Why Is Your Blueberry Pie Runny & How to Fix Runny Filling?
Cutting a blueberry pie is fun but can sometimes become messy, depending on a couple of factors. Blueberry pie filling can turn out runny, so people are usually left with two questions: why is my blueberry pie runny and how to fix it?
Blueberry pie can be runny if you didn’t bake your pie long enough, didn’t use the exact amount of ingredients, or didn’t cool the crust before adding the fill. To thicken blueberry pie, use cornstarch, flour, tapioca flour, instant pudding, gelatin powder, bead crumbs or instant Clear Jel.
In this article, I will write about if it is possible to remake a runny pie, how do you thicken a blueberry pie. These are just some of the frequently asked questions about this dessert that you’ll find answers to.
Why Is Your Blueberry Pie Runny?
Blueberry pie is pretty easy to make at home. However, if care is not taken, you can run into a couple of problems when making the pie. One of the few issues that you might encounter is a situation where you find your blueberry pie running.
If you’re currently facing a blueberry pie running issue, you need not feel too bad about it as you can always fix the problem. However, you need to understand that a couple of factors can contribute to why you’re currently experiencing this running issue.
First, berries, such as strawberries and blueberries, have high water content. As such, it’s normal to encounter this running issue at any slight mistake when preparing your blueberry pie.
Furthermore, another factor that could contribute to why you’re experiencing this runny blueberry pie issue is that the pie hasn’t been baked long enough. During the preparation of your pie, you’ll certainly need to utilize a thickener, such as flour, cornstarch, and quick-cooking tapioca. Well, any thickener you’re using needs some time to set up.
Even if the crust of the blueberry pie is turning light brown, you still need to give the pie some time to bake well because of the thickener. If not, you’ll most likely experience this runny issue.
Another reason why your blueberry pie could be running out is that it didn’t cool enough when you added the filling. Yes, most blueberry pies need to be cooled to room temperature before the addition of any fillings.
The next time you’re baking your blueberry pies, ensure you see thick bubbles before taking them out of the oven. The bubbling of the filling will help you activate the natural gelatin that is present in the blueberry and the thickener used.
Can You Remake a Runny Blueberry Pie?
As earlier mentioned, one of the reasons why your blueberry pies are runny is because the thickener hasn’t been baked enough. If you’re currently experiencing this issue, the good news is that there are a couple of workarounds that you can take advantage of to fix the problem.
Yes, it’s very possible to remake your blueberry pie if you find it running. All you need to do is to be careful and avoid burning the crust.
The bottom line is that you can always remake your runny blueberry pie. However, you need to keep in mind that it may not be quite as good and fresh as the first time. I’m saying this because your pie crust will most likely get burned.
How Do You Thicken a Blueberry Pie?
There are a couple of options for you when it comes to fixing your blueberry pie. You can always decide to use cornstarch, flour, tapioca flour, instant pudding, gelatin powder, bead crumbs or instant Clear Jel to thicken your blueberry pie.
Use Cornstarch
Are you considering thickening your blueberry pie using cornstarch? If yes, then you’ll certainly need a teaspoon of cornstarch for every cup of blueberries that you have in your pie. In case you don’t know, cornstarch is a natural thickening ingredient. Adding it to your blueberry pie will certainly give the filling body without affecting the taste.
There’s a general rule that says that about 6 cups of fillings is enough for a 6-inch blueberry pie. If you’re going by that; then you’ll need to add about 6 teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken the pie.
Just mix the cornstarch with the filling and cook the mixture for a few minutes.
Add Flour
Apart from cornstarch, another substance that you can always use to thicken your blueberry pies is flour. While this method is effective, the only issue with it is that the appearance of your blueberry pie filling will look slightly cloudy.
That said, you’ll need about two teaspoons of flour for every cup of blueberry that you use for your pie. To get the best results, all you need is to sprinkle the flour into your blueberry pie mixture and mix it well. This way, you can always avoid clumping up the pie filling and affecting its texture.
