Maine Blueberry Pie
intro
Juicy wild Maine blueberries baked in a flaky all-butter crust, brightened with fresh lemon, for a classic bright summertime New England dessert.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare flaky pie crust
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour and ½ tsp (2.5g) fine sea salt. Cut in 1 cup (226g) cold cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter until butter pieces are the size of peas, about 3 minutes of mixing. Drizzle in 90ml ice cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until the dough just clumps together when squeezed. Split the dough into two equal-sized discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour before rolling.
Mix blueberry filling
In a large bowl, combine 6 cups (900g) drained wild Maine blueberries, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, 3 tbsp (24g) cornstarch, 1 tsp fresh lemon zest, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and the remaining ½ tsp (2.5g) fine sea salt. Toss very gently to coat all berries evenly in the sugar-starch mixture, taking care not to mash the delicate blueberries. Let the mixture rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow natural berry juices to release.
Roll out bottom crust
Remove one chilled dough disc from the refrigerator and let it soften at room temperature for 5 minutes to prevent cracking while rolling. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle that is ⅛-inch thick. Gently lift the dough and lay it into a 9-inch standard pie dish, pressing it firmly against the bottom and up the sides of the dish, leaving a 1-inch dough overhang around the dish edge. Trim any excess dough longer than 1 inch with kitchen shears.
Assemble filled pie
Pour the rested blueberry filling and all its accumulated juices into the crust-lined pie dish, spreading it into a smooth, even layer. Dot the top of the berry filling with 2 tbsp (28g) cold cubed unsalted butter. Roll the second chilled dough disc into an 11-inch circle, ⅛-inch thick, and drape it evenly over the top of the filling. Trim the top crust to match the 1-inch overhang of the bottom crust, then crimp the two crust edges together tightly to seal in juices. Cut four 2-inch slits in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
Bake until golden bubbly
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle position. Beat 1 large egg with 1 tsp cold water to make egg wash, then brush the wash evenly over the entire top crust and crimped edges. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling drips, then bake for 25 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Reduce the oven heat to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and purple filling is visibly bubbling through the top slits.
Cool fully before serving
Remove the baked pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Let the pie cool completely at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours (or up to overnight) to allow the cornstarch-thickened filling to set fully. Slice and serve at room temperature, or pair with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Tips
2.If using frozen wild Maine blueberries, thaw them completely and drain off all excess released juice before mixing into the filling to avoid a runny, unset pie.
3.Resist the urge to slice the pie early! The filling needs the full 3 hours of cooling time to set; warm pie will have a runny, loose filling even if you used the correct amount of cornstarch.
OMG this Maine blueberry pie is *chef’s kiss*! I brought it to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were asking for the recipe before they even finished their first slice. I used wild blueberries I froze from last summer’s trip up north and the flavor was unreal. Only note: I added a tiny extra splash of lemon zest because I love that bright zing with blueberries. 10/10 will make again!
Tried this for my wife’s birthday since she’s obsessed with all things blueberry, and wow—total hit! I was worried because I’m pretty new to baking (medium difficulty had me sweating a little) but the instructions were super straightforward, no weird fancy steps. Cook time was right on the money too, my pie came out perfectly golden at 1 hour 20 minutes exactly. The only thing I messed up was crimping the crust edges lopsided, but no one cared once they tasted it.
SO good. I made this for Sunday family dinner and my 7 year old asked for thirds. The balance of sweet and tart is exactly what I want in a blueberry pie, no overly sugary goop like the store bought ones. Will be a summer staple for us from now on.
Has anyone tried making this with a gluten free pie crust? I have a family member with celiac and want to make this for our Fourth of July cookout, but I don’t want the crust to fall apart or mess up the filling ratio!
Game changer. I’ve been making blueberry pie for years with a regular top crust, but that lattice top trick the recipe walks you through? It made my pie look like it came straight from a fancy small town bakery. My camping buddies lost their minds when I pulled this out after our hike last weekend.
Solid recipe, but I found the filling a little runnier than I prefer even after letting it cool the full 4 hours like the instructions said. Next time I’ll add an extra tablespoon of tapioca starch to thicken it up a bit more. Flavor was spot on though, that hint of cinnamon is such a nice touch I never would have thought to add!
Help! I followed the recipe exactly but my bottom crust got totally soggy? I even used a glass pie plate like recommended, what did I do wrong? I’m so sad because the filling tasted incredible, I just want to get the crust right next time.
Made this for my office potluck yesterday and it was gone in 10 minutes flat. Multiple people said it was the best blueberry pie they’d ever had, even one guy who swears he hates fruit pie! I used a mix of regular cultivated blueberries and wild blueberries for extra depth, so good. Only thing is I wish the recipe had a note about how long to let it cool before slicing, I almost cut into it too early!
This tasted exactly like the blueberry pie I had at a little diner in coastal Maine last summer! I was worried I wouldn’t be able to replicate that nostalgic flavor at home, but this nailed it. The small amount of maple syrup in the filling? *Chef’s kiss* that’s the secret ingredient I was missing all these years.
Great recipe, especially if you can get blueberries on sale at the farmers market! I spent under $10 total making the whole pie, which is way cheaper than buying a comparable one from the local bakery that charges $28 for a fruit pie. Tasted way fresher too, will absolutely be making this again while blueberries are in season.
Wondering if this pie freezes well? I love making a couple desserts ahead of time for busy weeks, and this would be perfect to pull out for last minute guests if it holds up in the freezer!
Made this for Father’s Day and my whole family raved. I even let my 10 year old help mix the filling and crimp the edges, and the instructions were easy enough for her to follow along with minimal help. We served it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it was the best dessert I’ve made all year.
I was skeptical a fruit pie could be that good since I usually go for chocolate desserts, but my roommate made this and I ate two slices without even realizing it. The crust is so buttery and flaky, and the blueberry filling isn’t cloyingly sweet like I expected. I might have to steal the recipe to make for my next game night.