This delicious marionberry pie recipe is made with fresh Pacific Northwest marionberries (a blackberry variety) and topped with a buttery brown sugar crumble. I use my all-butter pie dough for this pie, and the pie crust bakes up golden brown and flaky. Best of all, each slice holds its shape.
Berry pies with a crumble topping are hands-down my favorite kind of fruit pie, my apple crumble pie and mixed berry crumble pie are proof of that. So when I spotted fresh Marionberries at the farmer's market, making this pie was a given, crumble topping and all.
What is Marionberry Pie
The thing that sets this pie apart from any other berry pie are the Marionberries. So let's start with the basics. Marionberries are a type of blackberry grown almost exclusively in Oregon, originally developed in Marion County in the 1950s. They taste like a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry, sweet, tart, and very juicy.
The season is short, running from early July through early August, so I you find them, I grab them and bake something like this Marionberry crumble pie or Marionberry crisp.
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Cheryl's Baker Notes
- Don’t Add Too Many Berries. You may be tempted to add more berries than the recipe calls for, but don’t. Fruit like marionberries, blackberries and raspberries expand when baked and if you add too many it will overflow the pie crust and turn the edge of the crust soggy. I learned this from experience.
- This Pie Takes a Few Hours. You’ll need a few hours for this pie especially if you clean slices. Once the pie is baked it needs to cool for a few hours and preferably overnight for the filling to completely set so the slices are clean and the filling doesn’t run. Don't rush the process.
- Use a Metal Pie Plate. For the best results including a brown flaky crust use a metal pie plate. I’ve tried using a glass pie plate, but can’t consistently get a beautifully browned bottom.
Marionberry Pie Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that you’ll need for this incredible pie:
Marionberry Pie Filling Ingredients
Crumble Topping Ingredients
- Fresh or Frozen Marionberries: When baking with fruit, especially berries, where the sweetness can vary from mildly sweet to very tart, it's important to taste the fruit so you can adjust the amount of sugar. I wouldn't use less than 1 cup of sugar because it's needed to help the filling thicken as it bakes, but if your berries are very tart, you may want to add a little more sugar.
- Tapioca Flour: Tapioca flour is my preferred thickener for this filling because it creates a clear, glossy finish, unlike cornstarch, which can leave it cloudy. I used 2 tablespoons, which is enough to help the filling hold its shape without becoming rubbery. The goal is a thick, juicy texture that stays in place, so it’s important to use a light hand with any thickener to avoid a gummy or stiff result.
- Crumble Topping: This crumble topping is so good. The sweetness, the cinnamon go so well with the sweet tart marionberry filling. This is my basic recipe for crumble, but feel free to add your flavors by adjusting the amount of ground cinnamon or adding another spice like nutmeg.
- Prepared Pie Crust: My homemade pie crust is buttery, flaky, and is much better than store-bought for this recipe. A store-bought crust will brown too quickly and may dry out because of the long baking time. For the best results, keep your pie dough chilled before rolling it out and while you prepare the filling.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Homemade Marionberry Pie
I love pie, especially crumble pie. Double-crust pies are great, but crumble-topped pies are even better. That crunchy sweet topping combined with a juicy, sweet tart filling is just about perfect in my opinion. When this pie was done and ready I did a little happy dance as I ate it.
Step 1: Make the pie dough and refrigerate it for at least 45 minutes and for up to two days.
Step 2: Roll out the pie dough out to a 12-inch circle and transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate the dough for 60 minutes or freeze it for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Place the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together.
Step 4: Add the butter to the dry ingredients and use either a pastry blender to cut the butter in the flour mixture.
Step 5: The butter should be about the size of peas when done. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to keep the crumble cold while you prep the marionberries.
Step 6: Prepare the berry filling. If using frozen berries, don’t let the berries thaw out before mixing them with the other pie filling ingredients.
Step 7: Spoon the berry mixture into the prepared pie shell.
Step 8: Spread the crumble topping on top of the marionberries.
Adjust the amount of crumble topping to your taste. In my opinion, you can’t have too much crumble topping. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The rimmed baking sheet catches any filling that overflows the crust.
Step 9: Bake the pie until the juices in the pie are bubbly all the way around the pie. If the pie crust starts to get too brown, cover the edges with a pie shield.
Step 10: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool in a wire rack for 2-3 hours it as room temperature.
Variations
- Marionberries are a type of blackberry so you can other varieties blackberry varieties in this recipe.
