4th of July Dessert Recipe: Star Spangled Blueberry Pie
There’s nothing better than blueberry pie on the 4th of July. The blueberries are juicy and sweet because they’re in season, and everybody loves a good piece of pie at a barbeque or cookout. That in itself is a reason to celebrate! When I make a blueberry pie, I always use my delicious Cognac Barrel-aged Pure Vanilla Extract, and I add a little cinnamon. Follow my lead and you’ll be sharing a blueberry pie recipe that really shines. I also love making blueberry jam with leftover blueberries, but that’s a story for another day!
Bonus: blueberries make for an easy pie recipe.
Blueberry pie is one of the easiest fruit pies to make because you don’t have to peel or pit anything. It’s also one of our most traditional pies, as blueberries are native to North America. Americans have been making blueberry pies since the first immigrants arrived here from Europe.
How to Pick the Best Blueberries for a Blueberry Pie
In order to make a good blueberry pie, you’ll want to choose the right blueberries. Go for the bluest berries you can find. Avoid soft and blemished blueberries. If you find some good ones, stock up! Don’t worry about wasting them—you can just freeze them for later use. Certain berries are more flavorful than others. Wild blueberries are my first choice when I can find them.
How to Freeze Blueberries: The Individual Quick Freeze Method
If you do decide to stock up, here’s a pro tip for how to freeze blueberries: the “individual quick freeze” method. This is the best way to freeze fresh berries (and really, any fruit pieces).
Here’s how it works:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then lay the fresh fruit out evenly over the pan. Stick the whole thing in the freezer, and let it freeze!
Once your fruit is frozen, you can transfer it to a freezer bag and keep it on hand for up to 6 months.
I love using this blueberry freezing method whenever I’m lucky enough to get fresh-picked berries right off the stand at my local farmer’s market. I’m telling you, I stock up! The best part, of course, is enjoying that fresh blueberry flavor all year long.
Tips and Tricks: Making a Blueberry Pie to Remember
My Star Spangled Blueberry Pie is my favorite dessert to serve at 4th of July gatherings. Since the 4th of July usually means a lot of guests will be around, I like to make it pretty—just to add another layer of enjoyment! My friends and family certainly deserve it, and I bet yours do, too. The extra pizzazz is easy to achieve: just break out your star-shaped cookie cutters (or cut out stars by hand) and place them on top of the unbaked pie before putting it into the oven. Remember to give them a brush of egg wash and a sprinkle of sugar so they come out nicely browned and sparkly!
Serving Up Your Blueberry Pie for 4th of July and Summer Entertaining
This festive 4th of July pie is perfect for your next summer buffet, picnic, or any outdoor get-together. Of course, the best way to serve this (and most pies) is with vanilla ice cream. I don’t skimp on the quality of my ice cream, especially if I put in the time to make a homemade pie. My personal favorites are Ben and Jerry’s or Häagen Dazs. If you really want to go all out, you could pair this pie with some of my homemade Sweet Corn Ice Cream. Now I’m getting hungry!
If you’re feeling inspired by this pie recipe…
Then you’ll adore my new pie cookbook, My Life in Pies: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Family and Friends. Inside you’ll find recipes like this summer berry pie, along with savory, meal-worthy pies and other creative treats.
Star Spangled Blueberry Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- One recipe of Mary’s Favorite Pie Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies
- 8 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of allspice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Mary’s Cognac Barrel-Aged Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon cream or half and half
- Raw turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the pie dough. After you make it, you will have two dough balls in the refrigerator. You will need both of them for this recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out one ball of dough into an 11-inch round. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie tin. Trim the dough so that there is a slight overhang of dough. Using your fingers, crimp the dough around the side of the pan. Place the lined pie pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- To make the filling, separate 1 cup of berries and place them in a food processor. Add the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and allspice. Pulse to puree the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. The mixture will begin to thicken after a minute or two of boiling.
- Place the remaining blueberries in a large mixing bowl. Pour the thickened blueberry mixture over the berries and stir gently to combine. Let the filling cool for 10 minutes before filling the pie shell.
- Remove the lined pie pan from the refrigerator. Transfer the filling into the chilled pie shell. Remove the other piece of pie dough from the refrigerator and roll out to a ⅛-inch thickness. Using star-shaped cookie cutters (or a knife), cut out stars and place them decoratively over the top of the filling. I like to use different sized stars for variety, but your pie is all up to you! Gather any dough scraps and wrap in plastic wrap. Unused pie dough can be refrigerated or frozen until it is needed.
- Combine the egg and cream or half and half. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg wash over the pie edge and the star cutouts. Sprinkle raw sugar over the entire pie. Place the pie on a baking sheet pan (this one likes to bubble up sometimes!) and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before serving.
