Old‑Fashioned Four Berry Pie – Juicy Mixed Berry Dessert

There’s a particular magic that happens in late June on Oregon backroads—the kind where berry stands bloom like wildflowers and you can smell sun-warmed fruit before you’ve even rolled down the window. My grandma called it “pie-season perfume,” and every year she’d pack a cardboard flat with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries—her “berry quartet.” The very first weekend after school let out, we’d haul that haul into her farmhouse kitchen, queue up Patsy Cline on the radio, and bake a pie big enough to feed the whole county fair (or so it felt to my eight-year-old self).

This recipe is my grown-up love letter to those sticky-fingered afternoons: a lattice-topped Old-Fashioned Four Berry Pie that bubbles ruby-red in the oven and cuts clean—even on humid days. The crust is buttery but sturdy, the filling is juicy yet slice-able (thanks to a quick stovetop start), and a sprinkle of coarse sugar gives each bite a gentle crunch.

Whether you’re an Oregon native, a berry-picker at heart, or just craving summer nostalgia in a forkful, grab your rolling pin—let’s bake a pie that’ll have the neighbors wandering over “just to say hi.”

(P.S. Do you scoop your pie a la mode or with a dollop of whipped cream? You know I’m Team Vanilla Bean Ice Cream—fight me in the comments!)

Ingredients & Substitutions

Filling (makes one deep-dish 9-inch pie)

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled & sliced
• 1 cup granulated sugar (add up to ¼ cup more if your berries are extra-tart)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp cornstarch (or 6 Tbsp instant tapioca granules)
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Crust

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, well-chilled
• ½ cup ice-cold water (you may not need it all)

Shortcut? A quality store-bought double crust works—just promise me you’ll do the coarse-sugar sprinkle!

Old-fashioned four berry pie cooling

Step-by-Step Instructions {#instructions}

1. Make the Dough

1. In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, and salt.
2. Cut chilled butter into 1-Tbsp pieces; toss in flour.
3. Pinch & rub butter with fingertips until mixture looks like coarse cornmeal with a few almond-size pieces left.
4. Drizzle in ⅓ cup ice water; toss with a fork. Add more water —1 Tbsp at a time—just until dough clumps.
5. Divide into two disks, wrap, and chill 30 min.

2. Prep the Berry Filling

1. In a heavy saucepan combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice.
2. Warm over medium heat 5–10 min until berries release juices.
3. In a small bowl whisk ½ cup hot juice with cornstarch until smooth; return slurry to pot.
4. Simmer 2–5 min, gently stirring, until thickened.
5. Off heat, stir in butter. Cool 15 min.

Pro Tip: Pre-thickening keeps the baked pie from turning into a soupy mess—especially crucial for juicy summer berries.

3. Assemble the Pie

1. Roll bottom crust to ⅛-inch thick; line a deep-dish pie plate.
2. Pour in cooled berry filling.
3. Roll second dough into a rectangle; use a fluted cutter to slice ½-inch strips.
4. Weave a lattice (or go rogue with braids, granny-style patchwork—this is your art!).
5. Trim, tuck, and crimp edges.
6. Brush top with egg wash (1 egg white + 1 Tbsp water); sprinkle coarse sugar.

4. Bake

• 425°F for 15 min (sets crust).
• Reduce to 375°F; bake 35–45 min until lattice is golden and filling bubbles thickly.
• Tent with foil after 25 min if crust browns too fast.

5. Cool & Serve

Let pie cool at least 3 hours—yes, hours. This patience pays off with slices that stand tall.

 Overhead shot of whole four berry pie on rustic wood table

Pro Tips & Troubleshooting {#tips}

• Runny pie? Likely under-thickened or sliced too warm—chill 30 min before cutting.
• Crust shrank? Chill assembled pie 10 min before baking.
• Berry swap: Sub Marionberries or boysenberries for blackberries—same ratios.
• Gluten-Free: Replace flour with cup-for-cup GF blend; add ½ tsp xanthan gum if blend lacks it.
• Make-Ahead: Freeze unbaked, wrapped pie for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 425°F for 20 min, then 375°F 55–65 min.

Variations

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use frozen berries?
   Absolutely. Use them frozen, add 1 extra tablespoon cornstarch, and expect a few more minutes of stovetop simmer.
2. Why pre-cook the filling?
   It evaporates excess water, locks in flavor, and prevents “berry soup” when sliced.
3. How do I keep the bottom crust crisp?
   Bake on the lowest oven rack and use a pre-heated pizza stone or steel beneath the pie plate.

Four Berry Pie

Old-fashioned lattice pie packed with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries & strawberries.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• - 2 cups blueberries
• - 2 cups blackberries
• - 2 cups raspberries
• - 2 cups sliced strawberries
• - 1 cup sugar
• - 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• - 4 Tbsp cornstarch
• - 2 Tbsp butter
• - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• - 1 Tbsp sugar
• - 1 tsp salt
• - 1 cup unsalted butter chilled
• - ½ cup ice water as needed
• - 1 egg white + 1 Tbsp water egg wash
• - Coarse sugar for topping

Method

 

1. Prepare crust: whisk dry; cut in butter; add water until dough forms. Divide, wrap, chill 30 min.
2. Cook filling: simmer berries, sugar, lemon; thicken with cornstarch slurry; cool 15 min.
3. Roll bottom crust; add filling. Lattice top; brush egg wash; sprinkle sugar.
4. Bake 425°F 15 min, then 375°F 35–45 min. Cool 3 hrs before slicing.

Notes

Freeze unbaked pie up to 2 months—bake from frozen adding 15 min.