Blueberry Whiskey Pie
intro
A juicy, boozy twist on classic American blueberry pie, with warm whiskey notes, a flaky buttery crust, and bright sweet-tart summer berry flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Make the Pie Dough
In a large food processor, combine 315 grams all-purpose flour and 3 grams fine sea salt, pulse 2-3 times to mix evenly. Add 225 grams cold 1cm-cubed butter, pulse in 1-second bursts until the mixture forms coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter clumps (about 10 total pulses). Drizzle in 90ml ice water, pulse just until the dough starts to clump together, adding up to 30ml extra ice water if the dough remains crumbly and dry. Split the dough into two equal-sized discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour to relax gluten and keep butter solid.
Preheat the Oven, Rest Dough
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) with a rack positioned in the middle. Remove one dough disc from the fridge, let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly so it does not crack when rolled. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 30cm (12-inch) circle that is 0.3cm (1/8-inch) thick. Gently lift and lay the dough into a 23cm (9-inch) ceramic pie dish, pressing it firmly against the bottom and up the sides, leaving a 2.5cm (1-inch) overhang around the dish rim. Place the lined pie dish back in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes to prevent crust shrinkage during baking.
Mix the Blueberry Whiskey Filling
While the bottom crust chills, prepare the filling in a large mixing bowl: combine 750 grams thoroughly patted-dry blueberries, 80ml bourbon whiskey, 100 grams granulated sugar, 24 grams cornstarch, 30ml fresh lemon juice, 2 grams lemon zest, 1 gram ground cinnamon, and 1 gram fine sea salt. Toss very gently with a rubber spatula until all blueberries are evenly coated in the sugar-starch mixture, taking care not to burst the delicate berry skins. Let the mixture rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow blueberries to release a small amount of natural juice, which helps the thickener dissolve evenly.
Fill and Top the Pie
Remove the chilled lined pie dish from the refrigerator, pour the rested blueberry filling evenly into the crust, and scatter the 28 grams of cold 0.5cm butter cubes across the top of the filling. Roll the second dough disc out to a 28cm (11-inch) circle, 0.3cm (1/8-inch) thick, then drape it gently over the top of the filling. Trim the edges of both the top and bottom crust to a uniform 2.5cm (1-inch) overhang, then fold the overhang under itself and crimp the edges tightly with your fingers to create a sealed, decorative rim. Cut 5 evenly spaced 5cm (2-inch) slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
Brush Crust With Egg Wash
In a small ramekin, whisk 1 large egg and 15ml whole milk together until smooth to make egg wash. Brush the entire exposed surface of the top crust and crimped edges evenly with the egg wash, then sprinkle 12 grams coarse sanding sugar over the top for a crisp, sweet crust. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any bubbling filling drips) on the preheated oven’s middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes at 200°C (400°F), then reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (375°F), wrap the crimped crust edges in strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning, and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until the filling is bubbling vigorously through the top slits and the crust is a deep, even golden brown.
Cool the Pie Completely
Transfer the baked pie from the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack set on the counter, and let it cool completely at room temperature for a full 4 hours—do not cut into the pie early, as the hot filling will be runny and will not set properly. For extra clean, firm slices, chill the fully cooled pie in the refrigerator for 1 additional hour before serving. Serve slices plain, with freshly whipped heavy cream, or with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream if desired.
Tips
2.Always pat rinsed blueberries completely dry with paper towels before mixing them into the filling; excess surface water on the berries will thin the filling and lead to a runny pie, even with the correct amount of cornstarch thickener.
3.For the best flavor, use a smooth, mild bourbon or rye whiskey for this recipe; avoid strongly flavored peated Scotch or spiced whiskey, as these will overpower the delicate, bright sweet-tart flavor of fresh blueberries.
OMG, made this for my Labor Day backyard cookout and people were begging for the recipe! The hint of whiskey cuts the sweetness of the blueberries so perfectly, not too boozy at all. My husband ate three slices before the burgers even came off the grill. 10/10 will make again for every potluck this fall.
My kids were weirdly skeptical when I said there was whiskey in the pie, but once they tried it? They begged for seconds! I did cut the whiskey by a tablespoon since we don’t keep super strong stuff in the house, and it still had that warm, cozy depth that made it feel fancy. Perfect Sunday dinner dessert.
