Bursting Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
A flakey sour cream crust filled with a smooth, slightly tangy custard and double the blueberries, topped with a sweet, crunchy crumble. Creamy yet light, with all the textures and tons of flavor—this summery pie is the perfect balance of sweet and tart and fruity. It’s always a favorite!
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Years ago, we found this ah-mazing sour cream berry pie in (of all places), Apple Hill. We made it on Christmas Eve and it was divine. And since then, even though we go back to Apple Hill every fall, we haven’t been able to find this pie again.
So, I decided I’d just figure out how to make it.
The problem with all of the blueberry sour cream pie recipes out there are that they don’t reflect how berry-filled my muse was or how much delicious crumble it had. So, I looked at the pretty standard recipe out there and then paved my own path toward this strikingly accurate homage to my mysterious pie.
What resulted was something that is sweet and creamy and a little tart yet still so light and fruity and perfectly summery. And of course I had to try out sour cream pie crust for my first ever sour cream pie.
The combination was so, so, so good. Like, I want to make another one as soon as I can.
Additionally, this pie is as easy to make as it is delicious. A simple, no-fuss crust, a quick filling, and an easy crumble that you actually make while the pie bakes and add toward the end, which feels like a time saver to me. Plus—perhaps best of all—this pie is sturdy. No sunken centers or soupy messes. Just a beautiful slice of delicious pie.
Let’s both make one ASAP.
Why this recipe works
The custard is light yet creamy, which is the best of both worlds. Sour cream adds a lovely tang that complements the blueberries perfectly. As a bonus, custards tend to set well, meaning you get that clean, beautiful slice (once it’s cooled, of course). I altered the ratios here, using a little less sour cream, which can sometimes separate or create a grainy texture when baking, and adding extra blueberries. Nearly double, in fact. I wanted blueberries throughout this pie, not just floating in custard. Making it bursting with blueberries (and flavor).
I also added extra crumble, since that original pie I loved had a nice thick layer of crumble on top. The crunch creates this amazing, sweet contrast to the creamy, tangy, fruity filling.
I also used my new favorite crust—sour cream pie crust. Using sour cream instead of water made the crust much, much easier to work with. I tend to over-knead the crust while adding water, usually because I’m adding it so slowly in fear of adding too much. However, that’s not the case here. Sour cream won’t activate the gluten in the flour as quickly as water, removing the stress as you knead it in. And there’s less guesswork here in how much to add—meaning a perfectly flakey, workable crust. Best of all, the sour cream adds a subtle tang that goes perfectly with the filling.
Together, it’s one of my favorite pies I’ve ever made.
Key ingredients
Blueberries*. You’ll need a full 4 cups—far more than the typical blueberry sour cream pie calls for. Trust me—that’s what makes this a bursting blueberry pie!
Sugar. Granulated is used here. If you wanted to make a warmer tasting pie, you could sub brown sugar and add a pinch of cinnamon.
Egg. Just one to help bind and set the custard.
Sour cream. The star here! Use full fat—trust me.
Vanilla. Use pure extract, not imitation, for the best pie.
Salt. Just a pinch of sea salt brings out the sweetness in this pie.
Flour. Just a bit is used to make the filling sturdy.
Butter. You’ll need this in the crust (obviously) and to make that delicious crumble on top.
Oats. Optional, but they add a really great texture to the crumble.
Sour cream pie crust. You can use any crust, but this is my favorite. No-fuss, reliable, easy to work with, delicious.
How to make bursting blueberry sour cream pie
Make the crust
1. Make the crust at least an hour ahead of time. I used my sour cream crust, which is the easiest baked crust I make and also goes well with the sour cream filling. Plus it’s soooo flakey!
2. Roll to 3” larger than your pan. You want a little overhang that you can fold over and shape.
3. Lift into pan and shape edges. I like to sprinkle some flour before I add the crust to the pan. Trim all but 1/2 inch of the overhang and fold it under itself. Shape however you’d like—I’m really good at exactly one kind of shaping, but there are lots of options out there!
4. Freeze crust. This helps it set so it won’t collapse during baking.
Make the blueberry sour cream filling
5. Mix sour cream, egg, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
6. Mix in flour. Doing this last prevents over-mixing the flour with the wet ingredients, meaning you’ll get all the sturdy benefits of flour without any chewiness.
7. Fold in blueberries. Be sure they are dry before using.
8. Fill crust and bake 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the edges, tenting just the edge if it begins to look perfectly golden before the 30 minutes is up.
Make the crumble topping
9. Pulse crumble ingredients in food processor. You can also use a blender, pastry blender, fork, or your hands. I like that the food processor grinds the oats down for me.
10. Sprinkle on pie after 30 minutes. You wan the filling to look fairly set and not jiggly, but don’t let it brown before adding the crumble.
11. Bake until lightly golden. Again, cover the crust edges if they’re browning too quickly (which is almost guaranteed to happen—that’s just the life of pies).
12. Let cool before serving. The ensures a flakey crust and sturdy filling.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
*Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes! This pie is definitely best with fresh berries, but sometimes those just aren’t an option. If you need to use frozen, be sure to let them thaw first, draining off the excess liquid and patting dry with a paper towel. The consistency of the pie will be greatly altered if you don’t remove the excess liquid, and you could end up with a soupy mess.
