Artificial Food Coloring Free Blackberry Pie
Deep purple filling bubbling through a golden, flaky crust — this blackberry pie is the kind of dessert that makes people hover near the oven. Every bit of that gorgeous color comes straight from the berries themselves, with no synthetic dyes or artificial additives anywhere in the ingredient list. That matters more than you might think, since plenty of store-bought pies and boxed filling mixes sneak in artificial coloring to make the fruit look more vibrant than it actually is. Here, the blackberries do all the work on their own, brightened naturally with fresh lemon juice and zest and warmly spiced with just a touch of cinnamon. The crust is a classic all-butter pastry — flour, sugar, salt, cold butter, ice water — which means nothing unexpected hiding in there either. Dotting the filling with butter before the top crust goes on adds richness and helps the juices thicken into that glossy, jammy consistency that makes every slice hold together beautifully. Let it cool the full two hours before cutting, and you'll be rewarded with clean slices and a filling that's perfectly set.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
For the filling
- 6 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (about 2 lb)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Add the chilled butter cubes and work them into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
- 2
Drizzle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork after each addition, until the dough just holds together when pressed — it should look shaggy, not smooth. Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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