I’m sharing my Blueberry Crumble Pie recipe, complete with a simple oat crumb topping and a make-ahead freezer trick that saves time for any gathering.

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I love a pie that makes you stop what you’re doing and dive right in. My Homemade Blueberry Crumble Pie celebrates fresh or frozen blueberries nestled in an unbaked pie crust (store bought or homemade) with a crumb that somehow steals the show.

People trade names for it all the time, you’ll hear Blueberry Crumble Pie With Frozen Blueberries or just Blueberry Pie With Crumb Topping, same good stuff. I almost always ruin the first one, then fix it, and by the third try it’s exactly what I wanted, messy and a little proud.

I got a few simple hacks i swear work.

Ingredients

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Blueberries: sweet-tart, high in fiber and antioxidants, add juicy brightness and color.
Rolled oats: give chewy texture, whole grain fiber, slightly nutty flavor and substance.
Brown sugar: adds deep caramel sweetness, moist crumble, mostly simple carbs so eat moderately.
Butter: rich fat gives golden crumble and mouthfeel, not a health food really.
All purpose flour: structure for topping, mainly carbs, little fiber or protein.
Lemon juice and zest: bright acid lifts sweetness, adds fresh tang and aroma.
Cornstarch: thickens filling without changing flavor, its pure starch with no fiber.

Ingredient Quantities

1 9 inch unbaked pie crust (store bought or homemade)

5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

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 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (1 stick)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F and set a rack in the middle; have a 9 inch unbaked pie crust ready in its pan, crimp the edges a little so it looks homey.

2. In a large bowl mix 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; if you want, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for extra depth.

3. Add 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries to that bowl and toss gently until every berry is coated; if using frozen berries dont thaw them first, just toss and pour.

4. Pour the blueberry mixture into the prepared pie crust and dot the top with the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces.

5. Make the oat crumble: in a separate bowl combine 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 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt.

6. Cut in 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed using a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly with some pea sized chunks left; you dont want it completely sandy.

7. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the blueberries, pressing lightly so it clings but still looks rough and rustic.

8. Bake 45 to 55 minutes until the crumble is deep golden and the filling is bubbling in the center; if the crust edges brown too fast tent them with foil after 25 minutes. If you used frozen berries you may need an extra 10 minutes.

9. Let the pie cool at least 2 hours so the filling sets (it will be messy if you try to cut it hot), then serve warm with vanilla ice cream. If you want to make ahead you can wrap the unbaked pie tightly and freeze up to a month, bake from frozen adding about 15 to 25 minutes to the bake time.

Equipment Needed

1. 9 inch pie pan with the unbaked crust
2. Large mixing bowl (for the blueberry filling)
3. Small mixing bowl (for the oat crumble)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Microplane zester or fine grater and a small lemon juicer or fork
6. Pastry cutter or two forks or your fingers to cut in the butter
7. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for mixing and scraping
8. Baking sheet to catch drips, plus oven mitts and a cooling rack

FAQ

Q: Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh? A: Yes you can. Use them straight from the freezer, toss with the sugar and cornstarch while still frozen so they dont get mushy, and add a few extra minutes to the bake time since frozen fruit cools the filling down.

Q: How do I stop the crust from getting soggy? A: Prebake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes at 375F or brush the cooled crust with a thin layer of beaten egg white or melted butter, then chill before adding the filling. Also make sure the cornstarch is fully mixed with the sugar so it can thicken the juices while baking.

Q: Can I make this pie ahead or freeze it? A: Yes. You can assemble and freeze unbaked pie for up to 1 month, wrapped well. Or bake, cool completely, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a 325F oven until warmed through so the topping stays crisp.

Q: My crumble is browning too fast what do I do? A: Loosely tent the pie with foil once the top is golden and let it finish baking until the filling bubbles in the center. That keeps the topping from burning while the filling thickens.

Q: Can I swap ingredients like oats or cornstarch? A: You can use quick oats in a pinch but texture will be finer, and tapioca or arrowroot works instead of cornstarch for thickening. For gluten free swaps use a GF flour blend and certified GF oats. Reduce sugar a bit if your berries are very sweet.

Q: How do I get a super crisp crumble topping? A: Keep the butter cold and cut it into the oats and flour until pea sized bits remain, dont overwork it. Chill the assembled pie for 20 minutes before baking and bake on a lower rack for a crisp bottom crust.

Homemade Blueberry Crumble Pie Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Blueberries: swap the 5 cups for 5 cups mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, sliced strawberries), or 5 cups pitted cherries, or 5 cups frozen raspberries. If the fruit is extra juicy cut the sugar by 1-2 tbsp.
Cornstarch: replace 3 tbsp with 3 tbsp arrowroot powder, or 3 tbsp tapioca starch, or about 4 tbsp all purpose flour (flour thickens a bit less so cook the filling a little longer).
Old fashioned rolled oats: use 1 cup quick oats, or 1 cup almond meal to make the crumble gluten free, or 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) for extra crunch.
8 tbsp cold unsalted butter: sub equal amount chilled coconut oil (solid), or vegan butter sticks, or cold margarine. Coconut oil can add a mild coconut flavor and melts a bit faster, just fyi.

Pro Tips

– If you use frozen berries add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch or a tablespoon of quick-cooking tapioca to the filling so it sets up firmer. Frozen berries leak more liquid, that little extra thickener saves a soggy slice.

– For a really crunchy, rustic topping grate cold butter on the coarse side of a box grater or freeze the butter and pulse it briefly in a food processor. Stop when you still see pea sized lumps, don’t overwork it or it gets sandy.

– Bake the pie on a preheated rimmed baking sheet. That gives the bottom crust more direct heat and helps prevent a soggy bottom plus it catches any drips so cleanup is easy.

– Brighten the filling without changing it a lot by zesting extra lemon over the top before serving and sprinkling a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on the warm slices. It makes the blueberries pop and the crumble taste less sweet.

Homemade Blueberry Crumble Pie Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Blueberry Crumble Pie recipe, complete with a simple oat crumb topping and a make-ahead freezer trick that saves time for any gathering.

Servings

servings

Calories

528

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9 inch pie pan with the unbaked crust
2. Large mixing bowl (for the blueberry filling)
3. Small mixing bowl (for the oat crumble)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Microplane zester or fine grater and a small lemon juicer or fork
6. Pastry cutter or two forks or your fingers to cut in the butter
7. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for mixing and scraping
8. Baking sheet to catch drips, plus oven mitts and a cooling rack

Ingredients

1 9 inch unbaked pie crust (store bought or homemade)
5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
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 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (1 stick)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F and set a rack in the middle; have a 9 inch unbaked pie crust ready in its pan, crimp the edges a little so it looks homey.
In a large bowl mix 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; if you want, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for extra depth.
Add 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries to that bowl and toss gently until every berry is coated; if using frozen berries dont thaw them first, just toss and pour.
Pour the blueberry mixture into the prepared pie crust and dot the top with the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces.
Make the oat crumble: in a separate bowl combine 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 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt.
Cut in 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed using a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly with some pea sized chunks left; you dont want it completely sandy.
Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the blueberries, pressing lightly so it clings but still looks rough and rustic.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes until the crumble is deep golden and the filling is bubbling in the center; if the crust edges brown too fast tent them with foil after 25 minutes. If you used frozen berries you may need an extra 10 minutes.
Let the pie cool at least 2 hours so the filling sets (it will be messy if you try to cut it hot), then serve warm with vanilla ice cream. If you want to make ahead you can wrap the unbaked pie tightly and freeze up to a month, bake from frozen adding about 15 to 25 minutes to the bake time.

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.