This Apple Blackberry Pie Recipe is the pie I reach for the moment blackberries show up at the market alongside the first crisp apples of the season.
Tart Granny Smith apples and juicy blackberries bake together under a woven lattice crust until the filling turns thick, glossy, and impossible to resist.
It is sweet where you want it sweet, tangy where you want it tangy, and every slice looks like it came straight out of a bakery window.
| Quick Recipe Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 55 minutes |
| Total Time | 1 hour 25 minutes |
| Servings | 8 slices |
| Difficulty Level | Intermediate |
Why You’ll Love This Apple Blackberry Pie Recipe
Apples and blackberries were made for each other in a pie shell.
The apples hold their shape and give you that classic tender bite, while the blackberries break down just enough to turn the whole filling a deep, jammy purple.
Here is what makes this one worth adding to your regular rotation.
- Balanced flavor: tart apples and tangy blackberries keep the filling from ever tasting one-note sweet
- A stunning lattice top that looks far more complicated than it actually is
- A flaky, buttery crust that holds together and never turns soggy on the bottom
- Simple pantry ingredients, with the fruit doing most of the flavor work
- Freezer friendly, so you can make it ahead for a holiday or gathering
This pie shares a lot of DNA with my French Apple Pie, just with a fruitier, slightly tangier twist from the blackberries.
Ingredients
You will need ingredients for a flaky double crust and for a thick, spiced fruit filling.
Nothing here is hard to find, and the fresh fruit does most of the heavy lifting.
- All-purpose flour: 2 1/2 cups, for the crust
- Granulated sugar: 1 tablespoon for the crust, plus 3/4 cup for the filling
- Salt: 1 teaspoon for the crust, plus a pinch for the filling
- Unsalted butter: 1 cup (2 sticks), cold and cubed, for the crust, plus 2 tablespoons for dotting the filling
- Ice water: 6 to 8 tablespoons, for the crust
- Granny Smith apples: 6 cups, peeled and thinly sliced (about 6 medium apples)
- Fresh blackberries: 1 1/2 cups, rinsed and well drained
- Brown sugar: 1/4 cup, packed, for the filling
- Cornstarch: 1/4 cup, to thicken the filling
- Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon
- Ground allspice: 1/8 teaspoon
- Lemon: zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Egg: 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for the egg wash
- Turbinado sugar: 2 tablespoons, for sprinkling over the crust before baking
Read Also: Butter Pie Crust Recipe
Kitchen Equipment Needed
A handful of basic baking tools will get you through this recipe from start to finish.
None of it is fancy, though a couple of items make the whole process noticeably easier.
- 9-inch pie dish
- Food processor (or a pastry cutter for making the dough by hand)
- Pastry blender
- Rolling pin
- Large mixing bowls
- Lattice pastry cutter (optional, for a clean woven top)
- Pastry brush, for the egg wash
- Pie crust shield, to keep the edges from over-browning
- Wire cooling rack
I use the same basic setup for my Almond Flour Pie Crust, so if you bake pies often, this equipment list will serve you well beyond this one recipe.
Recommended Products for This Recipe
These are a few products I personally rely on whenever I make a fruit pie with a lattice top, and I think they genuinely make a difference in how the finished pie turns out.
1. Ceramic Pie Dish
A heavy ceramic dish heats evenly and helps the bottom crust bake through instead of turning pale and soft.
It also goes straight from the oven to the table, which is handy if you are serving the pie warm.
2. Adjustable Pie Crust Shield
Blackberry and apple filling needs a good 50 to 55 minutes in the oven, which is plenty of time for exposed crust edges to scorch.
An adjustable shield lets you protect just the rim while the center of the pie keeps browning normally.
3. Lattice Pastry Cutter
This tool turns a rolled-out top crust into a perfectly even woven lattice in seconds, no measuring or fussing with a knife required.
It is the easiest way to get a bakery-style top without any real pastry skill.
4. Compact Food Processor
Cutting cold butter into flour by hand works fine, but a food processor does it in seconds and keeps the butter colder, which means a flakier crust.
I use mine for pretty much every pie crust I make.
You might also enjoy: Vegan Pie Crust Recipe
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Apple Blackberry Pie
1. Make the pie dough
- In a food processor, pulse together 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt until combined.
- Add the 1 cup of cold, cubed butter and pulse in short bursts until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- Drizzle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition, just until the dough starts to clump together when pressed between your fingers.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal disks.
2. Chill the dough
- Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate both disks for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, so the butter firms back up and the gluten relaxes.
- Cold dough is much easier to roll out without tearing or sticking, so do not skip this step even if you are short on time.
