I’m excited to share my Berry Custard Pie Recipe, featuring fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries tucked into a simple custard so the pie can be made any time of year.
I never thought a pie could surprise me again, but this Homemade Blueberry Custard Pie did. Fresh or frozen unthawed blueberries sink into a silky custard that wobbles just enough to make you curious, and a whisper of vanilla extract lifts the whole thing so it’s not just sweet, there’s depth.
Call it a Blueberries And Cream Pie cousin if you want, but it’s its own thing. I keep telling myself it’s simple, yet every forkful flips my expectations.
I messed up the crust more times than I admit and still somehow it sings. Try it, you’ll see.
Ingredients
- Blueberries: tart and sweet, full of fiber and antioxidants, make the filling juicy and bright.
- Eggs: give structure and protein, help custard set firm but still silky, not rubbery.
- Butter: cold butter makes flaky crust, adds richness and flavor, so worth the work.
- Flour: gives the crust structure, mostly carbs, simple pantry staple, can taste bland alone.
- Sugar: sweetens filling and crust, feeds browning, use sparingly if you like less sweet.
- Half-and-half: makes custard creamy, adds fat and mouthfeel, swap heavy cream for richer result.
- Cornstarch: a thickener that gives filling body, mostly carbs, keeps fruit from leaking watery.
Ingredient Quantities
- For the crust (or use 1 store-bought 9-inch pie crust)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold cubed
- 2 to 4 tbsp ice water
- 3 cups fresh or frozen unthawed blueberries
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or 1 cup heavy cream plus 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest
How to Make this
1. Make the crust: in a bowl stir 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Cut in 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until pieces are pea sized. Sprinkle 2 to 4 tbsp ice water, tossing until dough just comes together, form a disk, wrap and chill 30 minutes (or use 1 store bought 9 inch pie crust, ok).
2. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll chilled dough to fit a 9 inch pie plate, press into the plate, trim and crimp the edges, chill 10 to 15 minutes on the counter. Line the crust with parchment and pie weights or dried beans and blind bake 12 to 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment and bake 4 to 6 minutes more until lightly golden. Lower oven to 350 F.
3. Put 3 cups fresh or frozen unthawed blueberries in a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest. If using frozen they can go in straight from the freezer, they hold up better that way.
4. Whisk the filling dry: in a medium bowl beat 3 large eggs with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp cornstarch until smooth and a bit pale.
5. Heat 1 1/2 cups half and half (or 1 cup heavy cream plus 1/2 cup whole milk) in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Very slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking to temper, then whisk in the rest.
6. Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium low, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes, dont let it boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp fine salt, and the lemon juice/zest if you didnt already add it to the berries.
7. Spread the blueberries evenly in the pre baked crust and pour the warm custard over them, pressing gently so most berries are covered but some can peek out. The filling might look loose but it will set.
8. Bake at 350 F until the custard is set but the center still has a slight jiggle, about 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust edges brown too fast tent with foil.
9. Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, then chill for 2 to 4 hours or overnight to fully set. For clean slices dip a knife in hot water and wipe between cuts.
10. Serve chilled or at cool room temp, with whipped cream if you like. This pie keeps covered in the fridge 3 to 4 days, though its best within 48 hours.
Equipment Needed
1. 9-inch pie plate (or use a store-bought crust in a pie plate if you like)
2. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium, for crust, berries and custard
3. Pastry cutter or two sharp knives (or a food processor) to cut the butter into the flour
4. Rolling pin to roll the dough to fit the plate
5. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, sugar, milk and cornstarch
6. Parchment paper plus pie weights or a bag of dried beans for blind baking
7. Medium saucepan to heat the milk and cook the custard
8. Whisk for tempering the eggs and smoothing the custard
9. Wire cooling rack, a sharp knife (dip in hot water between cuts) and a rubber spatula for serving
FAQ
Homemade Blueberry Custard Pie Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Butter in crust: swap the 1/2 cup unsalted butter for 1/2 cup chilled vegetable shortening or solid coconut oil, 1:1. Shortening gives a neutral, very flaky crust, coconut oil adds a faint coconut note. Keep it very cold and handle fast.
- All-purpose flour: use a 1:1 gluten free all-purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum) instead of the 1 1/4 cups AP flour. You might need an extra 1 to 2 tbsp ice water, and the crust will be a bit more delicate.
- Cornstarch: replace the 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp arrowroot or tapioca starch, 1:1. Arrowroot makes a clearer, glossier filling and works especially well with frozen berries; tapioca can be slightly chewier when cooled.
