Let’s make Triple Berry Crumble Pie! This mixed berry crumble pie features a bright, tangy berry filling & gorgeous crumble topping you’ll fall in love with at first bite. You can make it with fresh or frozen berries, so it’s perfect all year long! (Gluten-Free, Vegan-Friendly)
Developing pie recipes is one of my favorite things on earth.
It’s always a delicious experiment, and it requires making several test pies to perfect the recipe.
This triple berry crumble pie is just heaven. The filling is flexible–you can use all berries (raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries), or you can use a mixture of berries and cherries. Both are delicious. I know because I’ve eaten roughly my body weight in pie lately. #pieforbreakast #onlysortofkidding
A crumble topping can sometimes make a pie a bit too sweet for me, so I mitigated the issue by adding just enough sugar to sweeten the berries and let the crumble do most of the sweetening. I almost always use natural sweeteners here on One Lovely Life, and while I do have a great naturally sweetened crumble topping, I decided to really go for it on this pie. If you’re not going to let your hair down on holidays or special occasions, when are you going to let it down?
Here’s what you need to make the most amazing triple berry crumble pie…
Start With Simple ingredients
- A Great Pie Crust – We love this gluten-free pie crust or this traditional pie crust recipe. Either one works great for this pie!
- A Mix Of Berries – My favorite combination is a mix of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. You are welcome to mix in some strawberries or cherries if you like, or just blend 2 kinds of berries. It all works!
- Sugar. This is a time for the real stuff. I don’t recommend honey or pure maple syrup here.
- Cornstarch – A bit of cornstarch helps thicken the triple berry pie filling, giving the filling a gorgeous jammy texture as it cooks.
- Lemon Juice or Orange Juice – Adds a bit of brightness and tang to the berries and keeps the pie from tasting flat.
- Lovely Crumble Topping. To finish the triple berry crumble pie, you’ll use our gorgeous crumble topping. It’s made from butter or vegan butter, brown sugar, gluten-free flour, oats, vanilla, and salt. Easy and gorgeous!
Can I Use Frozen Berries For Berry Pie?
Yes! You can use frozen berries to make a mixed berry pie. Some recipes will call for thawing the berries first to get rid of the extra liquid (frost on the berries). I haven’t found that I need to do that for our triple berry crumble pie. You can use the berries frozen. Just make sure you follow the instructions to make sure the pie filling is bubbling before you remove the pie from the oven. (This allows the cornstarch to thicken the filling)
How To Make Triple Berry Crumble Pie, Step-By-Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- If you haven’t already, make your crust and fit it to your pie pan. (We like this pie crust or this gluten-free pie crust). To help weigh the crust down, you can add parchment paper and add dry beans or pie weights (as shown in the photos/video). Or, you can prick the crust a few times with a fork before baking.
- Pre-bake the pie crust at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. (This will make the bottom of the crust more sturdy for the berry pie filling.) When the pie crust is done pre-baking, let it cool for a few minutes before adding the filling and topping.
- While the pie crust is pre-baking, mix up your filling. In a large bowl, combine berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt. Gently stir with a flexible spatula to coat the berries.
- Next, make the crumble topping. In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt. Combine with two forks, a pastry blender (or your fingers!) until the flour and brown sugar are hydrated with the butter and small clusters and clumps form.
- Now, assemble the pie. Add berry filling to the pre-baked crust and top with crumble topping.
- Place the pie pan on a baking sheet (in case of bubbly spills!) and bake the pie at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is visibly bubbling. (If it’s not bubbling, the cornstarch can’t thicken the filling.)
What To Do If Your Crumble Topping Starts Browning Too Quickly
If the crumble topping starts browning too quickly, you can lightly cover it with aluminum foil. (I recommend checking the pie at the 45 minute mark to see how it’s coming along.) This will allow the filling to continue cooking and will help protect the topping from browning further.
FAQ + Tips For The Best Triple Berry Crumble Pie
Tips To Get The Sweetness Just Right. Depending on the sweetness of your berries, you may prefer to increase the sugar. I prefer my filling to have a tiny bit of tartness since the crumble topping is sweet enough, and in all my tests (with tart cherries and blackberries), 1/2 cup was plenty for me.
What’s Your Favorite Pie Crust Recipe? We always use our Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe, but if you’re not gluten-free, we love this classic pie crust.
Gluten-Free Tips… Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour or King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Flour are our go-to for recipes like this one. It’s a true 1-to-1 substitute for white all purpose flour and both my crust and the crumble topping turned out beautifully.
Use A Big Pie Dish If You Can! This is a hefty pie! Our mixed berry crumble pie fits in a standard 9-inch pie plate, but if you’ve got a deep dish pie pan or at least one with higher sides, you’ll probably feel a *little* more comfortable putting it into the oven. We love this pretty white one! No matter what pie pan you use, I recommend putting it on a baking sheet to catch any errant drips, bubbles, or spills. (It’s WAY easier to clean a pan than it is to clean your oven!)
