An old fashioned blueberry pie recipe is a classic Americana dessert that has been around since the 19th century.
You can serve this delicious pie as part of your holiday menu or at any time of year.
What Is An Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe?
The classic American fruit pie recipe comes from Pennsylvania Dutch country, where they have their own distinctive flavor combinations.
Blueberries were one of those unique flavors — along with strawberries, black walnuts, and pecans — that were used in this traditional pie recipe.
This was also known as a “blueberry cobbler,” which is still popular today among Amish families who bake this pie during harvest season.
“Old fashioned” refers to how this pie recipe dates back hundreds of years before modern recipes came into vogue.
It’s also referred to as a “country style” because most people didn’t travel very far to get food after World War II.
Ingredients in an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe
The main ingredient in this timeless pie is fresh blueberries.
Many different types of berries can be used instead of blueberries, but if you’re using raspberries, remember that they’ll need more water when cooking them down so that they don’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
Other common fruits include apples, pears, and cherries.
If you like pineapple or mango, feel free to experiment with these!
If you want to add other spices to this tasty treat, try cinnamon (or nutmeg), cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, mace, star anise, fennel seeds, and/or coriander seeds.
You might even consider adding vanilla extract or almond extract to give the final product extra depth of flavor.
How to make an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe
To start preparing this classic pie recipe, you’ll first prepare the crust.
First, mix together 1 cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
Next, pour in ½ cup cold butter and cut it up until it resembles small peas.
Then stir in another ½ cup of flour until everything is evenly coated.
Now, use your hands to press the mixture firmly onto the sides of a 9 inch round glass baking dish, creating a thick layer.
Make sure there are no holes left behind once you’ve pressed it out completely.
Bake the crust at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Remove it from the oven and let cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
Prepare the filling by mixing together 3 cups of blueberries, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon corn starch, and a pinch of salt.
Then, whisk in the juice from half a lemon.
Pour this mixture into the cooled pie shell and return it to the stovetop over medium heat.
Cook the filling for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.
In the meantime, place a piece of parchment paper inside the preheated pie tin and sprinkle a bit of flour on it.
Using a pastry brush, paint the entire surface of the tin with melted butter.
Now remove the crust from the oven and carefully lower it into the tin.
Press the edge of the crust against the side of the tin to form a nice seal.
Once you’ve done this, cover the whole thing with aluminum foil and cook it for 20 minutes.
Afterward, remove the foil and leave the pie alone.
Let it sit undisturbed for 45 minutes.
When it’s ready, slice the pie open and enjoy!
How Do You Make An Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe?
There’s no exact formula for how to make an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe because there are so many different ways to create one — but here are some general guidelines to follow when preparing this classic Americana dessert.
First, choose ripe, juicy blueberries from your local farmers market.
Store them in their original container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Next, place the berries into a medium bowl along with 4 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar, and 2 teaspoons of corn starch (or flour).
Toss all the ingredients together until they form a thick, lumpy mixture.
Next, pour the mixture into a 9 inch deep dish pie pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
After the pie crust has chilled, add another layer of sliced strawberries on top followed by a second layer of sliced almonds.
Set aside while you prepare the pie topping.
For the pie topping, whisk together 3/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup of corn syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Once mixed well, add 2 more tablespoons of butter pieces and mix again until the butter has melted completely.
Add 5 eggs and continue mixing until they have incorporated fully.
Lastly, stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the pie batter over the fruit and nut layers in the pie pan.
Use a knife to cut through the bottom of the pie crust to allow the juices to flow out.
Place the pie in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes to an hour.
When the pie has baked for approximately 40 minutes, remove it from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
What Are The Ingredients In An Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe?
The basic components of an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe include fresh blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and a little bit of lemon juice.
You also need a crust (preferably homemade) and a simple pastry cream (or custard).
A few other optional items may be added depending on what type of flavor profile you want from your pie.
Here’s a list of all the ingredients you’ll find in an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe:
1 cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups fresh blueberries (about 2 pounds)
Pastry Cream
(This amount will cover two 9 inch pies.)
