Blueberry Pie Filling

Have you ever had too many berries or just wanted to try your hand at some farm-fresh cooking? With this simply delicious recipe for blueberry pie filling you can make the most of the harvest while practicing some traditional farmstead cooking!

Pie is the perfect comfort dessert. It has everything you want from crunchy crust to sticky sweet fruit and no flavored pie can beat blueberry. It is the ultimate in sweet berries and popular with so many different people, but often pie can feel like an intimidating dessert for novice bakers. That’s where this lifesaving recipe comes in handy! This simple to make Blueberry Pie Filling makes crafting the perfect berry pie as easy as opening a jar!

Jump to:

• What You’ll Love About Blueberry Pie Filling
• Ingredients
• Equipment
• How to Make Blueberry Pie Filling
• Delicious Variations
• How to Make a Pie with Blueberry Pie Filling
• Blueberry Pie Filling Recipe

What You’ll Love About Blueberry Pie Filling

Crazing for Canning!

Every delightful bite of fresh blueberries is an exciting treat and that is why you can't let a single blue bauble go to waste! This easy-to-follow recipe is the perfect way to make the most of the summer berry crop.

Turning delicious blueberries into pie filling can extend their shelf life and it's a great way to try easy canning.

Everything’s Better Homemade!

It may sound cliche but you can really taste the love in homemade baked goods. Cooking is a great way to express yourself and relax. You can put so much feeling into your food and the labor you put in turns into something remarkable by way of delicious flavor.

Next time you crave a treat don't reach for the processed snacks at the grocery store, make it yourself. The pride alone makes the food taste better, plus you can control what goes in your body and that's empowering.

Gorgeous for Gifting!

Everyone knows all the best gifts are edible! Simple says it all and what better way to say you care than with homemade gifts. Give jars of this tasty fruit pie filling to your favorite baker or someone you're really sweet on.

Ingredients

Blueberries

Everyone loves this sweet and tart fruit and there is no better way to make use of it than in a pie filling! For this recipe, you can use frozen or fresh berries.

For fresh berries, remember to wash them well and remove any stems or leaves before using them.

If using frozen, there is no need to thaw the berries, just add them straight to the pot. They will have more water, so you can shorten the water in this recipe a little to compensate.

Water

Water helps thin out the sticky sauce.

Granulated Sugar

Although blueberries are sweet they need a little help to become a jam-y sweet pie filling. Pick white granulated sugar for this recipe or in a pinch you can swap for brown sugar to add a little more spicy sweetness.

Cornstarch and Water

Cornstarch acts as a thickener in this recipe. It works as it is heated, so it's just perfect for thickening this cooked pie filling. In a jam, you can swap this ingredient for potato starch or arrowroot powder.

Cornstarch needs liquid to bloom into a slurry with strong thickening potential, so a dash of water helps to do this.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice adds citrus to the filling and actually helps preserve the berries so this filling can last a little longer. If you prefer, you can substitute this ingredient with another type of citrus fruit like lime or orange.

Equipment

Saucepan

For this Blueberry Pie Filling, you will want a medium or large saucepan. Using a saucepan with high sides can help contain some of the sticky splatters.

Small Mixing Bowl and Tiny Whisk

The cornstarch and water will make a thickening slurry for this recipe, so you will need a small bowl and whisk to mix it in.

Jar(s)

Even if you are just storing this pie filling for a day or two before using it, a jar is a perfect container. Plus, Blueberry Pie Filling looks stunning in a mason jar! You can opt to use a standard heat-safe food container, instead.

Canning Equipment

If you are making this recipe to store long-term you will need some extra equipment for the canning process. Here is a list of basic canning equipment essentials:

• Jars with clean lids and rings
• A homemade canning bath or countertop canner
• Jar tongs/canning tongs
• Kitchen Towels
• Heat-proof gloves

How to Make Blueberry Pie Filling

• Place a medium saucepan on the stovetop.
• Add the blueberries and about ¼ cup of water to the pan.
• Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin breaking down.
• While the blueberry mixture is cooking, make a slurry. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of water, and the lemon juice and stir until smooth. Set aside.
• Stir the sugar into the warm blueberry mixture.
• Stir the cornstarch slurry and then add it to the blueberries.
• Stir the blueberries constantly until the mixture thickens.
• Once the mixture bubbles it’s done.
• Remove from the heat and transfer it to a jar or bowl to cool.
• Cover the warm mixture so it doesn’t form a skin and let it come to room temperature.
• If you are not using the pie filling right away, refrigerate it.