Tips To Make Sure Your Berry Pie Filling Sets Properly
- Make Sure The Filling Bubbles! In order for the cornstarch to thicken the berry pie filling, it’s important that the filling bubbles in the oven. If your pie filling isn’t visibly bubbly around the edges, it won’t set.
- Let The Pie Cool Before Serving. Also, you MUST let the pie cool before cutting into it! The filling continues to cook even after you pull it out of the oven, so allowing it to cool before cutting into it ensures the filling will be cooked through and set (rather than runny and too wet). I know it’s tempting to cut into it when it’s warm, but the pie won’t hold its shape well if you don’t let it cool first.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Triple Berry Crumble Pie recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Triple Berry Crumble Pie
Ingredients
For The Pie:
- 1 Pie Crust Gluten-free or regular
For The Triple Berry Pie Filling:
- 2 cups raspberries frozen or fresh*
- 2 cups blueberries frozen or fresh*
- 2 cups blackberries or cherries frozen or fresh*
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or orange juice
For The Crumble Topping:
- 6 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter cut into tiny cubes
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour (60 grams) gluten free all purpose flour or white all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup oats gluten free or regular (I prefer quick oats, but rolled are fine!)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll the pie crust out and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan (if you have a deep dish pan, that’s preferred). To help weigh the crust down, you can add parchment paper and add dry beans or pie weights (as shown in the photos/video). Or, you can prick the crust a few times with a fork before baking.
- Pre-bake the pie crust at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. (This will make the bottom of the crust more sturdy for the berry pie filling.) When the pie crust is done pre-baking, let it cool for a few minutes before adding the filling and topping.
- While the pie crust is pre-baking, mix up your filling. In a large bowl, combine berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt. Gently stir with a flexible spatula to coat the berries.
- Next, make the crumble topping. In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, oats, flour, vanilla, and salt. Combine with two forks, a pastry blender (or your fingers!) until the flour and brown sugar are hydrated with the butter and small clusters and clumps form.
- Now, assemble the pie. Add berry filling to the pre-baked crust and top with crumble topping. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet (in case of bubbly spills!) and
- Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes, or until the top is golden** and the filling is visibly bubbling. (If it’s not bubbling, the cornstarch can’t thicken the filling.)
Notes
- *If using frozen berries, there’s no need to thaw them first. You can mix up the filling using the berries straight from the freezer. Also, since blackberries can be a bit harder to come by, you can use frozen cherries instead. They work really well, too!
- **If the crumble topping starts browning too quickly, loosely cover the pie with foil to protect the topping from browning further. Again, make sure the filling has a chance to boil!
Video
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/triple-berry-crumble-pie/Originally shared June 2016. Updated Nov 2021.
How far in advance can I make this pie? I saw your suggestion to freeze it prior to baking. If I want to bake ahead of time would I store in the freezer or fridge until it’s time to serve?
Hi, Karen! It depends on what your needs are!
The crumble topping will taste best freshly made, so my top recommendation is to fully assemble the pie and freeze it before baking. Then bake it straight from the freezer. You’ll want to plan to add 10-15 minutes to the bake time and will need to keep an eye on the crumble topping to make sure it doesn’t brown too quickly. Just loosely tent the pie with foil if needed to protect it!
If you plan to serve it the same day, the pie can be kept on the counter for several hours up to the same day, otherwise, I recommend refrigerating the pie for best results.
Hi Emily! My hubby is a diabetic pie hound. I’ve made at least six berry pies using your recipe. He never gets tired of them! I use an almond flour frozen crust, poke holes in the bottom with fork tines & dust with 1 T each of Splenda baking granulated and cornstarch to keep from getting soggy & absorb liquid. I also use Splenda baking brown sugar & a little cinnamon in the topping. I’ve mixed frozen peaches with the frozen berries as a variation. This recipe is the best one I’ve ever made, hands down! Thank you so much!
GREAT tips! Thank you so much Devini!!
Delicious recipe! The only thing is mine was super runny even though the filing was boiling. Any tips on what to do next time?
Hi Emily! A couple things to check:
If you tried all those things, and it still was thinner than you like, you can either add another tablespoon of cornstarch to the filling or you can cook the filling beforehand and add it to the pie before baking. That way you’re SURE it’s thickened before it even goes in the oven.
Hope that helps! I’m cheering you on!
I do not see anything in the directions about when to add the oats. I assume they are part of the crumble mixture, but ???
Sally – Yep! The oats go in with the other topping ingredients. Sorry about the confusion!
