Blackberry Pie Recipe

Southern Living Blackberry Pie cut on a plate to serve — Photo:
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Active Time:

50 mins

Cool Time:

2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:

5 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

This homemade blackberry pie recipe is everything you'd want for a sweet and summery confection; it’s a stunning dessert that’s equally colorful and delicious for seasonal serving.

The pie crust is delightfully flaky, and the lemon and cinnamon really add dimension—bright and spiced—while still letting the fresh berries take the spotlight in the jammy, jewel-toned filling. A shower of sparkling sugar over top adds not only a bit of glitz but also some sweet finishing crunch in every bite.

Blackberry Pie Ingredients

To make the pie dough, you’ll need:

all-purpose flour
kosher salt
granulated sugar
lemon
unsalted butter
vanilla extract (plus water)

To make the filling, you’ll need:

granulated sugar
cornstarch
kosher salt
ground cinnamon
blackberries
lemon
vanilla extract
unsalted butter

For the topping, you’ll need:

egg
sugar
water

Southern Living Blackberry Pie ingredients — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

How To Make Blackberry Pie

Fruit pies follow most of the same directions, and that includes this blackberry pie. Here's a quick recap of the process, and the full list of instructions is below:

Step 1. Make the pie dough: As with any pastry, this is a bit of a process, but blending the butter into the flour mixture takes time and patience. Once it's made, the dough is chilled until you're ready to fill it with fruit and bake.
Step 2. Make the filling: Combine the blackberries, sugar, and other ingredients. Immediately put it into the pie crust-lined pie plate.
Step 3. Add the second crust: We're going for the full double pastry crust look on this blackberry pie. You could make a lattice instead. But either way, apply a thin egg wash and sprinkle sugar on top for visual and textural appeal. Then vent the crust so steam can escape during baking.
Step 4. Bake the pie: Bake until golden brown and bubbling. Use an aluminum foil tent to protect the crust from burning if it's browning before the filling has a chance to cook. Once it's completed baking, let the pie sit for a bit before slicing a piece. You need time for the filling to cool and thicken up.

Why Is My Blackberry Pie Watery?

Homemade blackberry pie may be watery if it hasn’t been baked long enough. Make sure you use the full amount of cornstarch in the recipe, and then let it bake long enough so it sets up properly.

Because cornstarch activates at higher temperatures, you should notice even bubbling throughout this pie as a visual cue while baking that the cornstarch has activated and will adequately thicken the filling. If you need, loosely cover the crust edges and eventually the entire pie with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.

Homemade Blackberry Pie Baking Tips

These Test Kitchen tips will help you make your best blackberry pie possible:

Before you start, line the pan underneath with foil. This will prevent excessive oven/pan cleanup.
If you prefer your pie on the more tart side, you can back off the sugar by a quarter cup.
If you think your dough is super close to being ready but still needs a tiny bit of liquid, you can dip your fingertips in water and use them to sprinkle the dough. (When it’s done, the dough will be nicely hydrated, not dry, but also not wet or sticky.

Blueberry Pie Substitutions and Variations

If fresh blackberries are not available, you can instead use frozen berries. If you choose to use frozen berries, do not thaw them before using them in the recipe; use them in their frozen state.

Do not cut the pie while it is still warm, as this may result in the filling spilling out and the pie losing its shape.

Southern Living Blackberry Pie ready to serve with a gold pie server beside the dish — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

How To Store Homemade Blackberry Pie

Store homemade blackberry pie in an air-tight container or covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to two days. Or store it in the fridge for up to four days.

How To Serve Blackberry Pie

Serve this homemade blackberry pie all on its own. Or doll it up with lemon or vanilla bean ice cream and/or sweetened whipped cream.

More Pie Recipes

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.

Ingredients

Pie Dough:

2 2/3 cups (about 11 3/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1 medium [4 oz.] lemon)
1 cup (8 oz.) cold unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup ice water
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
6 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
30 oz. fresh blackberries (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 medium [4 oz.] lemon)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-in. pieces, at room temperature

Topping:

1 large egg
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. sparkling sugar

Directions

Prepare the Pie Dough:

Whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl until well combined. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender or 2 forks until pieces are the size of large peas or pistachios.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Working quickly, flatten larger butter pieces into flour mixture in flattened shards using your fingers (no need to be absolutely perfect).

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Stir together ice water and vanilla in a bowl until combined. Add 1/3 cup water mixture to flour mixture; toss using your hands or 2 forks just until mixture is evenly moistened. Break up, and evenly distribute any large wet flour clumps by hand.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Add up to 1/3 cup remaining ice water mixture, 1 to 3 teaspoons at a time, to flour mixture, gently pressing and folding flour mixture just until dough holds together. (Finished dough should hold together easily but may not look completely smooth.)

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Chill Pie Dough:

Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days; let dough stand at room temperature until slightly softened, if needed, before rolling, 10 to 15 minutes.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Roll out Pie Dough:

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lower third position. Roll 1 dough half on a lightly floured surface into a 12 1/2- to 13-inch round (about 1/8-inch thick). Press rolled dough into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator while rolling other dough half.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Roll remaining dough half on a lightly floured surface into a 12 1/2- to 13-inch circle (about 1/8-inch thick). Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet; loosely cover, and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Prepare the Filling:

Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. Add blackberries, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla, stirring until evenly coated and well combined.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Add Filling to pie plate:

Spoon and spread blackberry mixture evenly into chilled bottom crust in pie plate; scatter butter evenly over blackberry mixture.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Top with second piece of Pie Dough:

Place remaining chilled dough half over blackberry mixture; trim to 1/2- to 3/4-inch from edge of pie dish. Fold edges under, and crimp, as desired.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Prepare the Topping:

Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl until combined. Brush egg mixture evenly over dough.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Sprinkle with sugar.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Vent pie:

Cut 8 slits into top of dough to vent, and place pie on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Bake pie:

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes; rotate baking sheet 180 degrees. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F, and bake until pastry is golden brown, filling is bubbling, and bottom is cooked through, about 50 minutes to 1 hour, loosely covering crust edges and eventually entire pie with aluminum foil as needed to prevent excess browning. Let pie stand on a wire rack until cooled and set, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make a pie the day before?

Absolutely! Since most fruit pies are better served at room temperature, it's a great idea to make a pie the day before you plan to serve it. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap, and store it on the counter. If it'll be more than two days before it's served, the pie should be kept in the fridge.
How do you store fruit pies after baking?

Fruit pies can sit, covered, at room temperature up to two days. After two days, the pie should move to the fridge, or you can store the pie in the fridge after it's cooled up to 5 days.