Imagine a dessert that combines the rustic charm of a classic pie with the convenience of easy serving for a crowd. That’s precisely what you get with a delicious Blueberry Slab Pie. This culinary marvel is generously filled with succulent, bursting blueberries, infused with warm, inviting spices, all cradled within a perfectly flaky, golden-brown pie crust. It’s the ultimate showstopper for any large gathering, from festive holiday celebrations to vibrant summer barbecues, promising a delightful bite for everyone.
Why You’ll Adore This Blueberry Slab Pie Recipe
If you’ve ever felt intimidated by making a traditional round pie, or simply need a dessert that effortlessly feeds a large group, then blueberry slab pie is your answer. This innovative approach to pie-making simplifies the entire process, making homemade pie more accessible and enjoyable. Unlike its round counterpart, a slab pie bakes in a standard sheet pan, offering numerous advantages that make it a firm favorite in any baker’s repertoire.
One of the most compelling reasons to fall in love with this recipe is its sheer practicality. Slab pies are designed to serve a significant number of people without the fuss of baking multiple individual pies. Whether you’re hosting a family reunion, a potluck, or a casual backyard get-together, this single, generously sized pie ensures there’s enough to go around, satisfying every sweet tooth. The rectangular shape also lends itself to incredibly easy slicing and serving, eliminating the awkward cuts and crumbling crusts often associated with conventional round pies. You can portion it into perfect squares or rectangles, making it simple to plate and even easier for guests to pick up and enjoy, almost like a gourmet hand pie.
Beyond its crowd-feeding capabilities, the blueberry slab pie is remarkably less stressful to prepare. Working with a larger, more forgiving canvas like a sheet pan means less precision is required for rolling out the dough and fitting it into a pie plate. The process feels less daunting, even for novice bakers, allowing you to focus on the joy of baking rather than the anxiety of perfection. I found this method to be incredibly quick and far more relaxed, yielding beautiful results every time.
For this delightful recipe, we utilize a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan or a similar rimmed baking sheet. This specific size is crucial, as using a larger pan would necessitate a greater quantity of both pie crusts and fruit filling, altering the recipe’s balance and baking time. This pan size strikes the perfect balance, allowing the pie to bake evenly and achieve that desirable golden-brown crust and perfectly set filling.
If you’re looking to explore more delightful dessert options, be sure to check out some of our other cherished recipes. From classic comforts like Italian Butterball Cookies and rich Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake, to innovative treats like Snickerdoodle Bars and Samoa Cake, there’s a sweet indulgence for every occasion. Don’t forget to try our Easy Coconut Cake and the ever-popular Almond Joy Cake.
Essential Ingredients for Your Blueberry Slab Pie
Crafting this irresistible blueberry slab pie relies on a selection of simple yet potent ingredients, each playing a vital role in creating its renowned flavor and texture. Understanding these core components will help you achieve baking perfection.
- Pie Crusts: For ultimate convenience and consistent results, this recipe calls for store-bought refrigerated pie crusts. Using these ready-made crusts significantly cuts down on prep time without sacrificing quality, ensuring a beautifully flaky foundation and top for your pie. If you’re an experienced baker or prefer a fully homemade experience, you can absolutely make your own pie crust from scratch – just remember to double your usual recipe to ensure you have enough dough to cover the larger surface area of a slab pie. Good quality pie crusts are essential for that satisfying crispy, buttery bite.
- Fresh Blueberries: The star of our pie, fresh blueberries bring vibrant color and a burst of natural sweetness with a hint of tartness. When in season, fresh blueberries are unparalleled. However, if fresh berries aren’t available, frozen blueberries are an excellent substitute. The key is not to thaw them before mixing with the other filling ingredients; simply use them directly from the freezer to maintain their shape and prevent the filling from becoming too watery.
