This Huckleberry Pie recipe features the sweet-tart flavor of fresh or frozen huckleberries in a flaky pie crust. You can even substitute huckleberry jam if you can't find fresh or frozen huckleberries. This is an easy homemade dessert with a bright, complex berry flavor that is perfect for summer.
Place the huckleberries, sugar, tapioca, orange juice, and orange zest in a large bowl. Stir until huckleberries are well coated with the other ingredients, then let it rest while preparing the crust. This time allows the fruit to soften and activates the tapioca.
Roll your pie crusts to ⅛-inch thickness (about 12 inches in diameter). Place one of the pie crust circles into a 9-inch pie plate. Cut the remaining pie crust into 12 strips.
1 double-pie crust recipe
Once the fruit mixture has rested, pour the filling into the pie shell.
Place the pie crust strips in a lattice pattern on top of the filling (see the blog post for instructions). Alternatively, place the entire top crust on the pie, crimping the edges with the bottom crust, then cut 3 slits for the steam to escape.
Beat the egg and water together to make a wash, then brush onto the top crust.
1 egg, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
Place the pie in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rechill the crust.
Bake in the 425°F (220°C) oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake an additional 30-35 minutes.
The pie will be runny when it is warm. Cool for several hours before slicing.
Notes
If using fresh huckleberries, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before mixing with the other ingredients. Drain off any excess juice.
Use a pie shield to prevent the edges from burning.
Wrap leftover pie with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can freeze the pie for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
To make with blueberries: Use 5 cups of blueberries instead of huckleberries. Stir in 1 cup of huckleberry jam along with the remaining recipe ingredients and bake as directed. The blueberries have a similar texture and the unique huckleberry flavor will be infused through the jam.