Homemade Berry Pie Recipe – With a Lightened-Up Flaky Pie Crust!

I don’t come from a family of pie bakers (in Macedonia, the closest thing to pie is a kolacky pastry). That’s what makes this berry pie special. I always delegated pie crust duty to my mom, and we’d be in the kitchen until 10 PM trying to work out a perfect, flaky crust and the right amount of filling. 

Our rustic triple berry pie is bright and juicy, packed with a mix of three summer berries inside a lightened-up homemade pie crust. It’s been tried and tested to meet Mom’s criteria: ✔️Golden crusted top, ✔️Flaky layers, ✔️Gooey, sweet-tart mixed berry filling that holds up when sliced. You’re going to love it!

Why This Berry Pie Recipe Is a Keeper

• Great for summer baking. Nothing beats a freshly baked pie bursting at the seams with juicy, in-season strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Use any combination of berries you want.
• Perfect for a special occasion. If you’re looking for a 4th of July dessert or a treat to take along to a picnic, this berry pie has you covered. It’s a good dessert to make ahead, too.
• Lightened-up pie crust. I include my shortening crust recipe since that’s the one I always use in the summer to keep things light. It’s simple to make and perfectly flaky!

What You’ll Need to Make This Pie Recipe

This berry pie has a double (top and bottom) pie crust. The flaky crust recipe I use is a lightened-up version of a traditional pie crust, made with shortening. I also have an all-butter pie crust that I make in the food processor, which you can use as well. 

For the full recipe, followed by step-by-step photos showing how to make the crust and pie filling, scroll to the printable recipe card below the post.

Pie Crust Ingredients

• Flour – I recommend all-purpose flour to make the crust, as I haven’t tested this recipe with alternatives yet.
• Vinegar – I use cider vinegar, but you can use distilled white vinegar, too. What does adding vinegar to a pie crust do? Well, vinegar discourages gluten formation. Adding a small amount to pie dough is an old-timey trick for an extra-tender, flaky crust.
• Powdered Sugar – You could sweeten the crust with granulated sugar if you’d like. I prefer the finer texture of powdered sugar. I also include a little salt to balance it out.
• Shortening – Use your choice of vegetable shortening, like Crisco.

Mixed Berry Pie Filling

• Mixed Berries – I use fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries in the pie pictured here, but the combination changes. Any fresh or frozen berries will work in this recipe, including blueberries. If you’re using frozen berries, be sure to thaw them first.
• Apple – Diced, to bulk up the filling and add another layer of texture. I recommend firm baking apples, like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. You can also replace the apple with additional berries if you’d prefer.
• Lemon Juice – Fresh or bottled, to brighten up the flavors. I like to use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest the lemon first, so I can fold the zest into the pie filling, too.
• Egg White – Whisked with water for an egg wash. Brushing the crust with egg helps it bake up golden and glossy.

How to Make Berry Pie, Step-By-Step

I’ve always felt that pies are the prettiest desserts. Follow the steps below to make a gorgeous, golden, berry-filled pie that’s guaranteed to steal the show.

First, Prepare Your Pie Crusts

We’re making two separate crusts, one to hold the filling, and a second crust to place on top. There’s also the option to lattice the top crust, like I do in my cherry pie recipe (see that post for a quick tutorial).

1. Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately. Prepare the first pie crust by mixing ¼ cup of flour with a little water and vinegar. Separately, whisk together an additional ¾ cup flour with powdered sugar and salt. 
2. Mix the dough. Cut half of the shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or a fork. Then, slowly add the water/vinegar mixture, tossing with a fork as the dough comes together.
3. Roll out the pie crust. Now, turn the dough out and shape it into a disc. Roll the disc out between two sheets of plastic wrap to make a 12-inch circle. 
4. Repeat. Chill the first crust in the freezer while you repeat these steps to make your second pie crust.

Fill and Bake the Pie

• Prepare the berries. Add the berries and diced apples to a bowl with lemon juice, then add the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and toss to coat. Then, fold in the raspberries (I do this last so they don’t get crushed!).

• Take out the pie crusts. Get your prepared pie crusts out from the freezer and let them soften at room temperature for a minute. Press one dough circle into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. 
• Fill the pie. Next, fill the bottom crust with the berry mixture, adding a layer of extra raspberries over the filling.

• Add the top crust. Finally, place the second pie dough circle over the filling. Crimp or flute the edges as you’d like, then cut a few small slits in the crust to give the steam somewhere to escape.
• Add an egg wash and bake. Whisk egg white with water in a bowl, and brush the egg wash over the top crust. Bake the pie at 350ºF for 50-55 minutes until it’s golden on top and bubbly in the middle. Remember to cool your pie completely before you slice it.

How to Store

• Store the baked pie. This berry pie will last at room temperature for 2-3 days, or you can extend the shelf life by keeping it in the fridge. Cover the pie lightly when you store it, so that the crust doesn’t become soggy.
• Reheat. Warm leftover pie either in the oven or the microwave.
• Freeze. You can freeze this pie, baked or unbaked. Wrap the pie tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw the baked pie at room temperature before serving. You can bake the unbaked pie from frozen, adding a few minutes to the baking time.