Blueberry Bourbon Pie
intro
A jammy, warmly spiced twist on classic blueberry pie, spiked with smooth bourbon and baked in a flaky buttery crust, ideal for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Pulse Pie Crust Ingredients
In a large food processor, combine 315g all-purpose flour and 1 tsp fine sea salt. Add 226g cold cubed unsalted butter, and pulse 8-10 times until the mixture forms coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces. Drizzle in 60ml ice water first, pulsing 2-3 times, adding up to 20ml more ice water only if the dough just holds together when squeezed. Split the dough into two equal discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before use.
Cook Blueberry Bourbon Filling
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add 2 cups (300g) of the fresh blueberries, 150g granulated sugar, 24g cornstarch, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 30ml lemon juice, and 60ml bourbon. Stir constantly for 6-8 minutes until the blueberries break down, the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency, and small bubbles form around the pan edges. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Roll Out Bottom Crust
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Remove one chilled dough disc from the fridge, let it rest for 5 minutes, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a 30cm (12-inch) circle, 3mm thick. Gently lay the rolled dough into a 23cm (9-inch) standard pie dish, pressing it firmly against the bottom and sides, trimming any overhang to 2cm (1 inch) around the dish edge.
Add Blueberry Filling to Crust
Pour the cooled cooked blueberry bourbon mixture into the crust-lined pie dish, then fold in the remaining 4 cups (600g) of fresh, uncooked blueberries, stirring gently to coat all berries evenly. Spread the filling into a smooth, even layer across the crust.
Roll and Crimp Top Crust
Roll out the second chilled dough disc to the same 30cm (12-inch) circle, 3mm thick. Lay it over the top of the filling, then trim the top crust overhang to match the bottom crust, crimping the two edges together tightly to seal. Cut 4 small 2cm slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape, then brush the entire top surface with the beaten large egg, and sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon coarse sparkling sugar.
Bake the Assembled Pie
Place the pie on a middle oven rack, with a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F), cover the pie edges with aluminum foil to prevent burning, and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling bubbles actively through the slits. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack for 3 full hours before slicing, to allow the filling to set.
Tips
2.Allow the pie to cool for a full 3 hours after baking before slicing; the filling needs time to set, and cutting it early will cause the jammy blueberry bourbon filling to run out of the crust.
3.For a non-alcoholic version, replace the 60ml bourbon with 60ml unsweetened apple cider mixed with 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract to replicate the warm, deep flavor profile.
OMG this blueberry bourbon pie was the absolute star of our neighborhood potluck last weekend! I was a little nervous about the bourbon being too strong, but it mellowed out perfectly while baking and added such a warm, cozy depth that regular blueberry pie just doesn’t have. My husband went back for a third slice before I even finished saying hi to the new neighbors! 10/10 will be making this for every summer cookout from now on.
Made this for my dad’s Father’s Day dinner and he said it’s better than the pie my grandma used to make — that is the highest possible praise in our family! Only thing I adjusted was adding a tiny bit more cornstarch because my first test spoonful of filling was a little runny, probably because my blueberries were extra juicy from the local farmers market. The medium difficulty rating felt totally spot on, I’m not a super confident baker and I pulled it off without any major mess-ups, no burnt crust or anything!
SO good! I was meal prepping desserts for the work week and decided to give this recipe a shot, and my roommate literally just stood at the kitchen counter eating a slice straight out of the pie dish ten minutes after it cooled down. The bourbon cuts through the sweetness of the blueberries so nicely, it doesn’t taste cloying at all like so many store-bought fruit pies I’ve tried. Can’t wait to make this again once local blueberry season is in full swing up here!
The flavor of this pie is out of this world, but I definitely struggled with the crust! I followed the directions exactly but I had major shrinkage when I blind baked it, ended up with half the filling oozing over the edges of my pie dish onto the oven rack (smoke alarm went off and everything, oops). Wondering if anyone else had this issue? Still ate half the pie in one sitting though, zero regrets, the taste was that good.
Game changer! I’ve been making the same plain blueberry pie for my family’s Sunday dinner for years, and I swapped in this recipe last week and my kids loved it so much they asked if we can have it every Sunday from now on. I used a frozen pie crust because I was short on time (no shame!) and it still turned out incredible. The little hint of bourbon makes it feel fancy enough for date night too, I made a second one for my partner and I to share after the kids went to bed, topped with vanilla ice cream. *Chef’s kiss*