- Half-and-half: swap the 1 1/2 cups half-and-half for 1 cup whole milk plus 1/2 cup heavy cream, or for a lighter option use 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk. If you only have low fat milk, stir in 1 to 2 tbsp melted butter per cup to mimic the richness.
Pro Tips
1. Keep everything cold and work fast when making the dough. Cold butter gives pockets of steam that make the crust flaky, and if the butter warms up you’ll end with a tough, shrinking crust.
2. Seal the prebaked crust with beaten egg white to avoid a soggy bottom. Brush the warm crust and return it to the oven a minute so the seal sets, the custard stays out of the dough and the bottom stays crisper.
3. Temper and then strain the custard for the silkiest texture. Add the hot milk very slowly while whisking and once cooked pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to catch any cooked egg bits, that little extra step makes a big difference.
4. Handle frozen berries like a pro: keep them frozen until assembly and toss them with a touch more cornstarch or sugar so they dont bleed into the custard. Let the pie chill fully before slicing its much easier to get clean neat slices.
Homemade Blueberry Custard Pie Recipe
I'm excited to share my Berry Custard Pie Recipe, featuring fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries tucked into a simple custard so the pie can be made any time of year.
8
servings
375
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9-inch pie plate (or use a store-bought crust in a pie plate if you like)
2. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium, for crust, berries and custard
3. Pastry cutter or two sharp knives (or a food processor) to cut the butter into the flour
4. Rolling pin to roll the dough to fit the plate
5. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, sugar, milk and cornstarch
6. Parchment paper plus pie weights or a bag of dried beans for blind baking
7. Medium saucepan to heat the milk and cook the custard
8. Whisk for tempering the eggs and smoothing the custard
9. Wire cooling rack, a sharp knife (dip in hot water between cuts) and a rubber spatula for serving
Ingredients
-
For the crust (or use 1 store-bought 9-inch pie crust)
-
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-
1 tbsp granulated sugar
-
1/2 tsp fine salt
-
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold cubed
-
2 to 4 tbsp ice water
-
3 cups fresh or frozen unthawed blueberries
-
3 large eggs
-
3/4 cup granulated sugar
-
2 tbsp cornstarch
-
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or 1 cup heavy cream plus 1/2 cup whole milk
-
1 tsp vanilla extract
-
1/4 tsp fine salt
-
1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest
Directions
- Make the crust: in a bowl stir 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Cut in 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until pieces are pea sized. Sprinkle 2 to 4 tbsp ice water, tossing until dough just comes together, form a disk, wrap and chill 30 minutes (or use 1 store bought 9 inch pie crust, ok).
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll chilled dough to fit a 9 inch pie plate, press into the plate, trim and crimp the edges, chill 10 to 15 minutes on the counter. Line the crust with parchment and pie weights or dried beans and blind bake 12 to 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment and bake 4 to 6 minutes more until lightly golden. Lower oven to 350 F.
- Put 3 cups fresh or frozen unthawed blueberries in a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest. If using frozen they can go in straight from the freezer, they hold up better that way.
- Whisk the filling dry: in a medium bowl beat 3 large eggs with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp cornstarch until smooth and a bit pale.
- Heat 1 1/2 cups half and half (or 1 cup heavy cream plus 1/2 cup whole milk) in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Very slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking to temper, then whisk in the rest.
- Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium low, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes, dont let it boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp fine salt, and the lemon juice/zest if you didnt already add it to the berries.
- Spread the blueberries evenly in the pre baked crust and pour the warm custard over them, pressing gently so most berries are covered but some can peek out. The filling might look loose but it will set.
- Bake at 350 F until the custard is set but the center still has a slight jiggle, about 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust edges brown too fast tent with foil.
- Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, then chill for 2 to 4 hours or overnight to fully set. For clean slices dip a knife in hot water and wipe between cuts.
- Serve chilled or at cool room temp, with whipped cream if you like. This pie keeps covered in the fridge 3 to 4 days, though its best within 48 hours.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 163g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 375kcal
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.19g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.84g
- Monounsaturated: 4.6g
- Cholesterol: 109mg
- Sodium: 278mg
- Potassium: 161mg
- Carbohydrates: 45.9g
- Fiber: 2.9g
- Sugar: 26.2g
- Protein: 5.6g
- Vitamin A: 558IU
- Vitamin C: 6.8mg
- Calcium: 68mg
- Iron: 0.65mg
