Hey guys! I’m back on pie this week with a Strawberry Blackberry version that’s topped with a crumble instead of a top crust. It’s honestly such a lovely summer choice, and I’m here for all the easy pies.
I’m also sharing a recipe for classic pie crust here from my upcoming book “High-Altitude Breakfast” and it’s my go-to pie crust for anything you need. Super flakey, all made by hand, and it stays tender no matter what. The book comes out in October this year, so be on the lookout!
How to Make Strawberry Blackberry Pie
Alright, we’re starting of course with the crust. The whole thing comes together by hand- starting by using a pastry cutter or clean hands to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got small chunks of butter running throughout.
Then, stir in the wet ingredients with a fork- I use three items here; ice water, vanilla extract, and an egg. I know vanilla and egg aren’t classic additions here, but I love the flavor of vanilla. Adding an egg actually helps the dough stay tender, and it makes it a little easier to work with! After it’s all worked in, I like to pat and fold the dough a few times to help create some flakiness. And finally, it’s off to the fridge for a chill.
The filling is super simple- I’m using about 4 cups of quartered fresh strawberries, and one container of fresh blackberries. Toss the berries with a little sugar, lemon zest, juice, cornstarch, and salt. Once the pie shell is formed and chilled, we’re ready to go guys!
We’re letting the pie bake a little without the crumb topping, and at a high heat to start. This helps ensure that the crust gets nice and cooked through, and that the crumb doesn’t get burned. Once you turn the oven down, sprinkle on that crumb topping! It seems like a lot, that’s because it IS a lot! But it’s great, I promise! Serve this pie warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.
Tips & Tricks for Strawberry Blackberry Pie
Making pies is a multi-step process, but I’ve got some great tips to help you along the way!
- Be gentle with the pie crust but still give it the kneading mixing time to fully come together. Also don’t skip the folding process- it helps the dough come together, and it creates big flakey layers.
- Don’t skip any of the chilling for the pie crust. You need to let the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling it out, AND you need to freeze the dough before you fill and bake it. This helps the butter stay cold and it helps prevent the crust from shrinking too much.
- Use any berries you like with the strawberries. This recipe is developed with the juiciness of strawberries in mind, but you can use any other secondary berry you prefer! Blackberries, raspberries, cherries, or even chopped up peaches are great choices!
- Preheat your sheet pan that goes under the pie while it bakes. This is another way to help ensure that the crust cooks through even though we’ve got a syrupy-berry filling!
Hope you guys enjoy this one!
Strawberry Blackberry Crumb Pie
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3 tbs sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup very cold butter
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 4 cups fresh quartered strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbs lemon zest
- 2 tbs. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
For the crumb topping:
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 5 tbs. melted butter
Instructions
For the pie crust:
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In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Using a pastry cutter or clean hands, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it’s worked in, and the mixture has small chunks of butter running throughout. In a small bowl, stir together the egg, cold water, and vanilla extract until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture, and use a fork to stir it together until a dough forms. Once you have a shaggy dough, turn it out onto your work surface. Gently knead the dough until it comes together in a large mass. It will still be a big shaggy.
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Lightly flour your work surface, and roll the dough out into a long rectangle, about 15-18 inches long. Fold the dough into thirds, turn 90 degrees, and repeat the process two more times. By the time you reach the third fold, your dough should be much more cohesive. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour before rolling it out to bake.
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Roll the dough out into a large circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9 inch pie plate, and trim the edges. Crimp the edges of the crust. Place the whole thing in the freezer for 20 minutes.
For the filling:
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and place a large sheet pan lined with foil into the oven while it preheats.
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In a large bowl, stir together the strawberries, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt until well combined. It make look a little dry, but give it a couple more stirs, and it should all become well coated in the lemon juice and the strawberry juices. Spread the filling evenly into your frozen pie crust. Place the pie into your preheated oven on top of the preheated sheet tray. bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the crumb topping.
For the crump topping:
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In a small bowl, use a fork to stir together the flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms. After the pie has baked for 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Remove the pie from the oven, and carefully sprinkle the crumb topping all over the pie- it will seem like a lot, but that’s ok! Put the pie back into the oven and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until the crust and crumb topping are lightly browned and the filling is bubbling. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving with ice cream or whipped cream!
Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!
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