Saskatoon Berry Pie

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pies tarts Medium

A double-crust pie packed with sweet, almond-scented saskatoon berries in a thick, jammy filling. This version uses a flaky shortening crust, the way prairie bakers often make it. Makes 1 9-inch pie in about 2 hr 35 min.

Prep 35 min

Cook 60 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 2 hr 35 min

Yield 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Adjust yield

9-inch pie

Crust

2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp (5 g)granulated sugar
½ tsp (3 g)fine salt
¼ tsp (1 g)baking powder
5 ½ oz (150 g)vegetable shortening, cold, cubed
1 (50 g)egg
1 tsp (5 ml)white vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml)ice water

Filling

1 ½ lb (650 g)saskatoon berries, fresh or frozen, not thawed
½ cup (100 g)granulated sugar
3 ½ tbsp (30 g)cornstarch
¼ oz (8 g)quick-cooking tapioca
⅓ cup (80 ml)grape juice
1 tbsp (15 ml)lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp (20 g)unsalted butter, cut in small bits

To finish

1 (50 g)egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water, for egg wash

Fresh ingredient guides

LemonsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 24 kcal per 84 g

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in the cold shortening with a pastry cutter until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-size pieces.
Beat the egg with the vinegar and ice water. Sprinkle over the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough just holds together. Divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap and chill 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C) with a rack in the lower third and a rimmed baking sheet on it. Roll one disc to a 12-inch (30 cm) round and fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate.
Toss the berries with the sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, grape juice and lemon juice until no dry starch remains. Pile into the crust and dot with the butter.
Roll the second disc to a 12-inch round and lay over the filling. Trim, fold the edges under and crimp to seal. Cut 5 or 6 steam slits and brush with the egg wash.
Set the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake 15 minutes at 400 F (200 C). Lower the oven to 350 F (180 C) and bake 45 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles thickly through the slits.
Cool on a rack at least 2 hours so the filling sets before slicing.

Tips

Do not thaw frozen berries; they hold their shape and release less juice.
Tapioca plus cornstarch gives a set but tender filling; the pie must cool fully before slicing.
If the edges brown too fast, shield them with strips of foil.
Bake until the filling bubbles in the center so the egg wash and crust are fully cooked; refrigerate leftovers after 2 days.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make saskatoon berry pie?

Plan on 35 minutes of prep and 1 hour of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 1 9-inch pie.

How should I store saskatoon berry pie?

Keep loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days, then refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze the unbaked, unglazed pie up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 10 to 15 minutes.

Can I make saskatoon berry pie ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

A prairie Canadian double-crust pie made with saskatoon berries, the provincial fruit of Saskatchewan. Serve it with vanilla ice cream or strong coffee.