Truly the best recipe for a bumble berry crisp I’ve found so far and so delicious! Not overly sweet, but just sweet enough and balanced so well with the crumble topping. I used a vegetable shortening pie crust and a frozen berry mix bag of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries from the local grocery store. Cooked for an hour while I cooked dinner and reheated for 5 mins at 325 once ready for dessert.
I’m so, so glad you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
This pie was amazing!! Would I be able to add apples in it and it still be amazing?
I haven’t tried adding apples, but another reader recently did and said it was delicious! I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂
Can I use a frozen deep dish pie crust for this? If so should I still bake it before filling? Should I thaw then bake or just bake from frozen?
You totally can use a pre-made frozen crust! That’s a great way to go. I typically don’t thaw frozen crusts before baking. Just fill them as usual and bake per the directions. If you notice it’s not quite as golden around the edges as you’d like, feel free to give it a few extra minutes in the oven. (I don’t usually need to add any extra time with a frozen crust)
I made two of these and they are great! I was wondering if they can be frozen to eat later? Anyone tried that? Freezing before baking and freezing after baking, options. If so, what was your process?
Thank you in advance
Yes! I recommend freezing before baking. I usually use foil pie pans to freeze them, wrap the top with foil and freeze laying flat (I often put it on a cutting board or sheet pan while it freezes so it doesn’t tip.
Then, you can put the frozen pie in a cold oven from the freezer. Turn the heat on and bake as usual, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time to allow the oven to heat up. 🙂
This pie was so good. I used only 3 cups of berries and cut everything else in half and it worked perfect. Delicious!!
So glad you liked it! 🙂
This pie was delicious! I used Wholly Wholesome’s organic pie crust which has no trans fat. It is so flaky and delicious. I precooked for 10 min as directed. I used fresh berries and kept them on the counter for a couple hours to dry. I think the frozen berries would make the pie runny. And since I feel that baked goods do need salt, I put 1/8 tsp salt in the berry mixture and 1/4 tsp salt in the crumble and also added 1/4 tsp of cinnamon to the crumble. To die for !
So glad you loved it, Dawn! That’s fantastic! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review–we appreciate it so much!
The most delicious pie and so very easy to make. Thank you!
I’m so glad you liked it, Susan! Thank you for sharing!
I’m storing it in the fridge. Can u tell me what to cover it with? Plastic wrap?
Plastic wrap or foil will work great 🙂
So I used frozen berries and a 9” tender flake crust I have about 2.5 cups of berry mix left over and a very soggy pie crus. A for presentation d for overall
Oh, dear. I’m sorry you had that experience!
If I bake this ahead of time can I leave it on the counter for a few hours or should I Put it in the refrigerator?
Allison – I’ll be fine out for a few hours. If it’s going to be all day, you probably want to tuck it in the fridge. 🙂
This pie is really delicious. But am I doing something wrong because it’s a little runny!
Gina – Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and I’m sorry it was a bit runny! Sometimes, depending on how tightly your berries are packed or how much pectin is in the berries can affect the texture. Next time, it sounds like you may prefer an extra Tbsp or 2 of cornstarch for a more firm texture. I hope that helps! 🙂
I made this tonight and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m SO glad you enjoyed it Rachel! Thank you for sharing!
Is it necessay to prebake? Im a little worried of the crust becoming overly dry around the top. Gracias!
Rosie – I really recommend it. The filling can make the crust soggy if it’s not pre-baked. You can cover the top edges with foil if you prefer to help prevent it from browning!
Can you make the pie with a crumble on top and then a pie crust on top of that?
Yes! Just bake as directed and make sure you vent your crust (with a few slits cut into it, or by using a lattice design) to allow steam to escape. Feel free to add a few extra minutes to the bake time if you want your top crust more golden.
My girlfriend and I made this delicious pie and we loved it!!!!
YAY! So glad to hear that. We LOVE it!
Can you make a version without the bottom crust? Trying to cut back on cloud and grains. Thank you!
Dina – Yep! It’d be a great berry crisp. I’d just put it in a deep dish pie plate or an 8×8″ baking dish.
Just put this in the oven! I’m so excited – handpicked blueberries and blackberries from family. Unfortunately, I had no raspberries and needed to use a can of raspberry filling that was past due.
Ooh! That sounds so tasty!
I made two of these tonight best pie ever thank you for the recipe definitely will be saving!!!
WOW! I’m SO glad you enjoyed them! They’re my husband’s favorite! He requests this for his birthday every year 🙂
I’ve made this pie a couple of times…it’s a hit with everyone even those that don’t need to be GF. I use only 6 cups of berries for a store bought pie. This is my favorite pie recipe.
Agreed! It’s my family’s request pie for every occasion! Love it!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Hi, Emily.
This recipe is almost the same as one I have used for years. I made an apple/blackberry one today. One of our family favourites.JJ
Love this! Totally putting this on my list 🙂
This looks so tasty! Sophie x