If you didn’t pour the filling yet, and you are still cooking it, whisk the flour with a small amount of water and pour the mixture into the boiling filling. Cook it for a few minutes on low heat.
Use Instant Pudding
Another effective solution to thicken your blueberry pie involves using vanilla instant pudding. This method is, arguably, the best on this list as it’ll help you improve the texture of your blueberry pie, as well as its flavor.
Simply whisk the pudding with a small amount of milk and pour it into the hot filling while constantly whisking. Cook for two minutes and pour the mixture on the crust.
If the filling is already on the crust, then slowly add milk and pudding mixture to the filling and try to stir it well. After that, bake it for another 5-10 minutes.
Add Tapioca Flour
In case you don’t know, tapioca is a starchy substance that’s usually extracted from the storage roots of the cassava plant. Tapioca flour can be utilized for a couple of things, including as a thickener for your blueberry pie.
Depending on the type of tapioca flour that you’ll be using, there are a couple of options for using the substance. The best you can do is to carefully read the tapioca package and follow the instructions on it.
Once you’re done mixing the tapioca flour with your filling, you need to allow the blueberry pie to sit for about 15 minutes to achieve the best results.
Add Gelatin Powder
Gelatin powder produces a whole different texture than flour. While flour and cornstarch turn liquid into a dense substance, gelatin powder turns liquid into jelly. So, if you want your pie filling to get the jello texture, opt for gelatin powder and mix it with the blueberry filling according to the instruction on the back of the packaging.
Add Bread Crumbs
Bread crumbs can help you with your runny pie filling, but only in the cases when it is not too runny. Simply add bread crumbs to the filling and wait for them to absorb the sufficient water.
Add Instant Clear Jel
Another effective approach to thicken your blueberry pie is by adding instant Clear Jel, a food starch, to your filling. For the best results, all you need is to read the package of the Clear Jel for instructions regarding how to use the substance.
How Do You Keep Blueberry Pie From Getting Runny?
Having a runny blueberry pie can be very annoying. For you to avoid this issue, there are a couple of things that you can do. First, ensure that you make use of the right thickener. In addition to that, also make sure you apply the right quantity of the thickening substance to your pie filling.
In addition to using the right thickener, another way to keep your blueberry pies from getting runny is by making sure the pies bake enough. The best way to understand that it’s almost time to remove the pies from the oven is if you can see thick bubbling of the fillings. After that, give the pie about 5 minutes before taking it out.
Furthermore, another way to prevent your fruit pie from getting runny is by allowing it to cool down to room temperature before adding fillings.
The bottom line is that having a thick blueberry pie requires you to use the appropriate substance, such as tapioca flour or instant ClearJel. You can also avoid this issue by allowing your pie to bake enough.
How Long Does It Take For a Pie to Set?
As earlier mentioned, one of the effective ways to prevent the running fruit pie issue is by allowing the pie to bake enough. But here’s a quick question; how long is enough time to keep the pie set?
To bake your pie and achieve the best results, you need to first cover it loosely with foil. After that, you need to keep the pie warm in an already preheated oven, set at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Inside the oven, the blueberry pie should preheat within 15 minutes. After that, it takes an additional 2 hours for the pie to cool down.
Should Blueberry Pie Be Refrigerated?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), blueberry pies, especially those with perishable ingredients, such as eggs or dairy, need to be refrigerated. [1]
So, remember that it is important to refrigerate your blueberry pies for up to two days to keep them protected.
Should You Eat Blueberry Pie?
Blueberry pie is a pie that’s made with a blueberry filling. So, eating blueberry pie comes with tons of amazing benefits; one of them is that it’s a good source of antioxidants. In case you don’t know, antioxidants are substances that are capable of preventing or slowing down the damage to cells, which is caused by free radicals.
Apart from acting as an antioxidant, blueberry pies are also a great source of fiber, vitamin C, and manganese. Other nutrients present in blueberry pies are Phosphorus, Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc, and Vitamin K. [2]
However, keep in mind that even though this tasty snack has some benefits, it still has a lot of calories and a high amount of sugar that our bodies don’t need.
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
