An easy Blueberry Pie Filling recipe from scratch for fresh or frozen blueberries that only takes 20 minutes to make!
I love this recipe because of the vanilla and lemon in it. It REALLY makes that blueberry flavor pop. This recipe is similar to my Homemade Cherry Pie Filling, but I added more blueberries because they cook down quite a bit, more than cherries would.
Some fruits (mainly citrus) also have more natural pectin than others, which is why I added a little more corn starch to this recipe. It also happens to be naturally gluten free and vegan, just like my Homemade Apple Pie Filling. Lovely in No Churn Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream , for cheesecake cookie topping, pancakes & waffles, and of course, pie using Cream Cheese Pie Crust!
Jump to:
What To Expect
- Ease: This is a pretty straightforward beginner recipe with simple steps.
- Taste: This filling is made with fresh or frozen blueberries and has some added sugar and lemon juice to balance everything out. It's on the sweet side, with the beautiful blueberry flavor as the hero. The vanilla enhances the flavor and doesn't overpower it.
- Time: Since this recipe is prepared on the stovetop, it cooks in just a few minutes! If you're using fresh blueberries, it won't take quite as long for the pie filling to cook.
🛒 Ingredients
- Blueberries - you can use fresh or frozen, wild blueberries or regular, as long as they are weighed they will work wonderfully.
- Lemon - adds much needed acidity to the pie filling and helps the blueberry flavor pop!
- Cornstarch - the gluten free thickener used to help make the pie filling have a gel like consistency.
- White Granulated Sugar - the easiest sweetener to use, some readers have used brown sugar and coconut sugar with success.
- Vanilla - this adds flavor and makes it the BEST blueberry pie filling ever!
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- You can leave out the lemon in the recipe, but it really does brighten up the flavor!
- You can use coconut sugar in place of the white granulated sugar.
🧑🍳 Instructions
It's super easy to make blueberry pie filling, I'll walk you through the process.
Step 1. Wash blueberries carefully and remove any extra stems or leaves.
If using frozen make sure you weigh them to get the correct amount as they are larger when frozen and cook down.
Step 2. In medium size saucepan, combine blueberries, water, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, and salt.
Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil, about 5 minutes, only stirring occasionally. Mixing too much will crush the blueberries as they cook.
Step 4. After pie filling has come to a gentle boil and has thickened, remove from heat and stir in vanilla and lemon zest gently.
Step 5. Allow to cool to room temperature before using as a topping or pie filling.
📌 Top Tips For Success
- Cool completely before filling a raw pie crust, otherwise it could melt the butter in the pie dough and cause problems baking.
- Add the lemon zest before cooking for more lemon flavor, and after for a more mellow lemon flavor.
- Weigh your blueberries to get a more accurate ratio of liquid to fruit.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you may have to heat it up after thawing to make the starches shiny and not jelly like.
Blueberries, water, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, a little salt, and lemon.
Pie filling must boil to activate the starches in the thickener, and once activated will help it thicken as it cools down.
Yes! The blueberry pie filling will seem more runny if it is hot.
You can make canned blueberry pie filling but it's not recommended to use corn starch. Heat distribution can be uneven inside the jars if cornstarch is used, which can prevent the bacteria being killed, possibly making it unsafe to eat.
- Instead, a modified food starch called ClearJel can be used, which distributes heat better and doesn't insulate bacteria against the heat.
However, I have no experience canning this recipe using ClearJel, so I haven't posted instructions.
🫐 More Ways To Use Blueberries
There are MANY ways to make blueberry pie filling desserts, but one of my favorites is to use it in place of the raspberries in Easy Raspberry Cream Cheese Bars, or in Frozen Blueberries with Yogurt for a snack. If you need more ideas, I got you covered!
📝 Printable Recipe
Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling
Ingredients
Instructions
- Wash blueberries carefully. If using frozen, at least partially thaw before using.
- In medium size saucepan, combine blueberries, water, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, and salt. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil, about 5 minutes, only stirring occasionally. Mixing too much will crush the blueberries as they cook.
- After pie filling has come to a gentle boil and has thickened, remove from heat and stir in vanilla and lemon zest gently. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before using as a topping.
Lisa says
Can I make the filling the night before and then bake pie the next morning ?
Sara says
Yes you can. Just make sure to refrigerate it.
April says
Can you can this recipe in a water bath?
Sara says
Hi April, before I made this recipe I researched bottling methods for canning pie filling. It’s inconsistent and considered unsafe to bottle with regular cornstarch, the heat distribution is uneven inside the jars and sometimes doesn’t kill all of the bacteria. I had done it in the past and served it to my family and we were okay, but I wouldn't risk it now, especially with smaller children and I gift it to others and wouldn't want to make them ill.
I usually just freeze blueberries then make them into pie filling when I’m ready to use them, or use ClearJel (recommended for canning pie filling) instead of cornstarch. Hope that helps!
Christine says
Can the blueberry mixture be frozen for pies in the future
Sara says
It can. I prefer to freeze it in a raw pie crust; I have however frozen the filling separately and then used it.
Carlene R Staller says
I want to use this as a topping for a lemon pie, does it have a nice glossy look or is it dull?
thanks
Sara says
Hi Carlene, I would describe it as shiny, like the pictures show.
Carlene R Staller says
Thanks Sara for your quick response. It is just the topping I was looking for.
LeeAnn Ronin says
I ONLY HAVE ONE PIINT OF BLUEBERRIES DO I NEED TO ADJUST THE INGREDIENTS TO THAT AMOUNT?
Sara says
Hi LeeAnn, yes you would need to adjust the ingredients.
Misti says
So I’ve made my pie crust and now the blueberry filling, how long do I bake the pie and at what temp!
Sara says
Hi Misti, it depends on if you are using bottom crust only, or lattice style crust, or a complete top and bottom crust.
For a complete top and bottom crust, I usually bake my pies (with a pre- cooked filling) at 425 F for 40-45 minutes. I also make sure my pastry and pie filling is cold (at least cooled to room temperature) so the filling doesn’t melt the butter in the pastry dough before it begins to bake.
Jennifer says
Is the lemon zest necessary?
Sara says
It doesn’t impact the texture but it would change the flavor to leave the zest out.
Theresa says
How much pie filling will this yield?
Sara says
Hi Theresa, it depends on the size and weight of the blueberries, I use about 800g and that yields 3.5 to 4 cups of pie filling.
Molly says
How long can this be stored in the refrigerator?
Sara says
Hi Molly, you can keep it refrigerated for 3-4 days.