What pie crust goes with this?
My favorite for this pie is my sour cream pie crust (super easy to make and use!). It comes out very flakey and has a great subtle tang that complements the sour cream filling well. Other good options are my foolproof classic pie crust and my lemon all-butter pie crust. I suggest making a double batch ahead of time and freeze one disc for a later pie. Whichever one you make, a homemade crust needs to chill in the fridge at least an hour before you roll it out.
What if I have trouble with my pie crust?
Same, girl, same. Common issues are cracking along the edges (go slowly and use the warmth of your hands to press it back together), sticking while rolling (rotate and flip the crust as you roll, adding more flour as needed), or uneven rolling (same as the last tip—flip and rotate). If your finished crust isn’t what you wanted, you may have overworked it or added too much flour or water or didn’t let it freeze long enough. In that instance, don’t feel bad—just keep making pies until you have a good feel for what the raw dough should look and feel like!
Does it have to be refrigerated?
Yes. The amount of dairy in the custard means it isn’t shelf-stable and must be refrigerated. You could theoretically let it cool completely at room temperature, if you know you’ll be serving it once it’s cooled. But be very careful to not let it be out more than 2-3 hours, as the dairy can spoil and cause illness.
My pie tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making pie crusts. Affiliate links provided.
Pastry blender or food processor
Pie pan (Emile Henry has become my favorite!)
Bursting Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
- prep time: 25-30 minutes
- crust chilling time: 1 hour
- bake time: 40-45 minutes
- total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
servings: 8-12
Ingredients:
- one pie crust (sour cream is my favorite!)
for the filling
- 4 cups (about 600g) fresh blueberries, washed and dried and stems removed*
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¾ cup (170g) full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- ¼ cup (34g) flour
for the crumble topping
- ⅓ cup (45g) flour
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (20g) old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup (56g or 4 tablespoons) cold salted butter, cubed
Instructions:
make and roll out the crust
- First, make the pie crust at least an hour before baking the pie (unless using store bought). My favorite for this pie is my sour cream pie crust (super easy to make and use!). Other good options are my foolproof classic pie crust and my lemon all-butter pie crust. I suggest making a double batch a few days ahead. You can freeze one disc for later! Whichever crust you make, a homemade one needs to chill in the fridge at least an hour before you roll it out.
- When ready to make your pie, preheat your oven to 400F/200C.
- Once the crust is ready to use, sprinkle a clean surface or pie mat with flour. Begin rolling the crust out with a rolling pin, being sure to go over it in a variety of directions while also flipping and rotating it and sprinkling more flour as needed. This will help it roll out evenly and also keep it from sticking the mat. If you notice the edges cracking, cup your hands around it to smooth out the edges.
- Roll the crust to be a few inches larger than your pie pan (I usually do 12” for a 9” pan). Once it’s ready, sprinkle a little bit of flour on the bottom of your pie pan. Gently roll half of the crust onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the pan. Gently lift the sides and ease them into the pan so it is flush with the bottom and edges. Avoid pressing it into the pan, as this can cause sticking. Leave a ½ inch overhang and trim the rest. Fold the overhang under itself then form the edges as desired (I like to use the knuckle of my index finger on one side and my index finger and thumb from the other hand to create a scalloped edge, but a fork is usually the easiest one to do).
- Freeze the crust for a few minutes while you make the filling.
make the blueberry sour cream filling
- Be sure your blueberries are washed and dried (or use organic and just don’t worry about it, like I do). Also be sure to pick them over, removing any stems or leaves or any blueberries that have gone soft.
- Whisk together the sugar, egg, sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Fold in the blueberries.
- Pour the filling into chilled crust, scraping down the bowl to get all that yummy custard. If desired, brush the crust with a wash of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk (or just milk for a rustic matte appearance) and sprinkle with some sugar.
- Place pie on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400F/200C for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust and tent just the edges with foil or a crust protector if they reach that perfect golden color before 30 minutes is up.
make the crumble topping
- While the pie bakes with just the filling, make the crumble. Place all crumble topping ingredients in a food processor or small blender. Pulse until everything comes together into pea sized pieces. Alternatively, you can use a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers to blend it all together. Place in the fridge until ready to top the pie.
- After the pie has baked 30 minutes and the filling is starting to look set, sprinkle the crumble evenly over the filling. Bake 10-15 minutes longer, until the crumble is a light golden brown. Be sure to tend or cover the edges if they are browning too quickly. (Don’t tent the entire pie, as it will prevent the crumble from browning.)
- Let the pie cool 1-2 hours on counter then in the fridge 1-2 hours more, or until the pan is cool to the touch on the bottom. Cutting it sooner will create a soupy filling and chewy crust, so be patient!
Enjoy!
Leftovers must be refrigerated and will last, covered, for about 4-5 days.
Pie can be made 1-2 days in advance. Cover after it has completely cooled then keep refrigerated until serving.
*Note about blueberries: you can use frozen, but it’s best if you let them thaw, drain off the excess liquid, then pat them dry with a paper towel before making the pie.
