The simple no-bake filling for this pie combines the body of cooked blueberries and the texture of fresh — plus the delicious flavor of both! Pour the filling into a tender, buttery prebaked pie crust, garnish with pretty crust cutouts, and enjoy the rave reviews.
To assemble the crust: Divide the prepared pastry into two pieces, one about two-thirds of the total, the other one-third. Shape each piece into a flattened disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove the larger piece of pastry from the refrigerator, roll it into a 13” round, and settle it into a 9” pie pan at least 1 1/2” deep. Crimp the edges of the crust. Chill it for 30 minutes, to relax the gluten and firm up the fat(s); this will help prevent shrinkage.
To prebake the crust: Line the crust with foil, parchment, or a paper coffee filter. Fill it about two-thirds full with dried beans, uncooked rice (or other uncooked grain berries), pie weights, or granulated sugar.
Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes, set on a baking stone or steel if you have one. Remove the crust from the oven and lift out the liner and weights. (If you’ve used sugar, save it for your future baking; it’ll be lightly toasted and yummy!)
Prick (dock) the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to prevent bubbles. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until it’s golden all over. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside while you make crust decorations and the filling.
To make crust decorations: While the crust is baking, roll the remaining piece of dough into a circle about 1/8” thick and place it on a piece of parchment (or roll the pastry right on the parchment).
Using a small star, heart, or other small cutters (1” to 1 1/2”), cut shapes; these will garnish the top of your filled pie. Cut the shapes close together, using a variety of shapes and sizes if you like.
Lift the parchment onto a baking sheet, and carefully lift away the pastry in between the cutouts. Re-roll and cut more shapes, if desired; or simply arrange the scraps around the edges of the pan (these will be a baker's snack!). Spray the cutouts with water and top with sparkling sugar or granulated sugar, if desired.
Bake the cutouts until they’re a light golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and set them aside. (Feel free to enjoy the warm, crispy scraps right away.)
To make the filling: Put 3 1/2 cups (about 510g) of the fresh berries into a medium heatproof bowl and set them aside.
To use all fresh berries: Place the remaining 3 1/2 cups (about 510g) of the fresh berries into a medium saucepan with the 2 tablespoons water. Cook the blueberries and water over medium heat until they come to a simmer and release some juice. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
To use half frozen berries: Place 3 1/2 cups (about 510g) frozen berries (no need to thaw them first) into a medium saucepan; no additional water is required, they’ll release liquid as they thaw and cook. Cook the blueberries over medium heat until they thaw, come to a simmer, and release their liquid. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
To finish the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Stir this mixture into the simmering berries.
Cook the berries over medium heat, stirring frequently at first and constantly toward the end, until the filling is very thick; you should be able to see the bottom of the pot when you draw a spatula through the berries.
Remove the simmering filling from the heat and stir in the cinnamon, butter, and lemon juice.
Pour the cooked berries over the fresh berries in the bowl, stirring to thoroughly combine.
To finish the pie: Spoon the hot filling into the prebaked crust. Arrange the prebaked cutouts atop the filling, using as many or few as you like; any extras make delicious snacks! Let the pie cool fully, then chill until ready to serve.
To make the whipped topping: Just before serving, add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and cream to a large, clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. (A 16-ounce mason jar works well here.) Shake vigorously for about 60 to 90 seconds, until the cream reaches soft peaks.
Spoon the whipped topping over the top of the pie if it's all going to be eaten at once, or top slices individually.
Storage information: Store pie, covered, in the refrigerator for several days.
If you’re purchasing berries at the supermarket, use two 18-ounce clamshells. If you’re using half fresh, half frozen, use one 18-ounce clamshell of fresh berries, and 3 1/2 cups (490g) frozen berries.
The nice thing about a precooked filling is that you can adjust the level of sweetness before pouring it into the crust. If you're unsure how much sugar to use, start with the lesser amount. Once you’ve added the cinnamon, butter, and lemon to the sweetened cooked berries, mix a spoonful of them with an equal-sized spoonful of fresh berries. How does it taste? Does it need more sugar? Sweeten to taste.
Let King Arthur's pastry pros show you how to bake your best pie ever: from flaky crust to perfect filling, we can help! Check out our Pie Baking Guide now.