- Granulated Sugar, Cornstarch, Cinnamon, Lemon Zest, Nutmeg, and Salt: These ingredients come together to form the luscious blueberry filling.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the berries, balancing their natural tartness. You can adjust the amount based on the sweetness of your blueberries and personal preference.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent, preventing a runny pie. It creates a beautifully clear and smooth filling that holds its shape when sliced, ensuring every piece is perfect.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: These warm spices are optional but highly recommended. They elevate the blueberry flavor, adding a comforting depth and aromatic complexity that makes the pie truly special.
- Lemon Zest: A touch of lemon zest brightens the entire filling, providing a subtle tang that complements the blueberries beautifully and enhances their natural fruitiness.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is crucial, as it helps to balance and amplify all the other flavors, making them sing.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. By leveraging ready-made pie crusts and combining them with a handful of accessible ingredients, you can whip up this blueberry slab pie with remarkable speed and ease. An added bonus: slab pies typically bake much faster than their deeper, round counterparts, meaning you can enjoy a warm, homemade treat sooner!
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Perfect Blueberry Slab Pie
Creating this magnificent blueberry slab pie is a straightforward and rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to achieve a dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
- Prepare Your Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature for the crust to crisp up beautifully and the filling to bubble perfectly.
- Roll Out the Bottom Crust: On a large sheet of parchment paper, lightly dusted with flour, unroll and stack two of your refrigerated pie crusts. This technique helps create a larger, seamless base. Using a rolling pin, carefully roll the stacked crusts into a uniform 17×12-inch rectangle. Aim for an even thickness throughout the dough to ensure consistent baking.
- Line the Pan: Gently transfer the rolled-out pie crust into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. Ease the dough into the corners and up the sides of the pan, pressing it in firmly but carefully. Do not trim the dough edges just yet; we’ll do that after adding the top crust. Place the pan with the dough in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling. This helps prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Create the Blueberry Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the fresh (or unthawed frozen) blueberries, cornstarch, granulated sugar, lemon zest, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Mix these ingredients thoroughly until the blueberries are evenly coated. The cornstarch will help thicken the juices as the pie bakes, while the spices and lemon zest will enhance the natural sweetness of the berries.
- Fill the Pie: Pour the prepared blueberry filling evenly into the chilled pie crust in the pan. Distribute the berries across the entire surface. Return the filled pie pan to the refrigerator while you prepare the top crust. Keeping everything cold is key to a flaky crust.
- Prepare the Top Crust for Lattice: Unroll and stack the remaining two pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Roll them into another 17×12-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, a pizza cutter, or a pastry wheel, cut the dough into uniform 1/2-inch-wide strips. These strips will form your elegant lattice top.
- Weave the Lattice Top: Carefully arrange half of the dough strips diagonally over the blueberry filling, spaced evenly apart. Now, fold back every other strip of dough. Take one of your remaining strips and lay it perpendicularly across the unfolded strips. Unfold the previously folded strips back over the new strip. Then, fold up the alternating strips (the ones that were not folded back initially) and lay another strip perpendicularly. Continue this weaving pattern, folding and unfolding strips, until you have formed a beautiful lattice pattern across the entire top of the pie.
- Seal and Crimp the Edges: Once your lattice is complete, trim the edges of the lattice strips so they are even with the edge of the bottom crust. Roll the bottom crust edges up and over the lattice strips, pinching them firmly together to create a good seal. Then, crimp or flute the edges using your fingers or a fork for a decorative finish.
- Apply Egg Wash (Optional, but recommended): In a small bowl, whisk one large egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush this mixture over the entire lattice crust. This step gives the pie a beautiful golden sheen and a slightly crispy texture. If desired, sprinkle a little sparkling sugar over the egg wash for an extra sweet crunch and sparkle.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the pie in your preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The pie is ready when the filling is visibly bubbling through the lattice (indicating it’s thoroughly cooked and thickened) and the crust has achieved a deep, rich golden-brown color. Keep an eye on the crust during baking; if it starts to brown too quickly, you may need to loosely tent it with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning while the filling finishes cooking.
