Blackberry Pie Recipe with Homemade Shortcrust Pastry {with video}

There’s something timeless and comforting about a warm slice of blackberry pie. With a buttery, flaky crust and a juicy, tangy-sweet filling that bubbles up around the edges, blackberry pie captures the essence of summer in every bite.

Whether you’re picking berries straight from the bramble or grabbing a pint at the farmer’s market, this recipe is simple, rewarding, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Why Blackberry Pie?

Blackberries are often underrated in pie-making, overshadowed by their more popular cousins—blueberries and strawberries. But blackberries bring a deep, almost wine-like flavor and a beautiful natural tartness that balances perfectly with just the right amount of sugar. Paired with a good crust, they make for a pie that’s rustic, elegant, and just the right amount of messy.

The Crust: Homemade and Worth It!

I recommend using a homemade shortcrust pastry for this pie—it’s easier than you might think and makes a huge difference. If you’ve never made one before, I have a full shortcrust pastry tutorial here with a step-by-step video that walks you through it.

But if you’re in a hurry, a good store-bought crust will still get you most of the way to magic.

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 5 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
• ¾ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)

For assembly:

• 1 batch of Rays Homestead shortcrust pastry
• Optional: 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• Optional: Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Prepare your pastry: Roll out one disc of your chilled shortcrust pastry into a 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges. Use my shortcrust pastry recipe here!
2. In a saucepan, combine blackberries with sugar and any optional spices or extract. Simmer on low heat for a few minutes to combine the flavours and bring out the juice.
3. Spoon the filling into the pie shell, making sure to include all juices to help set the filling!
4. Top your pie with the second pastry disc, either as a solid top crust with vents or create a decorative lattice.
5. Optional: Brush the top crust with milk or egg white and sprinkle sugar on top.
6. Bake at 220 °C (425 °F) for about 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 190 °C (375 °F) and continue baking for 20–30 more minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles vigorously

Tips for the Best Blackberry Pie

• Taste your berries first. If they’re super sweet, dial the sugar down a bit. If they’re very tart, bump it up.
• Thickener matters. Cornstarch gives you a clear, glossy filling, while flour creates a more traditional, jammy texture. Both work—go with your preference.
• Let it bubble. Make sure the filling is bubbling in the center before you take it out of the oven—this ensures the thickener has activated fully.

Serve It Right

This pie is best at room temperature or slightly warm, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. It also makes a pretty phenomenal breakfast, if you’re into that kind of thing (you should be).