3. Prepare the apple blackberry filling
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice and lemon zest so the apples do not brown while you finish the rest of the filling.
- Gently fold in the fresh blackberries, being careful not to crush them.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a pinch of salt.
- Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the apples and blackberries and toss gently until every piece of fruit is coated. Set the filling aside while you roll out the crust.
4. Roll out the bottom crust
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of chilled dough into a circle about 12 inches wide and roughly 1/8 inch thick.
- Carefully transfer the dough to your 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing it into the bottom and up the sides without stretching it.
- Trim the excess dough, leaving about 1 inch of overhang around the rim.
- Place the lined pie dish in the refrigerator while you roll out the second disk.
5. Assemble the pie
- Pour the apple blackberry filling into the chilled crust, mounding it slightly in the center since the fruit will shrink as it bakes.
- Dot the top of the filling evenly with the 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces.
- Roll out the second disk of dough into a 12-inch circle for the lattice top.
6. Create the lattice top
- Cut the second circle of dough into 8 to 10 even strips, either with a sharp knife or a lattice pastry cutter.
- Lay half of the strips across the pie in one direction, spacing them evenly.
- Fold back every other strip, lay a new strip perpendicular across the pie, then unfold the strips back over it. Repeat this weaving pattern until the lattice is complete.
- Trim the strips even with the bottom crust overhang, then fold the edges under and crimp them decoratively with your fingers or a fork.
7. Add the egg wash and bake
- Preheat your oven to 400°F while the assembled pie chills in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Brush the lattice top and crimped edges evenly with the beaten egg and water mixture.
- Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the egg-washed crust for a bit of crunch and sparkle.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips, then bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, add a pie crust shield if the edges are browning quickly, and continue baking for another 35 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the lattice.
8. Cool and serve
- Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack and let it cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
- This resting time lets the filling set up properly, so you get clean slices instead of a runny center.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
This same lattice technique works beautifully on my Dutch Apple Pie if you want to practice it again on a different filling.
Tips for The Best Apple Blackberry Pie
A few small details separate a good apple blackberry pie from a great one.
Keep these in mind as you work through the recipe.
- Keep everything cold: cold butter and cold dough are the entire secret to a flaky crust
- Do not skip the resting time before slicing, or the filling will run everywhere
- Pat the blackberries dry after rinsing so you are not adding extra moisture to the filling
- Use a glass or ceramic pie dish so you can actually see when the bottom crust has browned
- If your apples release a lot of juice while sitting, drain off a tablespoon or two before adding the sugar mixture
I learned most of these tricks the hard way while testing my Deep Dish Apple Pie, and they apply just as well here.
Serving Suggestions
This pie is rich enough to stand completely on its own, but a few extras take it even further.
Serve it warm, at room temperature, or chilled, depending on your mood.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into a warm slice
- A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream
- A drizzle of warm caramel sauce over the top
- Alongside a mug of coffee or spiced apple cider for a cozy afternoon treat
- Paired with a scoop of my Berry Trifle if you are feeding a crowd and want two desserts on the table
Variations of Apple Blackberry Pie
Once you have the base recipe down, it is easy to switch things up depending on the season or what you have on hand.
Here are a few variations worth trying.
- Streusel topped: skip the lattice and cover the filling with a buttery oat streusel instead
- Mixed berry: swap half the blackberries for raspberries or blueberries
- Spiced up: add a pinch of ground cloves or cardamom to the filling for a warmer flavor
- Mini pies: divide the filling and crust between individual ramekins for personal-sized pies
- Gluten-free: swap in your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the crust
If a galette feels more your speed than a traditional pie, my Blackberry Peach Galette uses a similar fruit and sugar ratio in a free-form crust.
Storage and Reheating
This pie keeps well, which makes it a great make-ahead dessert for gatherings.
Just make sure it has cooled completely before you cover it.
- Room temperature: covered loosely, up to 2 days
- Refrigerator: covered tightly, up to 5 days
- Freezer: whole or in slices, wrapped well, up to 3 months
- Reheating: warm individual slices in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes, or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds
- Thawing: move a frozen pie to the refrigerator overnight before reheating
The same storage timeline works for my Blackberry Crumb Cake with Cream Cheese, so you can prep both ahead for the same event.
Nutritional Facts
These values are estimated per slice, based on 8 slices per pie.
- Calories: 410
- Total Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
- Sodium: 220mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 58g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Sugars: 30g
- Protein: 4g
My Peach Crumble Pie runs in a similar range if you are comparing options for a dessert table.
Health Benefits of Key Ingredients
This is still very much a dessert, but a few of the ingredients bring some real nutritional value along with the flavor.
