A Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling recipe for fresh/frozen blueberries. Lovely on ice cream, for cheesecake topping, pancakes & waffles, and of course, pie! Naturally gluten free and delicious.
We went blueberry picking last week and got sooooo many berries I had to freeze, eat, and make pie filling with them bc what else would you do with them? I swear the baby had blue poop she ate so many. 😆 I kept this recipe simple on purpose. I've had many delicious blueberry pies, but my favorites let the blueberry flavor shine through. I added a little lemon and vanilla to boost those natural yummy blueberry flavors. 
This recipe is similar to my Homemade Cherry Pie Filling, but I added more blueberries because they cook down quite a bit. Some fruits (mainly citrus) also have more natural pectin than others, which is why I added a little more corn starch as well.
Can you use frozen blueberries in pie filling?
Yes! I would at least partially thaw them before using them though, that's my preference.
Can homemade blueberry pie filling be frozen?
Yes! I would thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter and give it a stir to get any lumps out, especially if you’re using it to bake a pie. I would not recommend using a microwave to thaw.
Can you bottle blueberry pie filling?
Yes, 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. There's more science to it but I won't bore you with that. Instead, a modified corn starch called ClearJel can be used, which distributes heat better and doesn't insulate bacteria against the heat. The finished product has a much better texture as well. However, I have no experience canning this recipe, so I haven't posted instructions.
How to make homemade blueberry pie filling:
- Wash blueberries carefully.
- In medium sized saucepan, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, and salt. Stir until dissolved. Add blueberries.
- Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, until mixture comes to gentle boil. Stir gently only occasionally or you'll crush the blueberries as they cook.
- Remove from heat and add lemon zest and vanilla. Cool to room temperature before using as pie filling or dessert topping.
More recipes that use blueberry pie filling:
- Blueberry Jello Salad
- Raspberries and Cream Bars (substitute blueberry pie filling for raspberries)
- Cream Cheese Pie Crust
- No Churn Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream (substitute blueberry pie filling for cherry pie filling)
I've made the filling a couple of different ways (different assembly method). I've made it by just combining all the ingredients and cooking, and by doing the method in the recipe below. It works both ways, but I like to have more whole blueberries in my filling, and you can avoid crushing them by combining most of the ingredients first and then adding the blueberries.
Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (approx 800 g)
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
- 5 Tablespoons corn starch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Wash blueberries carefully. If using frozen, at least partially thaw before using.
- In medium size saucepan, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, and salt. Stir together until ingredients are mostly dissolved.
- Add blueberries. 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.
Notes
Nutrition
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Lisa
Can I make the filling the night before and then bake pie the next morning ?
Sara
Yes you can. Just make sure to refrigerate it.
April
Can you can this recipe in a water bath?
Sara
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
Can the blueberry mixture be frozen for pies in the future
Sara
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
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
Hi Carlene, I would describe it as shiny, like the pictures show.
Carlene R Staller
Thanks Sara for your quick response. It is just the topping I was looking for.
LeeAnn Ronin
I ONLY HAVE ONE PIINT OF BLUEBERRIES DO I NEED TO ADJUST THE INGREDIENTS TO THAT AMOUNT?
Sara
Hi LeeAnn, yes you would need to adjust the ingredients.
Misti
So I’ve made my pie crust and now the blueberry filling, how long do I bake the pie and at what temp!
Sara
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
Is the lemon zest necessary?
Sara
It doesn’t impact the texture but it would change the flavor to leave the zest out.
Theresa
How much pie filling will this yield?
Sara
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
How long can this be stored in the refrigerator?
Sara
Hi Molly, you can keep it refrigerated for 3-4 days.