4 large egg yolks
½ cup plus 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
For the bottom layer:
9-inch unbaked pie shell
1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
Topping Layer:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Lattice Top:
A strip of parchment paper 3 inches wide by 18 inches long
Cinnamon sticks
Steps:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the sugar, cornstarch, butter, and salt to a boil.
Once boiling, add the remaining ingredients except for the blueberries.
Reduce heat to low and let simmer until thickened.
Add more water if necessary to keep mixture from sticking to sides of pan.
Remove from heat and stir in blueberries.
Transfer mixture to prepared pie shells.
Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool completely before adding pastry cream, then topping with whipped cream and finishing with cinnamon sticks.
You can use frozen berries instead of fresh ones in this recipe.
Just thaw them out first so they don’t become mushy when cooked.
To prevent the berries from bursting open during baking, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.
Bake for 25 minutes and remove the foil.
Continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Cool completely before using.
How Long Does It Take To Make An Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe?
The best method for determining how long it takes you to prepare an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe is by measuring out each ingredient individually.
Once you have all of those ingredients measured out, you will need to combine them together as well as measure out the flour needed for the crust.
So if you want to get started on your own old fashioned blueberry pie recipe today, here’s what you should know.
First, read through our guide on how to make a basic blueberry pie so you understand the process better.
Then, start measuring out the ingredients for an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe, including the flour for the bottom layer (crust), the liquid for the filling, and the fruit pieces.
Once you have all of these ingredients ready to go, follow along below to find out everything else you need to know!
Flour
This key component of any good pie recipe depends largely upon which type of pastry dough you choose to use.
If you opt to roll out pie crust from scratch, then there are two different types of flour that you will need to use.
Plain flour contains only protein and starch while self-rising flour also includes leavening agents such as baking powder and salt.
For most recipes, however, you will just need plain flour.
Crust Ingredients
For a traditional homemade apple pie recipe, you will need one cup of all purpose flour plus 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
To make sure that your crust comes out perfectly round, cut yourself a small piece of parchment paper and place it inside a glass bowl before adding your flour mixture.
Filling Ingredients
Next up, add one cup of granulated white sugar and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to your mixing bowl.
Mix these together until they form a smooth paste.
Finally, stir in 3 cups of freshly picked blueberries (or frozen ones).
If using frozen berries, simply thaw them first.
Add the rest of your ingredients — lemon juice, salt, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves — to taste, and mix thoroughly.
Rolling Instructions
Now it’s time to work on rolling out your pie crust.
Take a sheet of aluminum foil, lay it over the back of a large cutting board, and sprinkle it with flour.
Place your rolled out dough onto the center of the aluminum foil and wrap it tightly into a flat rectangle shape, folding the edges over on themselves several times.
If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you could even try to fold the edges under twice more, but we would recommend against doing this because it results in very thickened edges.
Baking Directions
After wrapping up your prepared pie crust, set it aside to cool down completely.
When your crust has cooled, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now, you’ll begin assembling your pies.
First, line the bottom of your pan with half of your dried crust.
Next, pour half of the filling mixture into the bottom of your crust.
Lattice Top Instructions
Once your filling has set, cover it with the remaining dry crust.
Cut slits across the top of your pie to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Finally, brush the entire surface of your pie with egg wash (1 beaten egg mixed with water) and bake it for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
After 15 minutes, turn up the heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to cook for another 35 minutes.
What Is The History Of An Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe?
The first recorded recipes for a blueberry pie date back to 1827 when a New York baker named John Griswold published his cookbook “American Cookery” which contained several blueberry pies.
The next documented recipe was written by William Woys Weaver who created a blueberry pie recipe in 1837 called “Blueberry Pie from Massachusetts”.
By the late 1800s, blueberry pie became common throughout America and many other countries.
Blueberry pie recipes were found on menus all over the world including England, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China and Russia.
Old Fashioned Blueberry Pies vs.
