Learning how to make blueberry pie filling will help you take your desserts to the next level. I use store-bought pie fillings in a pinch they are a great way to get a dessert put together quickly. However, for me, they are rather boring and lack flavor.
Making it at home also allows you to customize your blueberry experience by adding spices that fit with your taste preferences.
All you need are fresh blueberries, sugar, cornstarch (or flour), butter and some seasonings like nutmeg and cinnamon. In this blog post we’ll walk through all the steps needed to create the perfect fruit-filled filling that will turn your pie crust into a fruity masterpiece.
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If you are lucky enough to have fresh blueberries to pick yourself where you live, this is a wonderful recipe for blueberry season. Wild Blueberries are amazingly sweet. The canned stuff is okay when you are in a pinch, but it is easy to make your own pie filling. Homemade pies can be tailored to your liking and for us, they are the best as our family favorite.
Read on for an easy step-by-step guide on how to make the perfect homemade blueberry pie filling.
Blueberry Pie Filling Recipe
Make this pie filling with just a few simple ingredients; fresh Blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and butter.
Often, recipes do not call for cinnamon and butter. However, these two ingredients really take this pie filling to the next level for flavor. For me, the cinnamon adds so much depth and compliments the blueberry flavor. Whereas the butter adds a richness and smoothness to this deliciously fresh filling.
Just combine the ingredients, cook until thickened, cool.
How to Prepare Fresh Blueberries?
Before using fresh blueberries for any recipe, just place the berries in a colander and rinse with cool water. Check for any stems and remove them as needed. That’s it. Nothing special.
What does butter do in pie filling?
My mom always scattered small bits of butter on the fruit pie filling before adding the top pie crust on her pies. Therefore, I have carried on the same tradition. But what does dotting the filling with butter do?
Some bakers swear by the addition of the butter pieces to keep the juices from bubbling over. Others feel that it adda a richer flavor and makes the filling from the fruit glossier.
America’s Test Kitchen did some experimentation to find out if the butter helped the pies not bubble over. In their experiment, they made blueberry, cherry, strawberry, and rhubarb pies. Their results revealed that there was no real impact on reducing the filling to bubble out.
Further, they made pies with and without butter to see if taste testers could tell which pies had the butter and which did not. The testers could not identify the pies with the butter consistently.
Therefore, there is certainly no harm in adding the dots of butter; however, if you forget to do so, no one will probably notice according to their experiments.
Berry Pie Filling Recipe Pro Tips
Constantly stir the mixture while cooking.
Cornstarch can become gloppy, sort of stuck in one place in gravies, pie fillings, and other sauces. Therefore, it is a good idea to stir the mixture to make sure that everything is fully incorporated. Additionally, it will keep the cornstarch from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
Adding the Fresh Berries at the End.
By adding some fresh berries at the end, it adds another layer of flavor and freshness to the filling. They will be slightly crunchy yet, while the cooked blueberries will begin to become soft.
Thickening the filling.
Only cook the filling until it is bubbling and starts to thicken up; approximately 8 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools and even more when it cools in the refrigerator.
Let cool before using in recipes.
The best way to use this berry filling is to cool to room temperature before adding to your other recipes. If adding as a layer between cakes with a frosting layer too, it could cause ethe frosting to run if too hot. If adding to other mixes such as scones, crumbles, or muffins, it could change the texture of the filling before baking.
Use Frozen Blueberries.
You can use frozen blueberries in this recipe. Some recipes recommend that they’re completely thawed; however, I add them frozen and have never had an issue.
Make Other Berry Pies.
You can swap out the blueberries for any other berries. Make sure to taste the filling as you may need to adjust the sugar depending on the sweetness of the berries.
Can I use canned blueberries instead of fresh?
Yes, you can use canned blueberries rather than fresh. When doing so, add the juices from the can and eliminate the water from the recipe.
Measure the cans as you would the cups of blueberries. I like to save one can uncooked to add at the end so there are whole berries after the cooking process.
Just drain the liquid from the last can of berries into the saucepan with the other ingredients. After it has thickened and it is removed from the heat, go ahead, and add the berries from the last can and gently stir to keep them whole.
However, canned blueberry pie filling is already prepared; therefore, it can be added right to a pie crust or used in another recipe. There is no need to thicken.
What to Serve with Homemade Pie Filling?
This is delicious on its own. My husband loves to eat this over ice cream too. However, you can use this to make a pie, tart, or as a sweet layer for a layer cake. Here are a few other ideas too. Use as a pie filling, vanilla ice cream topping, fillings, muffins, a cheesecake topping, fruit dip, as a fruit pizza topping, or layer with yogurt for a parfait.
How to Make a Pie with Precooked Pie Filling
If you plan on making a blueberry pie recipe out of this precooked filling, let it cool to room temperature before adding to an unbaked pie crust.
Just roll out your pie dough, brush with the bottom crust with a beaten egg. Add your pie filling, dot with butter, and layer on the top crust. Cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape and brush with a beaten egg. The egg wash helps the top crust turn a golden brown while it bakes.
Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes. Pro Tip. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet to prevent any bubbling filling from oozing out and making a mess of your oven.
Make Your Own Homemade Pie Crust
I assure you; this will quickly become your go-to recipe for a tender and flaky crust. You can divide the dough for a top and bottom crust and make things a bit fancy by using one of the dough balls for a lattice crust.
Preserving Berry Pie Filling
It is super easy to can this pie filling. Sterilize mason jars and lids. After the blueberry pie filling has thickened up, add to the sterilized jar, wipe the rim, and close the lids. Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes. It is a great shortcut to get ahead of the pie-making game during apple season.
How long does blueberry pie filling last in the fridge?
A berry pie filling will last in the refrigerator approximately 7 days when stored in an airtight container.
However, it will last up to 6 months when frozen. To freeze, just place the cooled pie filling into a freezer-safe container such as a freezer bag, squeeze out the excess air and lay flat in the freezer. This will give you more storage room in your freezer and allow the filling to thaw quickly and evenly.
Once thawed, use it in your favorite recipe.
To Reheat the pie filling just warm it up in the microwave in 1 minute intervals until warmed through.
How to Make Blueberry Pie Filling Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 6 Cups Blueberries divided
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons Water
- 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cold water, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and 4 cups of blueberries.
- Cook over a medium heat stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved and mixture is slightly thickened. About 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat add butter and remaining 2 cups of blueberries stirring gently to keep blueberries whole. Allow to cool.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
Preserving Berry Pie Filling
It is super easy to can this pie filling. Sterilize mason jars and lids. After the blueberry pie filling has thickened up, add to the sterilized jar, wipe the rim, and close the lids. Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes. It is a great shortcut to get ahead of the pie-making game during apple season.How long does blueberry pie filling last in the fridge?
A berry pie filling will last in the refrigerator approximately 7 days when stored in an airtight container.However, it will last up to 6 months when frozen. To freeze, just place the cooled pie filling into a freezer-safe container such as a freezer bag, squeeze out the excess air and lay flat in the freezer. This will give you more storage room in your freezer and allow the filling to thaw quickly and evenly.
Once thawed, use it in your favorite recipe.
To Reheat the pie filling just warm it up in the microwave in 1 minute intervals until warmed through.
Nutrition
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You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.