- Frozen marionberries can be used if you cannot find fresh berries. Don't thaw out the berries. Add them to the pie crust while they are still frozen.
- Add chopped almonds or pecans to the crumble topping.
If you make this yummy fruit pie, please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Marionberry Pie with a Brown Sugar Crumble
Equipment
- 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
Homemade Pie Crust
- 1 recipe homemade pie crust use the single crust version
Crumble Topping
- 1-1/2 cup (188 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 tablespoons (169 grams) unsalted butter cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Marionberry Pie Filling
- 5 1/2 cups (767 grams) fresh marionberries washed and dried
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest about 1 lemon that weighs 90 grams
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons (40 grams) ground tapioca flour Bob's Red Mill recommended
Instructions
- NOTE: If using fresh marionberries, rinse them under a spray of water and remove any small leaves or sticks. Remove any berries that appear spoiled. Spread the berries on paper towels and place more paper towels on top helps dry them off.
Make the Pie Dough
- Use this recipe for the pie dough. Once the dough is done wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes. Freeze the other half of the dough. The dough for this pie can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- For a 9-inch pie plate roll the dough until is it 1/8-inch thick and 12-13 inches round. Fold the dough in half and then half again so that you have a quarter. Place the dough in the pie plate do the corner of the dough is centered. Gently unfold the dough so the pie plate is completely covered, and the dough is overhanging the edges of the pie plate.
- Trim the dough so that there is about a 1-inch overhang all the way around. Fold the dough under so that it rests on the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the dough using a fork or create your own design.
- Refrigerate the prepared dough for at least 60 minutes or freeze it for 30 minutes.
Crumble Topping
- Cut the cold butter into 1/2-inch cubes and place it back in the refrigerator so it stays cold while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Place the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium size bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until well combined. Use your fingers to break up any clumps of brown sugar. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and toss the butter into the flour mixture with your hands until all the butter is well coated.
- Use the pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture, until the butter is pea sized. You can also you use your hands if you don’t have a pastry blender. To mix it with your hands take each piece of butter and smash it flat between your thumb and first two fingers. Continue to do this until the butter is pea sized.
- Cover the crumble with plastic and place it in the refrigerator to keep it cold until ready to use. If not using the crumble the same day, place it in an airtight container (something with a lid) to keep it from drying out. The crumble can be made up to one week in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container.
Assemble the Pie
- Place the marionberries in a large bowl and zest the lemon directly into the berries then add the lemon juice. Combine 3/4 cup of the sugar, tapioca, and the salt and whisk together.
- Add these ingredients to the marionberries and gently fold the sugar mixture, lemon juice, and lemon zest into the berries. Taste the berries and decide based on taste if you want to add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
- Let the marionberries sit for 10 minutes so the sugar and tapioca dissolve before baking.
Bake the Pie
- While the berries are macerating preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a half baking sheet in the oven lined with parchment paper. Baking the pie on a baking sheet will catch any pie juices that bubble over. Baking it on a hot baking sheet will ensure that the bottom of the pie dough browns.
- Remove the prepared pie shell for the refrigerator or freezer and spoon the marionberries into the pie shell. Spread the crumble topping over the berries.
- Bake the pie at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the pie for another 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbly all the way around. If the crust starts to get too dark cover the edges of the crust with a pie shield.
- Remove the pie from the oven. Place it on a wire rack and allow to cool for 3 hours to room temperature before serving.
Storing the Pie
- The pie can sit at room temperature for 2 days (and for 1 day if the weather is hot and humid). Store the pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, covered with plastic wrap or foil.
Ivan Anthony Thompson says
Nice job keep up the good work.
Cheryl Norris says
Thank you Ivan for the compliment.
Teresa says
This was so good! The crust was delicious and easy to work with.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Teresa
Thank you so much for trying my marionberry pie recipe and leaving this great review. I'm so glad to read that you enjoyed it.
Megan O’Keefe says
Do you know of a gluten free recipe for the crumble topping? I
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Megan
I haven't made the crumble with GF flour, but a reader said they successfully made my Apple Crumble with a 1:1 replacement of the AP flour with GF flour and the recipes are very similar. Let me know if this answers your question.
Megan O'Keefe says
Yes -I’m going to try it out today! Thanks for the feedback!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Megan
Please let me know how it turns out. If you have questions along the way, the easiest way to reach me is through email.