Modern Day Recipes
Most modern day blueberry recipes are based on older traditional recipes but there are also plenty of new creations available today.
Some people prefer a traditional style of pie while others like more modern flavors such as chocolate, caramel or even mint chip.
With so many options out there, how can you tell if you’re eating an authentic old fashioned blueberry pie recipe or one of the newer ones? There are certain characteristics that set apart an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe from the rest.
How Did The Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe Come About?
The first known mention of an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe was published in 1859 by Fannie Ewing, who had written several books on cooking.
She also wrote articles for newspapers and magazines between 1850 and 1890, but her most famous work was probably “Mrs.
Ewing’s New Cook Book,” which she released in 1881.
In it, she gave instructions for how to prepare various desserts, including one called “Old Fashioned Blueberry Pie.” It’s unclear when the recipe was originally published, but Ewing claimed that she created it herself, although there were other recipes available during that era that contained similar ingredients.
How much does an old fashioned blueberry pie cost and where can I find it?
A single slice of an old fashioned blueberry pie costs anywhere from $5-$8.
While you might be able to purchase them easily enough if you live near a bakery, they may not always be available throughout the year because many bakers don’t produce them every day.
If you live somewhere else, then you may have to search out a specialty market or order online.
Where can I buy an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe?
You can usually find an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe book online or through your library, though you should exercise caution before purchasing these types of items.
Legally, anyone over the age of 16 can own such materials, so while they aren’t necessarily illegal, they are still considered adult material and shouldn’t be purchased for children under the age of 18 without parental supervision.
What Are Some Variations Of An Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe?
There aren’t many variations on an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe because it’s just so simple.
There are a few ways you could change up this classic dish though.
Here are several recipes you might want to try if you’re looking for something different from a traditional blueberry pie recipe.
Chocolate Blueberry Pie Recipe
This chocolate blueberry pie recipe makes use of dark chocolate instead of white chocolate, but the result is still quite tasty.
It also uses dark brown sugar rather than light brown sugar, which gives it a richer flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of chopped dark chocolate (melted)
- 1/8 cup of unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 egg yolk (beaten lightly)
- ¾ cup flour (sifted) plus extra for rolling out the crust
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 cups fresh blueberries
Coconut Blueberry Pie Recipe
If you like coconut, then this coconut blueberry pie recipe will be right up your alley!
It contains shredded coconut, which adds a nice texture to the filling.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (finely ground)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Lemon Blueberry Pie Recipe
A lot of people enjoy using lemons in their pies, especially when they have citrus fruits available during summertime.
If you don’t mind adding a bit more work to the process, you can easily switch out the lemons for limes in this lemon blueberry pie recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs (whites only)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup corn starch
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 cups of fresh blueberries
Peach Blueberry Pie Recipe
The peach blueberry pie recipe below isn’t too far removed from the original, but it doesn’t contain peaches either.
Instead, it uses blackberries and raspberries, both of which are excellent choices for this type of pie.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of fresh blackberries
- 2 cups of fresh raspberries
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup of all purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 cup of water
- 1/3 cup of lemon juice
- ¼ cup of honey
- 1/3 cup of melted butter
- 1 sheet of puff pastry dough (cut into strips)
- Butter for brushing the pan before baking
What Are Some Tips For Making An Oldfashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe?
The first step to creating a good old fashioned blueberry pie recipe is to use only fresh blueberries.
Use frozen berries if they’re out of season but don’t add them to the filling because their flavor won’t be as strong.
Fresh berries will give the best result when baking this pie.
Next, pick ripe, firm blueberries. If a few fruit have started to soften on the vine, leave them there.
They will ripen further once picked so that they’ll still taste great in the pie.
Make sure the blueberries aren’t overripe by checking them before adding them to the mixing bowl.
Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, follow these steps to create your own old fashioned blueberry pie recipe.
Ingredients for an Old Fashioned Blueberry Pie Recipe
There are many different ingredients in a traditional old fashioned blueberry pie recipe.
