How do you thicken blueberry pie filling?

There are several thickening agents that can be used, but our go-to is always cornstarch. It's ready available, it's cheap, and it has twice the thickening power as flour does.

Will blueberry pie filling thicken more as it cools?

Absolutely, it will. We always recommend letting your finished pie cool completely to room temperature before slicing, as the filling sets up nicely once it's fully cooled.

Can I use frozen blueberries in place of fresh blueberries?

We highly recommend using fresh blueberries for pie filling, as frozen blueberries contain excess water. The extra water content can lead to a runnier, less flavorful filling.

Can I make blueberry pie filling ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the filling up to several days ahead. After it cooks, let it cool completely. Cover tightly and chill until ready to use. If needed, warm it up slightly prior to using.

Blueberry Pie Filling

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

A thick and juicy blueberry pie filling is essential to a great blueberry pie. Learn the basics for a perfect blueberry pie filling that works every time.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 5 min
Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale

6 cups fresh blueberries
1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated on large holes of a grater
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cups sugar
2 TB cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 TB salted butter, cut into 1/4 in pieces

Instructions

Cook: Place 3 cups of berries in a saucepan and set over medium heat. Mash berries several times to release juices. Continue cooking, stirring often and occasionally mashing, until half of the berries have broken down. Mixture should be thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 min. Let cool slightly.
Combine: Place grated apple in a clean cloth and wring to dry. Transfer apples to large bowl and add cooked berries, the remaining uncooked berries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to combine.
Fill: When ready to use, use rubber spatula to transfer filling into pie shell, scattering butter pieces on top of filling, prior to sealing with upper pie dough.

Notes

Filling can be made in advance; cover tightly and keep chilled. If needed, warm it up slightly to easily fill pie shell.

For our full blueberry pie recipe including all-butter crust, see here.

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 292
Sugar: 31.1 g
Sodium: 4.8 mg
Fat: 3.3 g
Carbohydrates: 66.2 g
Fiber: 3.5 g
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 7.6 mg

Category: dessert
Method: baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: blueberry pie filling, blueberry filling