Nitrate & Nitrite Free Blackberry Pie
Deep purple blackberry filling bubbling up through a golden, flaky crust — this is the kind of pie that makes people hover near the oven. Every ingredient here is exactly what it sounds like: fresh or frozen blackberries, butter, flour, sugar, a squeeze of lemon, and a whisper of cinnamon. There are no cured meats, processed shortcuts, or packaged fillings hiding anything unwanted, which makes this a genuinely clean, wholesome bake from start to finish. The cornstarch thickens the filling beautifully as it cools, so you get clean, glossy slices instead of a soupy mess. Chilling the butter-based dough before rolling keeps the crust tender and shatteringly flaky, and the two-stage baking method — starting hot, then dropping the temperature — ensures the bottom crust cooks through while the top turns a deep, burnished gold. A full two-hour rest after baking is worth every impatient minute, letting the filling set into something sliceable and stunning. Serve it as-is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it will absolutely disappear.
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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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