Here are just a few of the main ones:
- Fresh blueberries
- Sugar (granulated)
- Cornstarch
- Butter (unsalted)
- Lemon juice
- Eggs
- Flour
Step 1: Mixing Ingredients Together
To begin cooking the blueberries, mix together the butter, eggs, flour, and cornstarch in a large bowl.
Once everything is mixed well, slowly pour in enough water until the mixture becomes thick and sticky.
Don’t worry too much about having exact measurements here.
Step 2: Adding Sugar
After the batter is ready, stir in the sugar.
Next, carefully fold in the blueberries.
It may seem like the sugar will cause the fruit to break apart, but resist the urge to add more liquid into the mixing bowl.
Leave the mixture dry enough so that you can easily handle it later.
Step 3: Pouring Batter Into the Pan
Now that the mixture is prepared, it’s time to transfer it to the pan where it will bake.
Start by pouring the batter evenly onto the bottom crust.
Then fill up the sides of the pan with the remaining batter.
Finally, cover the entire dish with foil and place it in a warm oven for approximately 45 minutes.
Afterward, remove the foil and let the pie cool down completely.
Step 4: Making the Top Layer
When the pie is totally cooled down, remove the foil from the top layer.
Now, brush the top of the pie with the lemon juice.
Take a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut through the middle of each section of the pie to form a cross pattern.
Doing this will help prevent the edges from getting soggy.
Step 5: Finishing Up With Lattice Work
Lastly, finish up the pie with a lattice work design.
To start, use the same blade to cut slits across the top layer of the pie.
Then, using a fork or other tool, gently pull away the slices of dough and arrange them on top of one another.
When done correctly, the lattice looks smooth and even without any cracks.
How Do
The first step in preparing an old fashioned blueberry pie recipe is to start by gathering all of the necessary ingredients.
These include flour (all purpose), butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, milk, sour cream, and fresh blueberries.
Next, you need to measure out these ingredients into their separate containers, such as bowls or measuring cups.
Once everything is measured out, you’ll want to combine them together using either a hand mixer or whisk until they form a smooth mixture.
When the ingredients have been combined, you will then add the corn starch and lemon juice.
This helps give the filling its thick consistency without adding too much liquid back into the mix.
After combining the two liquids together, pour the filling into the bottom crust of the prepared pan.
Next, place the second layer of dough over the entire surface of the pie filling.
After placing the new layer on top of the old one, use a knife to cut through both layers of dough to create a design pattern in order to decorate the pie.
Then, brush the top layer of dough with melted butter.
Once the top layer has been brushed with butter, bake the pie for approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
While baking, check the center of the pie every 15 minutes so that it doesn’t burn.
When the pie is done, remove it from the oven and let cool before serving.
Equipment
- The Oven
Ingredients
Flaky Pie Pastry
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces cold unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 4 cups blueberries
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Flaky Pie Pastry
- Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a sizable bowl. Add the butter and pulse with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 5 tablespoons of the water, stirring to barely moisten. Add the final 1 tablespoon of water while stirring the dough if it appears dry.
- Knead the dough three times after transferring it to a lightly dusted board. The dough should be divided into two equal pieces, patted into 6-inch disks, wrapped in plastic, and chilled for at least an hour.
- Roll the flaky pie crust into two 12-inch rounds that are 1/8 inch thick on a lightly dusted board. Fill a 9-inch glass pie plate with one round. The other round should be transferred to a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Keep chilled until you’re ready to use.
Make the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a bowl, toss the berries with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Pour the filling into the lined pie plate.
Assemble and Bake the Pie
- Place the top crust on top of the filling after lightly brushing the bottom crust’s rim with water. Trim the dough overhang to a thickness of 1/2 inch, press the dough edges together, and then fold and crimp the overhang as desired. Make a 1-inch slash down the middle of the top crust with a sharp knife.
- The pie should be baked for an hour, or until the crust is brown and the filling is boiling. Before serving, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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