How to Make Blueberry Pie

This classic lattice-topped blueberry pie is perfect with ice cream or whipped cream, and it's delicious as a next-day breakfast.

Blueberry Pie

The unofficial state food of Maine and irresistible to any berry fan, blueberry pie is an essential warm-weather treat, especially under a melting scoop of vanilla ice cream.


Follow this step-by-step guide to make Zoe Francois' tart, sweet blueberry pie.

Have all of your ingredients ready and chilled. If it is hot out, put the flour in the freezer for a little while, which will make it easier to work with.


Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to work the butter into the flour, until it looks like cornmeal and starts to stick together when squeezed. Keep some of the butter in pea-size pieces. If the butter is too soft and it won't stay in pieces, freeze the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then try again.

Add the water and vodka to the flour-butter mixture. Stir it with your hand or a wooden spoon, being very gentle to keep the pea-sized butter chunks intact. 


Once the flour has come together, knead the dough into a ball. It should not be dry or crumbly, but also not perfectly smooth.

Chill the Dough

Divide the dough into two rounded disks. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

Flour a surface and roll out one of the disks to 1/8-inch thickness. If the dough seems hard, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes. (You still want the dough to be chilled, so the butter doesn't get too soft.) 

As you roll it out, round the edges with your hands. 


Once you have it rolled out, measure the dough to make sure it will fit the 12-inch pie plate. There should be about 2 inches of extra dough beyond the bottom of the plate.

Fold the dough over the rolling pin to lift it, then gently fit the crust into the plate without trimming the edges. Move the pie plate to the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Roll out the second disk of dough to 1/8-inch thickness and use a pastry cutter to make strips for the lattice top.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, with the rack in the bottom third of the oven.


Toss the berries, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, freshly grated ginger, lemon zest and lemon juice in a large bowl.


Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell.


To create the lattice, lay out strips of dough over the blueberries, about 1/2 inch apart. Fold every other strip in half and lay more strips across the ones that are not folded. Unfold the first strips over the ones you just put down. Repeat this, but alternate which strips you fold, until the whole pie is covered.

Fold the bottom crust over the lattice top, trimming any extra so it isn't too bulky.


Then crimp a design into the edge. If the dough has gotten very soft while working, place it in the freezer for a few minutes before baking.

Brush the top with egg wash, dotting the spots between the lattice with butter. Sprinkle the top with sugar.


Place the pie on a baking sheet in case the juices from the pie bubble over the edge of the pie plate and slip it into the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes, then drop the temperature to 400 degrees F and continue baking for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. If the crust is nicely colored, but the filling isn't bubbling, tent the pie with foil.

Allow the pie to cool to room temperature and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.