In the summer, we like to take our kids up to a wonderful little spot along the Blue Ridge Parkway called Graveyard Fields. It’s a popular stop for casual (kid-friendly) hiking and wild blueberry picking. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles through the Appalachians and was started as an employment program after the Great Depression. It took over 25 years to complete and did, in fact, employ thousands of people. Several friends I have met here in Asheville, tell stories of their grandparents’ housing parkway workers or opening businesses to serve the new crowds coming through. Although there are many fantastic places to stop, my personal favorites (other than Graveyard Fields) within an hour of Asheville are Crabtree Falls, Mount Mitchell, and Craggy Gardens. (For more info visit Romantic Asheville or the official Blue Ridge Parkway site.)
Our Best Blueberry Pie Recipe
But I digress… After picking bundles of wild blueberries, we head home to bake the most classic berry dessert I can think of, Fresh Blueberry Pie with Almond Pie Crust. Who doesn’t like pie? Really, can you imagine someone not enjoying flaky buttery layers of crust and juicy blueberry filing? Although I always prefer baking with fresh berries, the great secret of berry pies is that they can be made with frozen berries all year long. Since berries are generally packaged at the height of the season, berry pies made with frozen berries are debatably just as good. No one has to know your berries weren’t freshly picked!
…with Almond Pie Crust
This particular Fresh Blueberry Pie with Almond Pie Crust is a classic rendition. I like to keep such nostalgic dishes fairly straightforward. The only artist license I took was with the crust. I tweaked my favorite pie crust recipe by incorporating ground almonds and amaretto. The almonds create a slightly more brittle, but exquisitely flaky crust and the amaretto deepens the sweet, nutty flavor. It is a superb crust if I do say so myself! Fresh Blueberry Pie with Almond Pie Crust is a fabulous dessert for any celebration this year. Make it the day before, so it has plenty of time to cool and set.
What Ingredients You Will Need
For the Almond Pie Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup ground raw almonds (almond meal)2 tablespoons granulated sugar1 teaspoon salt12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes7 tablespoons shortening, chilled and cut into cubes2 tablespoons amaretto1-3 tablespoons cold milk
For the Blueberry Pie Filling:
6 cups blueberries1/2 cup all-purpose flour3/4 cup granulated sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamonZest of 1 orange (Lemon juice and lemon zest can be substituted)1 tablespoon orange juice2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes1 large egg
What Tools You Will Need
Food Processor Plastic Wrap9-inch Pie DishRolling PinCookie CuttersPastry BrushPie KnifeBaking Sheet
How To Make Homemade Blueberry Pie
Instructions In a food processor, add flour, ground almonds, sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the cold butter and shortening cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles peas. Add the amaretto and 1 tablespoon of cold milk. Pulse again until the dough comes together. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk if needed. Dump the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Separate into two equal pieces and flatten into two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the blueberries with flour, sugar, cinnamon, orange zest and juice in a large bowl. Toss and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Move the rack to the lowest position. Flour a work surface and roll out one disk of dough in a 12 to 13 -inch circle. Fold the dough over the rolling pin to transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. Repair any cracks and crimp or pinch the edges. Refrigerate the pie crust while working on the top. Roll out the second disk of dough and cut out shapes with a floured cookie cutter. Cut out 16-20 shapes, depending on the size of your cookie cutter. Pour the berry filling/blueberry mixture into the pie bottom crust and top with 2 tablespoons of butter cubes. Arrange the dough shapes over the filling, making sure they overlap a bit, so they stick together while baking. Whisk an egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the egg wash over the pie crust. Place the pie on the low rack and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 375 degrees F, and bake another 45-50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the blueberry filling is bubbling. (If the pie crust looks brown after the first 15 minutes, cover it loosely with foil to slow the browning.) Once out of the oven, resist the urge to cut into the pie and have a slice. The pie needs to cool to room temperature for the filling to thicken up! It usually takes about 2 hours.
How long will these leftovers last in the fridge?
You can store this pie wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
How to Serve this pie?
I love to make this pie a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream grazing the top crust.
What kind of blueberries should I use?
The choice between frozen blueberries and fresh blueberries is one that comes down to your preference. Use fresh blueberries when they are in season, or buy frozen if you prefer.
Other Great Dessert Recipes
Raspberry Sweet BunsBlintz Pancakes with Blackberry SauceCherry Pie Cheesecake DipBrown Butter Brown Sugar CookiesStrawberry Rhubarb Crumble ToppingLemon Poppy Seed BreadNo-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
Check the printable recipe card for all the nutrition facts including calorie percentages. Share This Recipe With Friends!
