Blueberry crumble pie in a glass pie dish after baking
From cherry pie to apple pie to creamy lemon pie (and don’t forget peach pie!), let’s move onto another fan-favorite flavor this month: blueberry.
If you haven’t made a pie yet this month, let me try to encourage you to get in the kitchen ASAP. Today we’re making blueberry pie! Ditching that top pie crust and sprinkling the whole thing with a buttery streusel crumble topping. It’s like blueberry pie and blueberry crisp in one. Did you read that? Literally the two best summer desserts on the planet in one pie dish. 8 slices of blueberry heaven. The stars have aligned and I’m declaring this the best of the best when it comes to blueberry desserts.
(Though this lemon blueberry cake begs to differ.)
Blueberry pie filling and crumble topping in glass bowls
I had some trouble with this pie! I tested it 4 or 5 different times. Honestly, I lost count after the 3rd, and everything after that was a blurry blueberry mess.
With my determination (but mostly a craving for blueberry crumble pie), I conquered this little blueberry beast. The pesky little issue each time? Blueberry soup. Sloshy blueberry soup on top of a doughy uncooked pie crust topped with much-too-buttery crumble on top. Can there ever be too much butter? YES. I’ve seen it. And it’s not pretty.
It’s a tall order, but I cracked the code. The filling is juicy—like the best blueberry pie fillings are—the bottom crust is golden brown and flaky, and the crumble topping keeps its shape.
So, how do we get there?
Blueberry pie filling in pie dish
Blueberry crumble pie in a glass pie dish before baking
The Pie Crust
Use a solid recipe that can stand up to the heavy and juicy blueberries on top. My pie crust yields 2 crusts so you can pop one into your freezer for the next time you crave blueberry pie. Which, if you’re anything like me, will be about 5 seconds after your last slice of this guy. Make sure to cook the blueberry pie long enough, too. This will help guarantee (1) a golden brown crust and (2) a thicker filling. If using a glass pie dish, which I strongly recommend, you can see when the crust on the sides is browning perfectly.
Since we’re using a crumble topping, we don’t have to worry about any pie crust designs. However, you still want to crimp or flute the edges of the pie dough. Here’s my full tutorial if you need a refresher: How to Crimp and Flute Pie Crust.
The Blueberry Filling
Let’s do all we can to keep it on the sturdy side. I typically make blueberry pie with cornstarch as the thickener, but a couple of tries proved this isn’t enough in a blueberry crumble pie. Why not? All the butter in the topping melting down creates our not-so-beloved blueberry soup filling. So I gave a mixture of flour AND cornstarch a whirl and was pleasantly pleased with the results. I’ve discussed this before, but I prefer cornstarch as the thickener in summer berry pies. (Read why in my blueberry pie recipe.) Flour weighs things down but proved to be just the ticket underneath this buttery crumble topping. Success!
The Crumble Topping
We want a crumble topping that can hold its shape, crisp up, and generally avoid turning into goo. The trick with this crumble topping is to use the coldest butter ever. You’ll mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together then cut in super cold butter. Finally, mix in the oats. I add the oats last because I don’t want them to break down when I cut in the butter. I want them to stay whole. Whole oats = more texture on top of your pie!
There’s an obnoxious amount of crumble topping, so I hope you’re not opposed to brown sugar + cinnamon + butter + oats. You’ll flip for my blueberry pie bars, apple crisp, and oatmeal lemon crumble bars, too!
Overhead image of blueberry crumble pie after baking
And, like with all pies, the colder everything stays the better pie success you have. Whenever you’re not directly working with a layer, keep it in the fridge. For example: after you roll out the pie crust and place into the pie dish, refrigerate it while you prepare the filling. Likewise, after you add the filling to the crust, refrigerate the whole thing as you prepare the crumble topping.
If you want to dig in while the pie is still warm, be my guest! But I will warn you—it will be pretty juicy. I find the best time is to wait until it fully cools. This takes several hours but luckily, blueberry pie is THEE best make-ahead recipe. It’s even better the next day! Just keep it covered and refrigerate it. Bring it to room temperature before serving. Add a scoop of ice cream and a dollop of homemade whipped cream for good measure. Pie-fection.
Overhead image of blueberry crumble pie with scoops of vanilla ice cream on top
Enjoy this satisfying blueberry dessert for all your summer celebrations including Father’s Day, 4th of July, graduation parties, Labor Day, and more.
Try my brown butter blueberry peach crisp next!
Overhead image of blueberry peach crisp in a skillet with a spoon
