Homemade Blueberry Crumble Pie Recipe

I’m sharing my Blueberry Crumble Pie recipe with a simple oat crumb topping and a clever freezer-friendly trick that makes it easy to prepare ahead for parties or a family getaway.

I love when a simple pile of fruit turns into something almost outrageous, and this Blueberry Crumble Pie did that to me the first time. With fresh or frozen blueberries and old fashioned rolled oats folded into the crumble, it hits bright juicy notes and a toasty crunch at once, yet somehow stays foolproof.

I still get texts asking for it because the filling bubbles up just right and the oat bits stay crisp, but there’s a tiny trick I keep to myself. And yes you can freeze it for last minute plans, if you wanna be smug about it.

Ingredients

• Blueberries: sweet, tart, high in fiber and vitamin C, lots of antioxidants.
• Butter: for richness, adds fat and flakiness, not healthy in big amounts.
• Old fashioned oats: make crumble chewy, add fiber and texture, mildly nutty.
• All purpose flour: gives structure and chew, mostly carbs, not very nutritious alone.
• Brown sugar: adds deep caramel sweetness, some molasses, more flavor than white.
• Lemon juice/zest: brightens filling, adds acidity to balance sweet, boosts flavor.
• Cornstarch: thickens filling, mostly carbs, neutral taste, keeps juices from running.
• Vanilla extract: little bit makes flavors rounder, adds sweet aroma, optional but nice.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (for crust)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (for crust)
• 1/4 tsp salt (for crust)
• 1 stick (8 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cubed (for crust)
• 3 to 4 tbsp ice water
• 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (about 700 g)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp salt (for filling)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (for crumble)
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour (for crumble)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for crumble)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt (for crumble)
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed (for crumble)
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving (optional)

How to Make this

1. Make the crust: in a bowl mix 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp salt; cut in 1 stick (8 tbsp) cold unsalted butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size bits, then add 3 to 4 tbsp ice water a tablespoon at a time until dough just holds; shape into a disk, wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes — don’t overwork it or you’ll get a tough crust.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface roll the chilled dough into a roughly 9-inch circle, transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, trim and crimp edges, then pop it back in the fridge while you make the filling.

3. Make the filling: in a large bowl toss 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries with 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract if using; if you’re using frozen berries don’t thaw them first, toss straight from the freezer so they don’t go mushy.

4. Pour the blueberry mixture into the chilled pie crust, dot the fruit with 1 tbsp unsalted butter cut into small pieces so the filling gets little buttery pockets.

5. Make the oat crumble: in a bowl stir together 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats, 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt; cut in 8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter until large clumps form and everything is crumbly but holds together when pressed.

6. Spread the crumble evenly over the blueberry filling, pressing lightly so it sticks in places but keeping plenty of loose texture on top for crunch.

7. Bake on the middle rack for about 50 to 60 minutes, until the crumble is golden and the filling is bubbling in the center; if the edges of the crust brown too fast tent them with foil after 25 to 30 minutes.

8. Cool the pie at least 2 hours on a rack so the filling sets, but it’s awesome warm too; serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for maximum summer vibes.

9. Freezing and other hacks: you can assemble the pie and freeze it unbaked wrapped airtight for up to a month, bake from frozen adding about 15 to 20 minutes and keep an eye on browning; other tips — keep butter and water ice cold, handle dough as little as possible, and if the filling seems too thin mix a little extra cornstarch with cold water and stir it in next time.

Equipment Needed

1. Two mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Pastry cutter or two knives to cut in the butter
4. Rolling pin
5. 9-inch pie pan
6. Baking sheet (to catch any drips)
7. Bench scraper or sharp knife to trim edges
8. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for mixing
9. Cooling rack and oven mitts for finishing and safety

FAQ

Homemade Blueberry Crumble Pie Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour for the crust: use pastry flour for a softer, flakier crust, same amount but you may need a bit less ice water. Or use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend if you need GF, its usually a straight swap though some blends want xanthan gum.
• Cold unsalted butter: swap with cold vegetable shortening for extra flake and less butter flavor, or chilled solid coconut oil if you like a faint coconut note; both work best when kept very cold and handled quickly.
• Cornstarch in the filling: replace with tapioca starch or arrowroot powder at about the same amount, arrowroot gives a clearer glossy filling and tapioca holds up well if you store leftovers, just dont overcook arrowroot or it can thin out.
• Old fashioned rolled oats in the crumble: use chopped nuts like almonds or pecans for crunch, or sub half the oats with almond flour for a more tender crumble, volumes stay about the same but texture will change.

Pro Tips

1) Keep everything cold and handle it fast. Cut the butter into the flour so you still have pea sized bits, add ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just holds, then stop. If the dough warms up, pop it back in the fridge, otherwise you’ll get a tough crust.

2) If you’re using frozen blueberries don’t thaw them first, toss them straight from the freezer so they dont go mushy. The cornstarch will still thicken as it bakes, and if the berries look extra juicy add a little extra cornstarch next time.

3) Dot the filling with small pieces of butter and spread the crumble so some of it is pressed into the top while plenty stays loose for crunch. Big clumps in the crumble are a good thing, they give you the best texture.

4) Watch the crust edges and tent them with foil if they brown too fast after about 25 to 30 minutes. Bake until the center is bubbling, that’s the real sign the filling is done.

5) You can assemble the pie and freeze it unbaked for up to a month, wrapped airtight. Bake from frozen but add about 15 to 20 minutes and keep an eye on browning. Let the pie cool at least two hours to set, but hey it’s still awesome warm with ice cream.