Expert Tips

• Things get sticky quickly with this recipe, so have a clean spoon rest ready and try using a rubber spatula because it's easy to clean.
• If you love an extra vibrant pie, add 2 drops of blue food coloring to the finished filling before storing.

Delicious Variations

Rainbow Berry

Blueberries are so tasty on their own, but combining them with other sweet berry flavors can make them really shine. Try adding strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or even pitted cherries to the delicious blueberry blend and then cooking as directed.

Blood Orange Berry

Blueberries love citrus and swapping the lemon in this recipe for a fun and flirty fruit like blood orange can be so fun and fresh. Zest a little blood orange into the pie-filling mixture and heat as directed. It adds a sweet orange aroma and flavor to the filling!

Tropical Berry

If you love tropical and summer flavors, why not add them to the pie filling!? Try adding some pineapples and papaya to the blueberries and then cook as directed for a sweet and tropical taste.

How to Store Blueberry Pie Filling for Short-Term Use

If you plan to use this Blueberry Pie filling within 1 week of making it, the best way to store it is in the fridge. Store the pie filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How to Can Blueberry Pie Filling for Long-Term Storage

If you are just making this pie filling because you don't want your berries to go bad and you're not sure when you’ll use it, consider canning. Canning is the process of jarring and storing jams, pie fillings, salsa, and more for long-term storage.

Here are some tips for easy canning of this Blueberry Pie Filling:

• Sterilize the lids (just the flats, not the rings) by simmering them for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Fill a large pot or hot water canner with about 1 to 2 inches of water and place the empty jars without lids in the bath. Be careful not to get any water in them.
• When ready to fill, use jar tongs to remove the hot jars one at a time and then fill each one.
• Stir the jar gently to remove the bubbles and wipe the top if necessary.
• Gently place the lid on and tighten the right just to “fingertip” tightness, this means the loosest tight fitting.
• Using the jar tongs, move the filled jars back to the hot water bath.
• Add enough water to cover the jars.
• For this blueberry pie filling, process the jar for about 20 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the bath and let them cool on a towel for about 24 hours.

Properly sealed jars can be stored at ambient temperature until they're opened. Unopened jars can be stored for up to 1 year. Once opened, if you don’t use the whole jar, store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How to Make a Pie with Blueberry Pie Filling

This filling is so tasty and versatile that you will want to bake a ton of berry-flavored treats! This delicious filling works in pies, crumbles, cobblers, cakes, and more! The Blueberry Pie Filling is fully cooked, so it can be used as is or in baked desserts.

To make the perfect hot pie with this filling follow these simple steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and pull out a standard-size pie pan.
• Roll out two pie crusts (store-bought or your favorite recipe).
• Gently press one pie crust into the pie pan. Use your fingers to fit it around the edges.
• Carefully scoop the pie filling onto the bottom crust.
• Before placing the top crust, cut 2 to 4 slits in it.
• Center the top crust over the pie pan and lay it down. Use your fingers or a fork to crimp the edges closed.
• Bake the pie for about 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 40 minutes or until the crust is perfectly golden.

Here is how to make a no-bake version of Blueberry Pie:

• Grab a premade graham cracker crust or make your own.
• Top the crust with the blueberry pie filling.
• Top with filling with whipped cream or Cool Whip and then chill.

Does Blueberry Pie Filling Need to be Reheated?

No! This pie filling is safe to use in no-bake recipes and hot recipes, alike! Use it hot or cold, whatever suits your tastes!

One super fun way to use this pie filling without reheating it is by swirling it into a bowl of vanilla ice cream!

Is Blueberry Pie Filling Healthy?

While delicious blueberries have plenty of healthy attributes this pie filling is not exactly a healthy way to get your daily recommended dose of fruit.

Blueberries are rich in vitamins C and K, and they also have a lot of potassium and manganese to boost your body; however, in this recipe, the nutritious blueberries are cooked down with lots of sugar. Sugar can be detrimental to our energy levels and can throw off our body's basic functions.

Overall, this delicious pie filling is a great sometimes-snack or treat, but should not replace fresh fruit in your diet.

Print