Triple Berry Pie
The best homemade berry pie recipe with a buttery pie crust. Top it with vanilla bean ice cream and you have the perfect berry dessert!
I have discussed how big of a deal pies are in the Driggs home. My Mom’s all-time favorite pie is the ultimate berry pie. She makes one every year and it is one of the first to go because everyone loves Grandma Driggs’s homemade berry pie.
She worked for years to tweak it to get it just right. A berry pie has to have just the right amount of sweetness and enough thickener to keep it firm and held together. This isn’t an easy feat! Thankfully, my Mom has tested and re-tested this pie to make sure it is just perfect!
This Triple Berry Pie starts off with frozen berries — raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I used the Private Selection berries from Fry’s but I also love the Triple Berry Blend from Costco. I use frozen berries because they are usually picked at the peak of freshness and then frozen. Frozen berries work perfectly in this pie.
An important component to making the best berry pie is to make sure to use a thickening agent. I reach for a mixture of cornstarch and tapioca pearls. The quick-cooking tapioca dissolves and is the perfect thickener because it doesn’t leave an aftertaste.
My other thickener of choice is cornstarch. It is known for its thickening magical powers and it helps to thicken the berries without it getting pasty and gummy. You can also reach for flour if you don’t have cornstarch on hand but I do prefer cornstarch over flour.
A big secret for adding balance to a sweet dessert is using an acid like fresh lemon juice. It helps to balance out the sweet and tartness of the berries. It is definitely a game changer!
When I use frozen berries, I find them to be a little sweeter than fresh ones. This way I don’t have to use as much sugar. This recipe calls for a little over 1 cup of sugar which isn’t that much since we are using 7 cups of berries. I like to sprinkle the pie crust with a little sugar to add some sweetness to the crust.
Speaking of crust…if at all possible…make a homemade pie crust. It is so worth it! Click HERE for the best butter pie crust recipe. This recipe is so easy and calls for only 4 ingredients — flour, salt, butter, and buttermilk or cold water/vinegar mixture. It is way easier than you think to make a homemade pie crust! It really does make a huge difference in this triple berry pie.
I will brush an egg wash all over the pie crust to give it shine and moisture and then sprinkle the crust with granulated sugar.
A key when baking this homemade triple berry pie is to cover the crust about halfway through baking. This ensures that the crust doesn’t become too brown. You want the filling to be bubbling and thickened without the top of the crust becoming too brown. I will usually loosely cover the pie with aluminum foil. It works like a charm!
How to make the Best Berry Pie:
- Start by making a homemade pie crust. This is so easy! Just use cold ingredients to make sure the pie crust is extra flaky. Use a double-crust recipe so you have enough for the bottom and the top.
- Simmer berries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Remove 1 cup of berries and place in microwave-safe bowl. Heat for at least 30 seconds until completely defrosted and bubbling. Stir in cornstarch and tapioca pearls until thoroughly dissolved. Once it is dissolved, add mixture to pot and continue to heat until thickened and bubbly. Let cool to room temperature as you prepare the crust.
- Roll out the pie dough and place in the bottom of the pie pan. Pour in sugared berries. Top with remaining pie crust dough. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Check to see if pie crust is becoming too brown. If so, lightly cover with aluminum foil. Continue to bake for 20-25 minutes longer.
- Let pie cool to room temperature. You may place in the refrigerator to expedite it. Let the pie set up for at least 2-3 hours. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream.
If you love pie, check out these other PIE RECIPES:
Creme Brûlée Pie
Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Pie
Key Lime Pie
Coconut Cream Pie
Lemon Cream Pie
Lemon Sour Cream Pie
Caramel Apple Pie
White Chocolate Macadamia Chocolate Ganache Pie
Double Chocolate Marble Pie
The BEST Pumpkin Pie — AWARD WINNING!
Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie
Sweet Cherry Pie
Traditional Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Caramel Banana Cream Pie
Emile Henry PIE DISH
Just Here for Dessert PIE SERVER
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Triple Berry Pie. The best homemade berry pie recipe with a buttery pie crust. Top it with vanilla bean ice cream and you have the perfect berry dessert!
- 2 1/2 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Cold Unsalted Butter (2 sticks, sliced into small pieces)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Ice Cold Water (or Buttermilk or Milk/Vinegar Mixture
- 1 teaspoon Vinegar (if using buttermilk you don't need to use)
- 7 cups Frozen Berries (blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries)
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 cup Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Quick-cooking Tapioca Pearls
- 2 teaspoons Butter
- 1 large Egg White (beaten)
- Sugar (to sprinkle on pie crust)
Stir together flour and salt. Slice cold butter into tiny shreds and add to bowl or food processor. Pulse until coarse meal or small peas form.
Slowly add ice cold water or buttermilk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time to butter-flour mixture. Add vinegar and pulse until it starts to form together.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out, using a rolling pin. Don't overwork the dough. The key is to work quickly to keep the dough as cold as possible. Keep the pie tin nearby so you can check the size of the circle. Roll it to at least a 13-inch diameter circle.
Fold the dough in half and gently lift and position it over the pie pan. Unfold.
Press the dough against the sides and bottom of a pan. Flute the edges by pressing the dough between the index finger and thumb of one hand and using the index finger of the other hand to make the scallop.
Add berries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt to a pot and place over medium-low heat.
Remove about 1 cup of berries from the pot and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments until berries are completely warm and defrosted. Stir in cornstarch and tapioca and mix until completely dissolved. Add the berries/cornstarch mixture back into the pot and allow the berries to thicken -- about 6-7 minutes. Once the berries are bubbling, remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour berries into prepared pie crust. Roll out remaining dough and get creative with the top crust. You can cut the pie dough into strips or braid two strips together.
In a small bowl, whip egg white. Brush all over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes and open the oven to check the crust. If it is browning quickly, place a large piece of aluminum foil loosely over the pie. Continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes or until berries are bubbly and the crust is golden and flaky.
Remove from oven and let it cool to room temperature to allow time for the berries to set up. Let it cool for at least 2-3 hours. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream.
This was a yummy addition to Thanksgiving. Thank you for the recipe!
Made this for Thanksgiving too and it was SO good. I want to take a bath in that berry filling. However, I just noticed that 2 Tbsp of butter are in the recipe for the berry filling, but there are no instructions about when or how to add it—so I didn’t. What did I miss?