Blackberry cream pie has a light and creamy base inside a flaky pie shell, topped with a layer of velvety smooth blackberry purée and topped with sweetened whipped cream. This no-bake pie is a perfect dessert for summer!
Blackberry Cream Pie
Blackberry cream pie is a light and creamy no-bake dessert that is perfect for summer time. Blackberry cream pie starts with a flaky pie crust that’s filled with a layer of sweetened whipped cream and cream cheese. This layer is then topped with a velvety smooth fresh blackberry puree and the pie is garnished with additional sweetened whipped cream and fresh blackberries.
This timeless pie was inspired by a berry cream pie recipe shared from a Minnesota reader in the 1965 Farm Journal’s Complete Pie Cookbook, who called their berry cream pie their “company special.” Although you can substitute frozen blackberries for this recipe, the best time to make this pie is in the summertime, when blackberries are fresh at their peak. This pie is also a great summer dessert for those hot, summer days since the only baking required is for the pie shell.
How to Make Blackberry Cream Pie
Blackberry cream pie does require some time to assemble the different layers, so be sure to read the steps carefully in advance. To achieve the velvety smooth texture of the blackberry puree, the blackberries must be strained to remove the seeds and cores. While this does take additional time, it is well worth the effort!
Not a fan of blackberries? Raspberries or blueberries make a great substitute. Be sure to read the tips below for using frozen berries for this recipe.
Need a good pie crust recipe? Check out this recipe for no-fail pie crust!
Ingredients
- 1 single crust pie dough for a 9” pie
- Half and half
- 1 quart or 4 cups of fresh blackberries*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup water + 2 Tablespoons cold water, divided
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 (0.25 oz) pkg unflavored gelatin
- 3 oz. Softened cream cheese
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Additional whipped cream and blackberries for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425° F and adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven. Roll out pie dough and press into 9” pie pan. Prick gently all over with fork. Cover center of pie crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights (or dried beans). Brush edges of pie crust with half and half. Bake 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, remove the pie weights and foil. Return pie crust to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes, uncovered. Cool on a wire rack before filling.
Reserve a few of the blackberries for garnish if desired and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, crush the blackberries using a fork or potato masher. Add 1/3 cup of water to the crushed blackberries; press through a fine mesh strainer to remove the large seeds and cores into a medium sized saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the lemon juice to the blackberry mixture.
Heat on medium heat until bubbly. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup water with the cornstarch; whisk into the blackberry mixture and continue to stir over medium heat until mixture is thick. Remove from heat, Dissolve the gelatin with the remaining 2 Tablespoons cold water; stir into blackberry mixture. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Once blackberry mixture is room temperature, place the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1 cup heavy whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a large mixing bowl and electric mixer. Whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. In a separate mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese until fluffy; fold into the sweetened whipped cream.
Spread the cream mixture into the cooled pie shell. Gently top the cream mixture with the room temperature blackberry mixture. Chill at least 2 hours to allow the blackberry mixture to set.
Whip the remaining 1 cup of whipping cream with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to garnish the pie with and add additional blackberries as desired.
Tips for Blackberry Cream Pie
- You can pre-bake the pie crust up to 3 days in advance (store in an airtight container)
- This pie will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days
- This pie does not freeze well
- Not a fan of blackberries? Raspberries or blueberries make a great substitute.
- If using frozen berries, allow to thaw completely. Measure the juice from the berries and add water to make 2/3 cup liquid.
- Makes 8 larger slices or 12 smaller slices
MADE THIS RECIPE? COMMENT OR RATE BELOW OR ON INSTAGRAM OR PINTEREST!
Want more pie recipes? Check out these recipes!
Blackberry Cream Pie
Equipment
- 9" pie plate
- aluminum foil
- pie weights or dried beans
- fork or potato masher
- fine mesh strainer
- medium saucepan
- stand mixer or large mixing bowl and electric mixer
- mixing bowls of various sizes
Ingredients
- 1 single crust pie dough for a 9” pie
- Half and half
- 1 quart or 4 cups of fresh blackberries* plus additional for garnish
- 2/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons cold water divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 0.25 oz package unflavored gelatin
- 3 oz. softened cream cheese
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the pie shell
- Preheat oven to 425° F and adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven.
- Roll out 1 single crust pie dough for a 9” pie and press into 9” pie pan. Prick gently all over with fork.
- Cover center of pie crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights (or dried beans). Brush edges of pie crust with Half and half.
- Bake 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, remove the pie weights and foil. Return pie crust to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes, uncovered. Cool on a wire rack before filling.
For the pie filling
- Place 1 quart or 4 cups of fresh blackberries* into a bowl. Reserve a few of the blackberries for garnish if desired and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, crush the blackberries using a fork or potato masher.
- Add 1/3 cup of water from the 2/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons cold water total to the crushed blackberries; press through a fine mesh strainer to remove the large seeds and cores into a medium sized saucepan.
- Add 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar from the 1 cup granulated sugar and the 2 teaspoons lemon juice to the blackberry mixture. Heat on medium heat until bubbly.
- Combine the remaining 1/3 cup water with the 3 Tablespoons cornstarch; whisk into the blackberry mixture and continue to stir over medium heat until mixture thick.
- Remove from heat, Dissolve the gelatin with the remaining 2 Tablespoons cold water; stir into blackberry mixture. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Once blackberry mixture is room temperature, place the 1/4 cup granulated sugar with the 1 cup of the heavy whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a large mixing bowl and electric mixer. Whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whip the 3 oz. softened cream cheese until fluffy; fold into the sweetened whipped cream.
- Spread the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture into the cooled pie shell. Gently top the cream mixture with the cooled blackberry mixture. Chill at least 2 hours to allow the blackberry mixture to set.
- Whip the additional 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 1/4 cup granulated sugar for the top of the pie. Garnish the pie with additional blackberries if desired
Notes
- You can pre-bake the pie crust up to 3 days in advance (store in an airtight container)
- This pie will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days
- This pie does not freeze well
- Not a fan of blackberries? Raspberries or blueberries make a great substitute.
- If using frozen berries, allow to thaw completely. Measure the juice from the berries and add water to make 2/3 cup liquid.
- Makes 8 larger slices or 12 smaller slices
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