Blueberries are in season! I still remember fondly (some of you will, too) taking the little ones to Rouster’s Farm in Clermont County, Ohio when they were still open to pick blueberries. If you have a source, do support those farmers and pick to your heart’s content. 

Fresh blueberries can be frozen, too. 

This pie originated with friend and excellent cook and baker, Carol Tabone. What I love is the filling is cooked on the stove. 

Carol serves her fresh blueberry pie with whipped cream. 

Every once in a while, I like a streusel topping. The streusel topping is baked separately ahead of time on a cookie sheet and just sprinkled on top – pretty clever, huh? Let me know which topping you decide to use. 

Fresh blueberry pie 2 ways

Blind bake the crust

First, start out with a basic crust that has been “blind baked”. What that means is the crust is baked ahead of time and simply filled.

So now that you’ve got the crust baked, here’s how to make the delicious, and might I say, very pretty, filling.

Filling

Ingredients

4 cups fresh clean blueberries

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided 

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar or bit more to taste

1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

Measure out 1 cup blueberries. Put in pan with 1/2 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until berries start to burst and juices start to thicken. Smoosh berries against the side of pan, until most are crushed and this will help the process along.

Whisk cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water together. Stirring constantly, add to blueberries, along with sugar and lemon juice.
Simmer a couple of minutes or until mixture becomes translucent and slightly thickened. Take it off heat immediately and fold in remaining 3 cups berries.

Spoon into baked, cooled pie shell.
Let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving to set up. Yes, that’s right. Do not refrigerate. Make it in the morning and serve in the evening. 

Serve with sweetened whipped cream or streusel topping. 

Refrigerate leftover pie.

Crunchy, buttery streusel topping

Can be made several days ahead and store in refrigerator.

Sprinkle on finished pie. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour

3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon sugar

5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled a bit

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Just whisk dry ingredients, pour in butter and toss with fork until crumbly. I like to leave some big lumps in, along with little ones.

Pour onto baking pan and bake 8-10 minutes or so, stirring once. Keep an eye on it – streusel turns golden fairly quick after the 8 minutes. 

Cool and sprinkle on pie.

Tip:

Excellent for fruit pies.Try adding a shake of cinnamon. 

Freeze blueberries the right way

Freeze unwashed in single layer on cookie sheet, uncovered, until hard.

Pour into containers. To use, place in colander and rinse.