Blueberry Pie Filling Recipe
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.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh blueberries, divided
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated on large holes of a grater
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, freshly grated
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¾ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1/4 in pieces
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- Start with ripe, sweet fresh blueberries for the best flavor and texture. Fresh berries hold their shape and give the filling a rich, juicy consistency.
- Cook only half of the blueberries first to create a thick, flavorful base. Mixing in the remaining whole berries later gives your pie a beautiful texture with bursts of juicy fruit.
- Grate a tart Granny Smith apple and wring it dry with a clean cloth to remove excess moisture. The apple adds natural pectin to help thicken the filling without affecting the flavor.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest for a bright, balanced filling. Bottled lemon juice won’t give the same fresh flavor.
- Cornstarch is the thickener of choice for a glossy, stable filling that’s gluten-free and more effective than flour.
- Let the cooked filling cool slightly before combining with the other ingredients. This helps the flavors meld and prevents excess steam when filling the pie.
- Make the filling ahead of time to save time on baking day. Store it covered in the fridge, and warm it slightly if needed to easily fill your pie shell.
- This recipe is part of our Easy Dessert Recipes Collection.
- We love using this pie filling in our Blueberry Pie recipe every summer.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 66.2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 7.6mg | Sodium: 4.8mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 31.1g