- Cool Completely: Once baked, carefully transfer the blueberry slab pie in its pan to a wire rack. It is crucial to allow the pie to cool completely, preferably for several hours, before attempting to slice and serve it. This cooling period allows the filling to set properly, ensuring clean, firm slices that won’t ooze or fall apart. Patience is key for the best results!
Once cooled, serve this incredible blueberry slab pie topped with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream for an truly indulgent experience. Enjoy!
Expert Tips for the Best Blueberry Slab Pie
Achieving a perfect blueberry slab pie is easier than you think, especially with a few insider tips. These suggestions will help ensure your pie turns out beautifully every time, from a flaky crust to a perfectly set, flavorful filling.
- Mind Your Pie Crusts: Always follow the package directions for store-bought pie crusts. This typically includes allowing them to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before unrolling. This simple step makes the dough more pliable, preventing cracks and making it much easier to roll out and handle without tearing.
- Reinforce Corners: When fitting the pie crust into the sheet pan, you might notice that the dough in the corners can become quite thin when stretched. To prevent weak spots or potential leaks, don’t hesitate to pinch off a small piece from any excess dough and press it gently into the corners to reinforce them. This provides extra structure for your crust.
- Adjust Sweetness to Taste: Blueberries can vary widely in sweetness and tartness depending on their ripeness and variety. Before mixing your filling, taste a few of your fresh blueberries. If they are particularly tart, you might want to increase the granulated sugar amount slightly (e.g., to 1 cup). Conversely, if they are very sweet, you can reduce the sugar to about 1/2 cup to maintain a balanced flavor profile.
- Embrace the Spice: While ground cinnamon is technically optional in this recipe, I wholeheartedly recommend including it. It adds a wonderful depth of warm, inviting spice flavor that beautifully complements the sweet-tart blueberries, transforming a simple fruit pie into a truly delicious and comforting dessert. A hint of nutmeg further enhances this effect.
- Prevent a Soggy Bottom: To avoid a soggy bottom crust, ensure your oven is fully preheated to the correct temperature. The initial high heat helps to quickly set and crisp the bottom crust. Additionally, chilling the pie crust in the pan before filling helps maintain its structure and prevents it from becoming too soft from the moisture in the filling.
- Check for Doneness: The visual cue for a perfectly baked pie isn’t just a golden-brown crust. The filling should be visibly bubbling all the way through to the center of the pie, ensuring the cornstarch has fully activated and thickened the juices. This is especially important for fruit pies to prevent a runny outcome.
- Cool Completely: As tempting as it is to slice into a warm pie, patience is a virtue here. Allowing the slab pie to cool completely on a wire rack is crucial. This gives the filling ample time to set properly, ensuring clean, beautiful slices that hold their shape. Cutting into a warm pie will likely result in a messy, unset filling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blueberry Slab Pie
A runny pie filling is typically a sign that the pie hasn’t been baked long enough, or that your thickening agent (cornstarch) hasn’t had sufficient time to activate and thicken the fruit juices. To ensure your filling is perfectly set, make sure it is actively bubbling all the way through to the center of the pie. With a slab pie, because the filling layer is thinner than in a traditional round pie, it generally sets more reliably. If your crust is browning too quickly before the filling is done, loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil to protect the crust while the filling continues to bake and thicken.
For fruit pies, cornstarch is often preferred over flour as a thickening agent. Cornstarch is faster-acting and creates a clearer, glossier, and smoother filling that showcases the fruit beautifully. Flour, while effective, can sometimes result in a cloudier, opaque filling and a slightly pasty texture. However, it’s important not to use too much cornstarch, as this can lead to an undesirable gummy or slimy texture. Stick to the recommended amount in the recipe for the best consistency.
Absolutely not! While a lattice crust adds a beautiful touch and allows steam to escape, there are many creative variations for your top crust:
- Cut-Out Shapes: For a playful and charming look, use cookie cutters to cut shapes (like stars, leaves, or even small blueberries) out of your dough and artfully arrange them over the blueberries.