It is a nice reminder that indulgent does not always mean empty calories.
- Apples: a good source of fiber and vitamin C, plus antioxidants concentrated in the skin
- Blackberries: packed with vitamin K, manganese, and some of the highest antioxidant levels of any common berry
- Cinnamon: may help support healthy blood sugar levels when eaten as part of a balanced diet
- Lemon juice: a small dose of vitamin C and natural acidity that brightens the whole filling
You will find a lot of the same nutrition benefits in my Blueberry Pie, since berries and fiber-rich fruit are the backbone of both recipes.
FAQs About Apple Blackberry Pie
1. Can I use frozen blackberries instead of fresh?
Yes, frozen blackberries work well in this recipe.
Just do not thaw them first, and add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to the filling to account for the additional moisture they release as they bake.
2. Why is my pie filling runny?
A runny filling usually means the pie was sliced before it had fully cooled and set.
Let the pie rest for at least 3 hours at room temperature so the cornstarch has time to finish thickening.
3. Do I have to make a lattice top?
Not at all, a full top crust with a few vent slits works just as well and is faster.
You could also try a streusel topping similar to the one on my Strawberry Rhubarb Pie if you want something with a different fruit combination.
4. Can I make this pie ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the pie up to 2 days in advance and store it at room temperature, loosely covered.
You can also prepare the dough and the fruit filling separately up to a day ahead and assemble the pie right before baking.
5. What apples work best for this recipe?
Granny Smith apples are ideal because they hold their shape and their tartness balances the sweeter, jammier blackberries.
Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples are good substitutes if you prefer a slightly sweeter filling.
Apple Blackberry Pie
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for the crust
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for the crust
- 1 teaspoon salt for the crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, cold and cubed, for the crust
- 6 tablespoons ice water 6-8 tablespoons, for the crust
- 6 cups Granny Smith apples peeled and thinly sliced, about 6 medium apples
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries rinsed and well drained
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar for the filling
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed, for the filling
- 1/4 cup cornstarch to thicken the filling
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- lemon zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for dotting the filling
- 1 pinch salt for the filling
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for sprinkling over the crust before baking
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish glass or ceramic recommended
- Food processor or pastry cutter for making dough by hand
- Pastry blender
- Rolling Pin
- Large mixing bowls
- Lattice pastry cutter optional, for clean woven top
- Pastry brush for egg wash
- Pie crust shield to prevent over-browning
- Wire cooling rack
- Baking sheet to catch drips
Method
- In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form with pea-sized butter pieces. Drizzle in ice water gradually, pulsing until dough clumps together. Divide into two disks.
- Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, to firm the butter and relax the gluten.
- Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and zest to prevent browning. Gently fold in blackberries. In a separate bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Sprinkle over fruit and toss gently to coat.
- Roll one dough disk into a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing into the bottom and sides. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate while rolling the second disk.
- Pour the filling into the chilled crust, mounding slightly in the center. Dot evenly with butter pieces.
- Roll the second dough disk into a 12-inch circle and cut into 8-10 even strips. Weave the strips into a lattice pattern over the filling. Trim and crimp the edges decoratively.
- Chill the assembled pie for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the lattice and edges with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake for 35 more minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 3 hours before slicing to allow the filling to set properly.
Nutrition
Notes
- Keep all ingredients cold – cold butter and cold dough are the secret to a flaky crust.
- Do not skip the 3-hour resting time before slicing, or the filling will run everywhere.
- Pat blackberries dry after rinsing to avoid adding extra moisture to the filling.
- Use a glass or ceramic pie dish so you can see when the bottom crust has browned.
- If your apples release excess juice while sitting, drain a tablespoon or two before adding the sugar mixture.
- For a streusel topping, skip the lattice and cover the filling with a buttery oat streusel instead.
- Frozen blackberries can be used without thawing; add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to compensate for extra moisture.
- Store baked pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze unbaked or baked pie wrapped well for up to 3 months.
- Reheat individual slices in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Conclusion
This Apple Blackberry Pie Recipe is one of those desserts that looks like it took all day, even though most of that time is really just the dough chilling and the pie cooling.
The payoff is a pie with a flaky, golden lattice and a filling that is sweet, tart, and deeply fruity in every bite.
Give it a try this weekend, and let me know in the comments how your lattice turned out.
If you make this pie, I would love to see it, so feel free to share a photo here.
Recommended:
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Recipe
- Cranberry Apple Crumb Pie Recipe
- Blackberry Bread Recipe
- Apple Cobbler Recipe
- Peach Cobbler Recipe
