

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt and zest. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or a fork until the butter pieces are the size of large peas. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and add the water and lemon juice.
  2. Blend with a fork until the dough starts to come together. If there's flour on the bottom of the bowl, add more water a teaspoon at a time until you can gather the dough into a ball.

Notes

  • If the dough is very firm after chilling, leave at room temperature until it feels pliable.
  • The key to great, flaky pie crust is starting with cold ingredients – especially the butter and water. One trick is cut the butter and place in the freezer for 15 minutes before mixing the dough. To make ice water, fill a liquid measuring cup with ice cubes, then fill with water. Let sit 5 minutes before measuring and making the dough (don't use the ice, though).
  • Pie crust dough can be frozen for 3 months. Wrap securely in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then place the package in a zip-tip freezer bag.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 277kcal Carbohydrates: 27g Protein: 3g Fat: 17g Sodium: 295mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 3g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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