- Solid Top Crust: A solid top crust is a classic option. If you choose this, be sure to cut several vents (slits or decorative holes) into the dough before baking. This is crucial for steam to escape, preventing the crust from puffing up and ensuring the filling cooks properly.
- Omit the Top Pastry: For a more rustic or lighter pie, you can simply omit the top crust altogether. This allows the vibrant blueberry filling to be fully visible and slightly caramelized on top.
- Crumb Topping: A delicious crumb (or streusel) topping adds wonderful texture and a hint of sweetness. To make one, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix these ingredients until crumbly, then sprinkle evenly over the blueberry filling before baking.
Storage: Once cooled, this blueberry slab pie will keep beautifully. Cover it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. To prevent moisture from accumulating and making the crust soggy, place a paper towel directly over the pie before wrapping it.
Freezing: For longer storage, this pie freezes exceptionally well. After the pie has thoroughly cooled to room temperature, wrap it tightly first in freezer-safe plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. For extra protection against freezer burn, you can then wrap it in freezer paper or place it inside a 2-gallon freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving, or reheat gently in a low oven (around 300°F/150°C) until warmed through.
Absolutely! Slab pies are incredibly versatile. You can easily adapt this recipe for other fruits like peaches, apples, cherries, mixed berries, or even rhubarb. Just be sure to adjust the sugar content based on the sweetness of your chosen fruit and consider adding spices that complement them well (e.g., ginger with peaches, cloves with apples). You may also need to adjust the cornstarch quantity if your chosen fruit releases more or less juice than blueberries.
A 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan or a standard rimmed baking sheet of a similar size is ideal for this blueberry slab pie. The shallow depth and ample surface area are perfect for baking a pie that can feed a crowd and slices easily. Ensure your pan has a rim to contain any bubbling filling during baking. While other sizes can work, you’d need to adjust the amount of crust and filling accordingly.
More Irresistible Pie Recipes to Try
If you’ve fallen in love with the joy of baking pies, you’re in for a treat! Explore our collection of other fantastic pie recipes that are sure to impress:
Blueberry Slab Pie Recipe
This pie is bursting with sweet berries, warm spices, and covered in a flaky, crispy pie crust. The best way to feed a crowd for large gatherings, holidays, and summer barbecues!
Course: Dessert |
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes |
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 |
Calories: 178 kcal
Author: Leigh Harris
Ingredients
- 4 Refrigerated pie crusts (2 boxes refrigerated pie crusts)
- 5 cups Fresh blueberries
- 3 tbsp Cornstarch
- 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Egg Wash
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tbsp Water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Unroll and stack 2 pie crusts on top of each other on a large sheet of parchment paper that is lightly floured. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 17×12-inch rectangle, being sure to keep the pie crust an even thickness throughout.
- Lay the pie crust into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan, and gently ease and press into the corners. Do not trim the dough edges yet. Place the dough-lined pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the pie filling.
- In a large bowl mix the blueberries, cornstarch, granulated sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until combined. Pour the pie filling into the prepared crust and place it back in the refrigerator while you prepare the top crust.
- Unroll and stack the remaining two pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 17×12-inch rectangle. Using a knife, pizza cutter, or pastry cutter cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
- Arrange half of the strips diagonally over the filling. Fold down every other strip and place one strip across the top. Unfold the folded strips, and fold up the remaining strips. Lay another strip diagonally. Continue weaving the remaining strips to form a lattice top.
- Trim the edge of the lattice strips even with the edge of the bottom crust. Roll the bottom crust edges up and over the top crust, and pinch to seal. Then crimp or flute the edges. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar if desired.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown. You may need to lightly tent the crust with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 178 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 25g |
Protein: 2g |
Fat: 8g |
Saturated Fat: 2g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 4g |
Trans Fat: 0.001g |
Cholesterol: 8mg |
Sodium: 144mg |
Potassium: 55mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 9g |
Vitamin A: 28IU |
Vitamin C: 3mg |
Calcium: 9mg |
Iron: 1mg