Game changer. I used a small batch rye whiskey I picked up on a distillery tour last month instead of bourbon, and the spicy notes paired insanely well with the wild blueberries I foraged last weekend. The flaky crust tip in the recipe (using frozen butter!) is chef’s kiss, no soggy bottom at all. Already planning to make a peach-bourbon version next.
Made this for my grandkid’s high school graduation party, and even the old-timers at the party were raving. Only note: I wish the chilling time was a little more front and center on the recipe card! I almost cut it short because I was running late setting up, but I stuck it out and the set was perfect. Worth every minute of the wait.
Brought this to a Friendsgiving test run with my roommates last night, and everyone agreed it was better than the pumpkin pie we usually make. The only tiny issue I had was my crust shrank a little on the sides during blind bake — any tips to stop that from happening next time?
Took a stab at this for my wife’s birthday, since she loves blueberry anything and whiskey anything. Let me tell you, I am NOT a baker — I burn chocolate chip cookies 9 times out of 10 — and this still turned out amazing. The instructions were super clear, even for a total newbie like me. She cried happy tears, so that’s a win in my book.
Was so pumped to make this for my Friendsgiving pre-game tonight, but I totally missed the 5 hour chill time in the recipe details! Is that chill time actually mandatory? I don’t know if I can wait that long after baking before my friends show up. Would sticking it straight in the fridge right out of the oven help speed things up? Kinda bumming right now because I already grabbed all the ingredients on my grocery run earlier.
SO good. I’ve made this three times in the last month, and every single time it’s the first empty dish on the potluck table. I add a tiny bit of lemon zest to the filling to brighten up the blueberry flavor, and it pairs so well with the whiskey. Don’t skip the whipped cream topping with a pinch of cinnamon, trust me on that.
Made this for a post-hike potluck with my trail group over the weekend, and it held up so much better than I expected! I transported it in a cooler for an hour drive up to the trailhead, and it was still perfectly set when we cut into it after our 6 mile loop. Only thing is I wish the flavor was a little more whiskey-forward — next time I’ll add an extra splash.
Made this for my dorm floor’s fall party, and everyone thought I bought it from a fancy bakery downtown. I used cheap bottom-shelf whiskey because that’s all I could afford on my college budget, and it still slapped. 10/10, even my RA who’s a total food snob asked for the recipe.
I’ve been baking pies for over 40 years, and this blueberry whiskey pie is easily one of the best new recipes I’ve tried in the last decade. The balance of sweet, tart, and warm whiskey notes is perfectly calibrated, and the crust recipe is flaky every single time. I served it to my bridge club last week, and none of the ladies could guess what the “secret ingredient” was until I told them!
Made this for date night with my partner last night, and it was so romantic! We had it with vanilla bean ice cream while we watched our favorite movie, and he said it’s the best dessert I’ve ever made. Quick question — can I make this a day ahead if I keep it covered in the fridge? We’re having his parents over for dinner next weekend and I want to get a head start on cooking.
I swapped the regular all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend for the crust, and it turned out perfect! I was worried the texture would be gritty or fall apart, but it was flaky and buttery just like a regular wheat crust. My celiac best friend could eat it too, which made the whole night so special, since she usually can’t have dessert at our dinner parties.
Solid recipe, medium difficulty is a fair rating — I wouldn’t recommend this for a total first-time baker because the blind bake step can be a little tricky if you’ve never done it before. The flavor is out of this world though, I brought a slice to my neighbor who helped me fix my fence last week and he brought me a jar of his homemade honey to say thanks for the pie. Win win.
Wait, has anyone tried adding a crumb topping instead of a full top crust? I’m obsessed with crumb tops on fruit pies and feel like that would be insane with the blueberry whiskey filling. Let me know if you’ve tried it!
Made this last night for our weekly family dinner, and even my super picky teen who “hates fruit pie” went back for a second slice. I added a splash of orange liqueur along with the whiskey, and the citrus note made the blueberry flavor pop so much. Served it with freshly whipped cream, and there were zero leftovers by the end of the night. Will absolutely be going into our regular dessert rotation.