Bumbleberry Slab Pie Recipe

Bumbleberry pie is made with a mixture of berries you have on hand. You can substitute blueberries for saskatoons, or raspberries for strawberries, depending on what you have available. Fresh or frozen berries both work well, as long as the total comes to about five cups.

This bumbleberry slab pie is a casual, crowd-friendly dessert that’s perfect for family gatherings or making ahead to freeze. The light, flaky crust and rich berry filling make it just as appealing served as a large slab as it is cut into individual portions.

Because this pie freezes so well, it’s one I often prepare ahead of time for busy seasons like camping trips, sports schedules, or packed lunches. In today’s post, I’m sharing how this slab pie can be served whole or wrapped into individual Bumbleberry Pie Fingers for easy grab-and-go treats.

All of my berry pies are thickened with minute tapioca rather than cornstarch. It creates a smooth, clean filling without the pasty texture cornstarch can sometimes leave behind. If you prefer, I’ve included cornstarch as an alternative.

Bumbleberry Slab Pie Ingredients

This is the berry combination I used for this pie, but bumbleberry pies are meant to be flexible. If you don’t have blackberries, strawberries work just as well. You can adjust the amounts and use whatever berries you have on hand. As long as you use a mix of at least three different berries, it qualifies as a bumbleberry pie.

How to Make the Bumbleberry Slab Pie

Step 1 – Make the Bumbleberry Pie Filling

Wash and strain all of the berries. You can use fresh berries or thawed frozen berries. If using frozen berries, be sure to thaw them first in a colander so any excess liquid can drain away.

Place the berries in a large bowl. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and minute tapioca, then mix well until everything is evenly combined. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator while you prepare the pie crust.

Step 2 – Prepare the Pan and Roll the Bottom Crust

To make a slab pie, use a cookie sheet with sides. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than your cookie sheet and place it on the counter. Lightly dust the parchment with flour. The cookie sheet used for this pie is a standard 9 by 13 inches.

Divide the pie crust dough in half. Roll the first half out on the floured parchment into a rectangle slightly larger than the cookie sheet.

Divide the pie crust dough in half. Roll the first half out on the floured parchment into a rectangle slightly larger than the cookie sheet.

Once rolled out, fold the dough in half to make it easier to transfer. Carefully move it to the cookie sheet, then unfold and gently press it into place.

Slab pies are meant to be rustic. If the dough tears while transferring, lightly dampen the edges of the tear and press it back together.

Step 3 – Assemble the Slab Pie

Once the cookie sheet is lined with the pie crust, remove the berry filling from the refrigerator and spoon it evenly over the bottom crust.

Roll out the second piece of pie crust on parchment paper into a rectangle large enough to cover the filling. Carefully place it over the berries.

Fold the edges of the top crust over the filling and seal all the way around the slab pie.

Step 4 – Bake the Bumbleberry Slab Pie

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the assembled slab pie in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.

For easy cleanup, place a piece of tin foil on the oven rack underneath the baking pan. This helps catch any drips and prevents oven spills. Be careful not to overfill the pie, as a very full slab pie is more likely to bubble over.

Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely before slicing.

Serving and Storing

This bumbleberry slab pie can be served just like a traditional pie for family gatherings or casual desserts. Once cooled, slice it into squares or rectangles and serve straight from the pan. The flaky crust and rich berry filling make it an easy, no-fuss dessert for feeding a crowd.

Packaging the Bumbleberry Slab Pie into Bundles

For make-ahead meals and lunches, this slab pie can also be cut into individual pieces and wrapped for easy grab-and-go treats.

Once the pie has cooled completely, cut it into pieces about 4 inches by 2 inches. Cut parchment paper into squares about 8 inches wide (no need to be precise). Lay a piece of parchment flat, place a pie finger in the center, then fold the bottom edge up and one side over. Finish by folding the remaining side to close the bundle.

Line the wrapped pie fingers either in a serving bowl for now, or lay them flat in a container if you plan to freeze them.

Freezing the Bumbleberry Slab Pie

This bumbleberry slab pie freezes very well. You can freeze the whole baked pie — let it cool completely, wrap it tightly in tin foil and then plastic wrap, and store it in the freezer.

If you prefer to freeze individual servings, wrap each bundle of pie fingers in parchment paper and place them in a zip-top bag or freezer container. These pie bundles are perfect for lunches, snacks, or a quick dessert and will thaw by lunchtime or at room temperature.

Bumbleberry Slab Pie

A from-scratch bumbleberry slab pie made with a mix of fresh or frozen berries and a simple no-cook filling. Bake it as a slab to serve a crowd, or cut it into individual pieces for make-ahead lunches and snacks.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 large pie crusts or scratch pie recipe
• 2 cups blackberries
• 2 cups blueberries
• 2 cups raspberries
• ¾ cup granulated hite sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp minute tapioca or 3 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

 

Prepare the Bumbleberry Filling

• Wash and strain all of the berries. If using frozen berries, thaw them first in a colander so any excess liquid can drain away.
• Place the berries in a large bowl. Add the granulated white sugar, lemon juice, and minute tapioca, then mix well until combined. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the pie crust.

Assemble the Slab Pie

• Line a 9 by 13 inch cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with flour. Divide the pie crust dough in half. Roll the first half into a rectangle slightly larger than the pan, transfer it to the pan, and gently press it into place.
• Spoon the berry filling evenly over the bottom crust. Roll out the second piece of dough and place it over the filling. Fold the edges of the top crust over the filling and seal all the way around.

Bake the Slab Pie

• Bake at 400°F for about 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Fresh or frozen berries both work well in this recipe. The baked slab pie can be served whole or cut into individual pieces and wrapped for later.

This bumbleberry slab pie is an easy, from-scratch dessert made with fresh or frozen berries. Serve it straight from the pan for gatherings, or wrap individual pieces for make-ahead lunches and snacks. A simple no-cook filling makes this a practical pie you’ll come back to again and again.

Other Pie Recipes to Try

Apple Slab Pie

This apple slab pie is a simple, from-scratch dessert that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. Bake it as a slab for gatherings or cut and wrap individual pieces for easy make-ahead treats.

Classic Lemon Meringue Pie

This classic lemon meringue pie is made from scratch with real lemons and topped with a light, fluffy meringue. It’s a timeless dessert that’s both fresh and comforting.

Traditional Flapper Pie

Flapper pie is a traditional prairie dessert with a creamy vanilla custard and fluffy meringue topping. It’s one of my favorite pies to make and a recipe I come back to again and again.