While I always focus on pies in November—with my annual Pie Week and the many Thanksgiving pie recipes I’ve published over the years—I definitely don’t limit pie-making to the holiday baking season. One reader, Lisa, commented: “My first berry pie! Like all of Sally’s recipes, the directions were clear, easy to understand, and approachable. Tasted the filling… OMG. Can’t wait to share at our 4th of July celebration. Thanks, Sally. ★★★★★” There’s just something so special and perfectly summery about a pie featuring ripe, in-season fruit. Strawberry rhubarb pie, blueberry pie, cherry pie, peach pie… all classic, homestyle summertime desserts that are worth waiting all year for. Today we are adding a new one to this list of summertime pie favorites: triple berry pie. This pie is bursting with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries: triple the berries, triple the deliciousness!
A Great Pie Starts With a Great Pie Crust
In the summer months when the weather is warm, I prefer to use this recipe for homemade pie crust, because the shortening helps the crust keep its shape. But if you’d prefer to use an all-butter pie crust, I have a recipe for that too! Both recipes make 2 crusts, 1 for the top and 1 for the bottom crust, which is what you need for this lattice-style triple berry pie. Make the pie dough ahead of time, because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before you can roll it out. But it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and the freezer for up to 3 months, so make it in advance and it will save you time on the day you actually make this pie. Like most homemade pies, this triple berry pie takes several hours to make; but most of that time is hands-off, as the pie is baking and cooling. It’s an exercise in patience and delayed gratification, that’s for sure! And I should also note that you don’t need to par-bake the crust because this pie bakes for so long.
Triple Berry Pie Filling
After I’ve scared you off about the time it takes, let me mention that triple berry pie filling is actually pretty simple! There’s no peeling, pitting, hulling, or chopping.
Pre-Cook on the Stove
While cooking the filling on the stove is an extra step that isn’t always necessary for fruit pies (it’s actually listed as an optional step in this apple pie recipe), my team and I found it is necessary for this one. Pre-cooking the triple berry filling for a few minutes guarantees the pie will set into a jammy, sliceable consistency. The pies we tested without pre-cooking were a soupy mess. As they cook, the berries break down into a thick preserves-like consistency (especially the raspberries), so it’s important to reserve some of the berries to stir in after you take the pan off heat, for a delicious variation of textures in every berry bite. (You’ll stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest at this point, too.) We use this trick to thicken the filling in these cherry pie bars, too. You want a thick jam-like consistency:
Top Pie Crust Options
Regardless of the design, be sure to crimp or flute the pie crust and brush with egg wash. Egg wash promises a crispier crust and helps develop that beautiful golden sheen. Without it, the crust is noticeably dull and lackluster. While the egg wash is a must, finishing with coarse sugar is optional. I love adding it to sweet pies because it adds a little crunch and sparkle. Pre-Cooked vs. Uncooked Filling: After cutting into one of the test pies with an uncooked filling, we noticed the overly juicy, runny filling had a milky tint from the cornstarch, and knew it needed a head start on dissolving before the pie hits the oven.
Top Crust vs. Crumble Topping: The first few triple berry pies my team and I tested had a crumble topping, which I love on pies like this blueberry crumble pie and this peach crumble pie; however, it just didn’t work well with this juicy pre-cooked filling. The crumbles partially dissolved and the rest were gooey. The pies with a top crust were the clear winners.
How to Lattice Pie Crust: A classic look I use for so many pies, like blueberry pie and my favorite apple pie. Braided Pie Crust: Challenge yourself with a braided pie crust! Cookie Cutter Shapes: Use pie punches or cookie cutters to punch out shapes of pie dough and arrange on top. You can see an example in this pie crust designs post, which includes a video tutorial. Stars & Stripes: Planning to serve this pie as a Fourth of July dessert or Memorial Day recipe? Try this festive American flag pie design.
5 Triple Berry Pie Baking Tips
I promise this triple berry pie is worth the wait. It’s also deserving of a scoop of vanilla ice cream… and so are you! Looking to satisfy your berry dessert craving a little quicker? This easy berry galette, blueberry galette, and berry cobbler are always a crowd-pleasers.
